World Cup 2010 Switzerland

Team GB is looking good kitted out by five finger thing with hoodies, soft cell jackets, t-shirts and comp vests.

We arrived at the Schwanen Pizzeria/Hotel damp from the drizzle to find nobody home. A friendly local helped us out and all was well (apart from the church bells next door chiming every 15mins 24/7!).

I was feeling overly calm when the qualis came around, having watched the lads in the morning. The lasses are typically first. Mina and me were in different start groups. I think I liked the look of my blocs more than hers which is lucky. I flashed the first 3 blocs, 2 of which everyone did. The 5th was a non-starter for me. The 4th was once again another 'so close'. I slipped switching feet for the last move and came 27th overall. If I'd latched the last hold I would have been in the semis. Grr. Next time.

We were fortunate to return home. The pilot (Captain Maverick apparently) was pleased to have got us home an hour before Manchester Airport was due to close because of ash. Awesome timing. I hope Jon got lucky too flying 3 hours later to London...

Skymasters 2010

We went to Birmingham NEC for Skymasters at the Outdoors show again this year. It was a busy event as usual. We had a stand selling the Ltd Edition UKBouldering t-shirts and managed to raise some money for the team. My sister helped - cheers Angie. If anyone wants some t-shirts there's a couple of originals left, and a new design out.

Katy blitzed the Skymasters swinging lead route in a blistering time repeatedly to come second. Go boulderers! I was somewhat slower and came 10th again. I was pleased to complete the route twice - an advancement on last year. I just need to add some speed to my climbing performance.

Plywood Masters '10

Second agaaiin. Doh, I'm not very good at winning. Shauna was climbing really well. We were almost equal in the quali's. I dropped a straight forward bloc with a long last move and she dropped a bloc with a slab style top. I had extra goes on my bloc so was just behind.

The finals didn't split us, apart from me slipping of the start of a bloc by accident. This didn't matter as I couldn't win with all flashes due to qualifying second. Good fun blocs almost all conquered and good competition. To win I just need to do it all first time from start to finish!

Fantastic Fontainebleau

The forecast was for rain. Followed by rain. We had quite a bit, but not that much, so it was a good trip that rose high above expectations. We climbed every day, and typically got rained on just before doing a last move!

I had a play on Holy Moly and Carnage, things I can do all the moves on, but keep failing to put together. I think the main problem is that there's so much to play on that I want to run around and do mileage rather than work anything for more than about 3 goes.

I did however substantially break into the 7's this holiday, especially once the sun (and lizards :-) ) came out on the last couple of days at 95.2 and Isotis. I don't think I'll ever be able to grade anything myself as the grade never seems to consistently reflect how hard something felt.

It felt good to revisit blocs that previously felt desperate and find them much easier - I'm getting stronger. It was also fantastic to to get away from the grind and live the simple 'eat, sleep, climb' lifestyle for a while.

Ten to One

Well, I have some satisfying aches from trying hard at CWIF. The qualifiers were fun but sustained with no blocs really being 'given'. I didn't have a clue how I was climbing and dropped some things I thought I should be able to get. It was good to climb with the other GB Girlies (and Nick) as we all climb quite differently and worked off each other. I felt like my endurance was seeing me through, but I was clearly starting to flag by 14:30 having started at 09.30.

I qualified in 12th place to join the 16 semi-finalists, hurrah; four Brits, the rest from mainland Europe. I went home for a refuel and a rest on the sofa for an hour before going into isolation, which made me feel much better.

The semis were frustrating for me. I felt like I was being a muppet on bloc 1 and flailed around not catching a jump on bloc 2 (maybe as I was stretching out before trying to jump). I was determined to rise above my nil points on bloc 3 and to my joy I was faced with a steep crimpy bloc. I powered through to the bonus, lost my feet, thought that's ok I can campus this move and slipped off - and that was about that. I think I went pop at that point, not managing to get back to the bonus. I'm pretty sure I could do the last bloc, jump and all, but sadly the 5mins rest was not enough to get me through a roof section without getting leaden arms.

I came 10th overall, which I'm pleased with. If I continue to work my power endurance and a couple of other weaker points, maybe I can get to number one!!

CWIF commeth

I'm feeling stronger and fitter than any time before. I just need to manage to avoid the lurgy, something I've not managed for the CWIF the last 2 years. Then I just need to have a good fun day.

I won the Climbing Works league and have been enjoying the new red circuit - all good practice working out the blocs. I also had a really good team training comp simulation recently. It's almost time to start my taper for the comp - a useful comp prep test prior to the World Cup season starting in May.

In between CWIF and May I'll be doing another mini periodised training cycle. That's the plan...

Power Endurance

I've been working hard through the winter. Getting strong, converting strength to power and now working on power endurance. The winter league competitions help with this, but nothing can do more than lots of comp style 5min on/off work. The difference this makes is astounding. I feel like I've broken through to another grade by being able to crank and crank again.

The Foundry has been supplying plenty of cranking, with a really burly set with lots of powerful undercuts this time round. The league was really enjoyable too. I won the elite level, holding off the male competition as well as the female.

It's a shame all the leagues are on Friday's and often on the same dates as making them less attended than usual. I wanted to attend more, but with the weather and overlaps I've mostly just done the local ones in Sheffield (Foundry and Climbing Works) and one in Leeds (City Bloc).

I had a good trip to the Castle in London in December for a SIBL round. They had an amusing 'final' (sorts out any ties) which involved a reachy traverse with a rope swing in the middle. I won the female open, but didn't fair so well on the traverse at the end - not quite making the rope swing. This comp was written up in the latest issue of Psyched the BMC competition climbing newsletter. They've also put in an article about me :-)