Diane Merrick's Blog: Kitzbühel

Team GB do Kitzbühel (thanks to Victoria for taking the photo and giving artistic direction)

I topped the qualification boulders. I am really pleased that I have had the opportunity to prove that I am physically capable being competitive. This is something I thought I was capable of, but physically proving it is better. I only wish I’d managed to do it during the competition, instead of messing up!

I only managed to top the 3rd and 5th boulders during the competition leaving me, once again, in a very disappointing 43rd place. Hesitation and a slip denied me of the 4th boulder, on which I came within tickling distance of the last hold. I gained the bonus on all the problems. Both the boulders I topped were very dynamic. This feels like a big breakthrough for me. I am starting to relax and go for things.

Picture courtesy of Eddie Fowke (www.EddieFowkePhotography.com)

A very unusual opportunity arose directly after the competition. We were able to briefly climb on the problems before they were stripped ready for the semi-final. I re-attempted the 1st and 2nd boulders and discovered that my head had let me down. I was more than capable of climbing them.

The 1st boulder was a slab. During the competition I had persistently faced the wrong direction, denying me the balance position required to progress off the bonus. I tried to use a foothold that I personally didn’t require to top the problem. I needed to take a breath and look around me, relax into the climbing from the first problem. Not wait to get into the swing part way through the competition. After the competition, I found that I could smoothly gain the bonus, consider my previous beta, calmly discard it as it felt wrong, reassess without much deliberation. A foot swap on an enormous foothold, and a lean into the big rounded bonus, allowed me to make a high step in balance. A small rock up brought the penultimate hold into reach, and with it progression to the top hold. It felt good to gain the top, despite it all being too late!

The 2nd boulder had my name all over it. It was a thuggy roof with a big lock. During the competition I repeatedly dropped the lock move off of the bonus. I considered slightly amending my grip on the bonus to improve the right hand position when I matched. This would allow better grip whilst trying to lock. For some reason I did not apply the idea during the competition. I put the idea to the test afterwards. I topped the problem on my first post-competition attempt. Why hadn’t I trusted my judgement during the competition?

I was not upset after the competition. I was annoyed with myself for messing up and excited for the next competitions, having proved to myself that I am physically capable. I need to work on being clear headed under pressure, but not overthinking, to relax and climb fluidly.

So now it’s a head game. Bring it on.