Eindhoven World Cup 2011

There was quite a gap between the Vienna and Eindhoven comps.  This allowed some time to top up on the training and try and maintain form.  The Rockover Climbing Summer ROC Fest helped with this.  It was a warm day in a packed wall, with over 240 competitors battling on 30 qualifier problems.  I qualified 3rd and was pleased to hold on to this position in the final to finish behind Shauna and Mina.

Katy found some excellent apartments in Eindhoven a short walk from the venue.  It’s good to be in an apartment rather than a hotel as you can fix food and drink as you please with a kitchen.  Also, there’s no room invasion each day to have the bed tied in knots that have to be undone before you can get in, and no towels wastefully replaced with clean ones each day despite hanging them up.  Despite being comfy I slept badly the few nights before the comp.  This is annoying as my sleep has generally improved recently.

I had built myself up a bit for this competition as I had placed 15th the last two years.  I felt unstoppable in warm up - catching jumps first time and everything.  I hoped I hadn’t won isolation' to the detriment of the comp!

I felt pretty good whilst competing and I have good endurance at the moment.  I got 2 tops, all the bonuses and some impressive ‘grit stone rash’ forearm grazes from grappling with a big volumes.  I felt that I should have topped at least one more problem and was capable of more, however small errors in position I believe were my downfall.  Positioning a knee bar on top of my hand was more than foolish for example.  I maybe needed more concentration.  My general problem reading was ok - I need to work out the finer details of the problems.  Here’s a few photos including the ‘grit ball’ that needed to be hugged, then sat on and leg clamped to finish with a hand match on a blank patch of wall above.

It's frustrating knowing that I haven't achieved my potential so far this year, mainly due to small errors of judgement.  I was pleased to do enough to get my best result of the season, 26th, but was also disappointed.  I really really want to be making semi-finals as I know I have it in me.  I just needed one more top.

The semi-final and finals were plagued with heavy showers, but they didn’t dampen the spirit of the crowd.  Great Britain’s Dave Barrans thrived once again in the moist conditions to make 6th place in the final – awesome.

World Cups 2011 – Italy, Slovenia, Austria

The first World Cup round took us to Milan, just.  We struggled to find accommodation due to fashion week coinciding with the competition.  We got lucky and found ourselves in the heart of the city, within walking distance of the comp venue, unlike many others who were up to 40km away.  There was so much to see.  Milan is stunning.  The food is also great – I enjoyed some seafood ( and maybe a little bit of ice-cream).

The competition was frustrating for me.  Here’s some photos that look like I made the top, made the dyno, but I didn’t.  I was a fraction off of making each move.  Not a good start to the season.  I did do a few moves I was really pleased with though.

After a slightly shaky start, the Log Dragomer comp in Slovenia was much better.  I climbed well getting a good way on all but one of the problems.  However, I still typically failed to launch into the last moves.  I need to learn how top problems.  I topped one, but I either needed this to be a flash or needed a second top to make the semi-final.  Getting lots of bonuses didn’t help as it’s tops that count first.  I came away feeling confident that I can qualify if I just get it together.  Also, ‘hurrah’, I got points towards my world ranking for being in the top 30.

Slovenia is green, friendly and beautiful.  The competition was very, very well organised and we were looked after from the moment that we stepped out of the baggage hall at the airport.  I recommend a visit.  We went to the top of a tower in the middle of Ljubljana from which reportedly over a third of the country can be seen – mountains in all directions.  Amazing.

The Vienna round of the World Cup (Austria) was a very disappointing comp for me.  I flashed the first problem, then sat around for ages due to a technical fault ahead of me.  I think I lost my concentration or something, as the next two blocs were a nightmare for me.  Towards the end of the 3rd bloc I pulled it together and got my 2nd top on the 6th attempt.  I then couldn’t make a dyno, and fluffed up the last move on a nice thuggish bloc twice that I should have made easily.  Grrr, I slipped into a low place knowing I had been really silly.  I wanted to call time out.

The feeling didn’t last long.  I’m back training hard, as I want to win.  I have goals to get.  Its hard work, but fun trying to get them.

Ben’s Roof (7c+ Raven Tor)

I’m very excited. 

I decided that tonight was a good night to start working Ben’s Roof.  I’d fondled the holds previously.  Keith Sharples had shown me his sequence and I had my usual memory on the beta (forgotten the lot).   I tried ‘Too Hard for Mark Leach’ after warming up on pinches wall for a while.  So the end of the problem was ok. 

After about an hour and a half I’d worked out all the moves, with some helpful suggestions from a strong guy and Pete Jeffery.  The main move that was hit and miss was the toe hook to come round to the end – my foot kept slipping.  I was stunned 3 goes later from the start to be making a second adjustment to the toe hook, making it stick and desperately dragging myself round the corner.  Strong guy (sorry for the lack of name) suggested I get the jug not the crack thankfully and I was grunting to the top.  Happy, happy, happy.

Tea time.

The Great Outdoors

It’s been a hectic period with an amazing stretch of glorious weather in the UK, followed by 5 weekends in 4 destinations in Europe.  I have neglected my blog, opting instead to venture out in to the great unknown (for me) – outdoors.

