Two more competitions in two weekends. The World Cup rounds are coming thick and fast this season. Team GB are doing really well and are are currently in 6th. Go Team.
My contribution to this started well in China, but has taken a nose dive since. I seem to be suffering from a temporary inability to climb the easiest problem in each competition. I feel the need to take myself back to basics and remind myself how to climb, as it’s becoming not only frustrating, but somewhat embarrassing!
I had a self destructive thought in Log-Dragomer before starting the first problem. I thought ‘I hope I’m not the first person to drop this bloc’. I was, and one of the very few not to top it. I knew I needed to balance, take my time, but I just kept launching at the next hold. Arghhh.
I then took my time on the second problem and timed out whilst applying the wrong beta at the top. I did well on the 3rd problem coming so close to topping the thuggy, steep volumes. However, I found that I was so pumped that I couldn’t hold on anymore. I need to keep up my power endurance. Thankfully the last problem had my name on it and I flashed it to leave me tantalisingly close to points in 31st, despite everything.
The qualification in Innsbruck was different to usual. Due to the inclement weather causing some of the boulders to become a little damp, we competed on 4 instead of 5 problems. The difficulty of the problems was increased to ensure that the field was split. The problems were tough, with most people topping only the first.
A handful of people, myself included, topped the last problem - a short, but awkward dyno. I started my final and successful attempt with about 25 seconds left on the clock. This is not usually enough time for me to complete a problem, but I suddenly found myself on the penultimate hold when the countdown for the last 5 seconds started. For me it felt like everything was in slow motion with my head calmly telling me what to do …. 5…. ’I still have time do this’…. 4… ‘breath’… 3… ‘now latch the top hold and match’. I urgently turned to the judge to see her hand up in confirmation. I’d got the top. Yes, yes, yes.
My emotions were so mixed directly after this, before seeing the results. Tears filled my eyes, but I could not tell you if they were from relief, disappointment or joy. I had not topped the first and easiest problem. If I had I would have been in the semi-final. Instead I had been seconds away from obtaining nothing in the round. I was kicking myself. I had to settle for 43rd again.
The final was amazing with Jan Hoyer and Juliane Wurm, both from Germany, taking their first ever World Cup wins in front of the biggest crowd yet. Inspiration to us all.
Thanks to Eddie Fowke for the good photos!
Log-Dragomer 2nd problem for me, 3rd for Leah.
Innsbruck 2nd problem
Mina doing very well – scoreboard part way through the Innsbruck semi-final.
Innsbruck Podium
Our chariot awaits – prop plane for the first leg home from Innsbruck
