World Championships

World Championships

Just after starting Sixth Form I had to travel across the World to New Caledonia, which was a 9 hour flight south east of Japan so yeah we had quite a lot of travelling time, about 30 hours in fact and we arrived tired, to find that our bags had been left in Helsinki, this left the rather unpleasant experience of wearing the same boxers for four days although I did turn them around!

New Caledonia is probably the most tropical place I have ever been by that I mean there where palm trees, amazing beaches and poisonous animals. I did get a scare when I almost stepped on the third most venomous snake in the world fortunately it was fairly dopey and we decided it would be a good idea to poke it with sticks!  The town we stayed in was called Noumea and it was the capital of New Caledonia.  It was all very rasta out there with lots of locals having dreads and walking around with speakers playing loud music, I even heard someone playing Shaggy at a ridiculous volume out there car. I had to join in with this chilled out lifestyle so decided to by myself a Hawaiian shirt 2500 francs or 25 quid well spent!

On one of the rest days we went to duck island which didn’t have many ducks on it but instead had some cool snorkelling with colourful fish although we were told we would see turtles so we went exploring around the island, we got told we weren’t meant to snorkel there so left but Alex stayed, soon he was back saying he had seen turtles. We went back to the same spot and found them! The turtles sort of reminded me of the people all laid back like the turtle from Finding Nemo.

Well we weren’t out there for a holiday so soon our minds turned to the competition; the wall was incredible maybe the coolest looking wall I’ve ever climbed on! The opening ceremony was intimidating seeing all the different countries with big teams and us just with 7!

So my first qualifier was through the vert then a massive roof then some simple pulling to the top, looked fun! The sequence through the roof was a couple spins and looked really confusing. On the bottom section I managed to keep it together and made the roof, so basically I went completely wrong handed and ended up doing a swap, so much for beta, and pumped out a couple moves later but still I was in the top 26 so it was good enough.

My second qualifier had a really hard start and many of the juniors hadn’t got past clip 5, I got here and was half way through the move when my foot popped! I thought I’d blown it, honestly I couldn’t believe it and I thought I hadn’t made semi-finals. I thought it was over and I’d let the team down, though thankfully I make it in 23^rd place phew stressful!

After a chilled out evening and lazy morning we headed to isolation which is always intimidating because it is so busy, however the atmosphere is amazing so I got psyched! My route was on a similar section to my first qualifier so I thought I could do well. Once again it looked like a really hard route sequence and it had a massive move in it. I returned and got myself ready for my most important route of the year. I came out completely focused and ready to give it my best effort. I climbed the bottom wall easily and made the first couple moves in the roof which were quite hard but I wasn’t that pumped when I hit a jug in the roof. Next was the big move, I eyed up the next hold and let fly but didn’t stick it and dropped. I’d climbed really well so was happy but still knew I could have done better which is annoying.

Will made finals so the next day he was up and we knew he could do well and where so psyched for him but unfortunately he met a stopper move which he didn’t get on with and he finished in 8^th. The trip was amazing and totally worth it. I’d just like to say thanks to everyone who helped me get there and the support I had when I was out there, I couldn’t have done it without you!

 

Sponsors: Dewerstone

North Devon Sports Foundation

Sports Aid

Langenfeld European Bouldering Cup

The second bouldering cup was held in Langenfeld, this was my final bouldering competition of the year so I wanted to make it my best one.

From St Leger I travelled back into England and got dropped of by my family at Stansted Airport, from here we flew to Munich and after a rather eventful car ride featuring a flat tire we arrived at our hotel at 3 in the morning!

We recovered and the competition was soon on us! I was climbing at about 11 o'clock and I did a really good warm-up with Tim involving lots of looking like an idiot but when I pulled on the wall it was worth it because I felt like I was moving well and felt like I could pull out some hard moves.

The clock ticked down to our start time and I checked out our problems, it was weird how they did the comp they made variations of the problems but essentially the same base moves for example we had a similar problem to the youth b girls but they had taken of three holds.