A normal venture out consists of pottering around in the big outdoor playground climbing everything in sight that looks nice.  No aims to do anything in particular, no working anything, just enjoying the rock.  I’ve previously found that it takes a little time getting used to the rock and you need to take time looking at the view!

I feel that I have had more time recently.  I decided it would be very good for me to start trying some ‘stuff’.  Now I have a little more focus.   Time to pull hard, get out of my comfort zone and work things.  I decided to start actively trying ‘7 and upwards’.  Obviously I’ve mostly started with ‘A’ – I’m nothing if not logical!  But I’ve mainly just tried to do a 7 each day that I’ve been out, picking one near to where we’ve ended up climbing, rather than cherry picking.

It’s fun.  It’s improving my finger strength and technique.  It’s making me stronger.  Here’s the outcome so far this year for the ones that didn’t get away:

Peak District

• Gardoms – Mark’s Roof Left Hand 7a
• Curbar – Trackside 7a
• Raven Tor – Saline Drip 7a flash, Saline Drip sit start 7a+, Weedkiller 7a+ (repeat)

Fontainebleau

• Bois Rond – Bombe Humaine 7a+, Petite Insoutenable 7b (but it might be 6c! don’t quote me on these grades as ‘ the grades they keep a’changing’)
• Canche aux Merciers – La Grande Marche 7a+
• Haute Plaines – Lapin ou Canard 7a
• Franchard Cuisiniere – Bizarre Bizarre 7a, La Voie du Pin assis 6c+/7a (the top out felt hard until I played on some razor crimps then came back to it to crimp the top sloper, and they say the standing start is easier!), Pas Cool 7a
• 95.2 – Indestructible 7a+ (this was a great big rock hug which got my inner thighs!), Le Petite Toit traverse with mantle finish 7a (but guide book is old so may be easier now?)

Why do a lot of the 6’s feel harder in Font?  Here’s a clip of my favourite from the Font trip, Indestructible.

Indestructible 7a+ from Peter Jeffery on Vimeo.

CWIF 2011–return of the dappiness

The Climbing Works International Festival was a big, fun event once again. I found having the 30 qualifier problems on a different day to the semi and final much nicer as I have never been one for stamina/endurance, although I am improving.

The quails were hard once again. The problems were quite ‘droppable’ and there were several that I did drop. I worked through the problems with Katy P in the morning session. We all but raced around as there was not much time per bloc. I topped less than half and was a little concerned that I was having a really bad day. I knew my lock was lacking as I have had some persistent back knots. I remained optimistic that I had done enough to qualify – it’s best to wait and see how everyone else has done, so I waited for hours! The am and pm session finished at 12.30 and 18.30 respectively. I passed the time by having my back knots attacked (and getting a blue avatar face to boot from the massage table – amazing dressing up btw), icing the attacked areas, refuelling, and snoozing. I qualified in 5^th place. I was really pleased with this.

The semis were good. I was somewhat surprised to latch the last hold on the first bloc - popping for a jug from an unlikely position on a slab. Luckily I didn’t let go in surprise and got a flash. I tired myself out on the second bloc bouncing around to gain the top on my 3^rd attempt. I then found that I didn’t have enough static lock on the 3^rd bloc which is a bit of a reverse of fortune for me. Although I was tantalisingly close to what I think was the key move. I did enough; I just scraped into the final. The vocal crowd helped spur me on.

I refuelled on chicken and rice whilst my shoulder curled up in shock (that’s what it felt like anyway). It still functioned but was very tender. I don’t think it was much of a hindrance in the final. My main problem was being tired and dappy once again. I missed the, with hindsight, obvious ways to progress problems 1 and 4 and feel I should have done better on these. Problem 2 was really scary and I’m very pleased with myself for topping it, nay, starting it. Comps are great for pushing the comfort zone and achieving unexpected things. I came 6^th, by far my best CWIF to date

Missing judgement

I was really stupid in my last competition - the British Championships. I made the final, viewed the problems and read them ok, then forgot what I had planned to do whilst climbing them. I made lots of errors of judgement and dropped problems. There were some moves I dropped due to hand slips/strength, but it was mainly bad choices.

This year I have mostly been struggling to get any sleep. It is an excuse for being a bit dappy, but I do not feel that it can in any way justify forgetting about the last hold of a problem!! How silly do I feel? Very. Despite what I was hearing from the spectators and commentary, I should have realised that the hold I was on was not the top hold, as it wasn't marked as such. I jumped off from the penultimate hold, thinking it was the last one. Hopefully I won't do that again any time ever.

I can take lots of positives from the comp though. Lots of the problems had pops to the top and I got all of them, only slipping on the last one when going for the match. I even have the photos to prove it. Not bad for the queen of static.

Jump to it

We had an excellent start to the power phase of our training at Climb Newcastle. The setting was just what we needed and I found myself doing flicks and pops that I didn't realise that I was capable of. Things such as 'not holding' a hold and flicking to the next is possible! I've just got to go for it.

All the best to Andy and his family for a speedy recovery.