Right the clock struck 0 and it was time to climb, I watched Will flash the first problem so the pressure was on me to match his effort, I went for it but had to squeeze so hard to stay on and dropped it early. Another effort and I dropped the next move then someone came along and just went with the other hand and made it look easy, this did turn out to be loads easier so then I dropped 2 moves higher because of a silly slip! Fouth go and I stuck the second to last hold but then my foot slipped and I fell! Ah fifth and final go, I really had to compose myself for this and executed it perfectly it felt great!

After that I did the easiest problem, which was a proper dyno so I was surprised I could do it! Next was the youth B girls problem made harder, on my first three goes I dropped this hard press move to a pocket but then sorted myself out and managed to do a cheeky crimp in a bolt hole which isn't technically allowed but oh well and finished of the problem!

Next I tried the slab which was a youth B boys final but couldn't touch the way everyone did it, it just didn't seem possible for me so I left it, next was another dyno this one was a quick match and slap to a good hold which purely revolved around speed. I slipped on my first go and on my second stuck the move it was sick I have to say such a good problem, so after that all the problems where desperate but I tried different beta on the slab but unfortunately ran out of time for another go!

This competition was really well organised, great music, all explicit, good lighting and a great place so I really enjoyed it and I might venture to say that bouldering comps are pretty fun, and with a decent result of 25th I was pretty pleased with my trip.

Next was the finals and it was amazing watching Will crush to a silver position so close to gold, Tara finish 4th so close to 3rd! Also Max made a good effort and came 5th! Well done to all the team and thanks to the management!

Thanks to my Sponsors:
 Sports Aid
 North Devon Sports Foundation
Dewerstone

Hope, heat and heartbreaks

High on Black Mamba 8a



After sacking off Ceuse, we headed from the mountains and into the heat of the Provence region. Grape vines covered the slopes below Mt Ventoux in these was St Leger which I would say beats Ceuse but just for me because it has loads of good 8b's and 8b+'s which is just what I like. The style is pure fitness, you wouldn't fall off because the moves are too hard which I'd never really experienced. First, I finished off an 8b+ I tried last time and was please to find I had got so much stronger since last time and showed I could do 8b+ second go. This gave me help because I knew I could climb harder than that. I also tried and 8b called Praniania which felt really easy.

We spent most of our time at sector La Baleine which is a smaller looking version of Rodellar. It had two classic 8b+'s and two 8c's so plenty to go for, I started with flashing an 8a on the left hand side of the cave and it felt easy. I was feeling so good! Next I put the draws in Collection Automne Hiver 8b+ which was an epic. I took 5 10m whips when I was trying to put the draws in! I came down and had to call it a day because it took so much out of me. After a rest day we returned and I had three goes and dropped turning the lip of the cave twice, but found new beta at the end of the day. After more rest I tried again and managed to send it with the new beta. Me and Luke reckoned 8a+ to a rest then a roof which gave a hard 8b followed by a hands of rest then a technical 7c to the top. All in all I thought it was hard 8b+.


8a+ at Venasque

We also climbed at Venasque, which has some amazing rock with really cool features and some incredible secret walls. I managed to onsight my second 8a but it was a really soft one so I only felt like I had done a standard 7c+, and I have felt more psyched after 7b+ onsights. I just think I get most satisfaction from either cruising something or having a fight because with cruising I am psyched because I know I climbed really well and the fight just involves the most physical investment so you get great rewards. But I'm not sure which I prefer. I also tried an 8a+ which was ridiculously hard! Unfortunately I'd run out of juice after one go on this.


7c+ at Venasque

More rest and we returned to La Baleine, we'd left the draws in the climb so I just warmed up and went for an attempt on Collection Automne Hiver, I climbed to the rest really efficiently barely getting pumped, I left the rest and kept going the new beta worked but I still had to really keep it together while I felt like my arms would fail at any moment. Right onto the slab, I'd done the physical part now was time for the mental part. I'd never actually linked the 7c so I was nervous as I stood there recovering. I set off feeling calm and light, every move I executed perfectly but still it felt hard after climbing that much a 7c was a real challenge.

Heartbreaks, I think I'd describe them in a climbing sense as when you put all your energy into one attempt give it absolutely everything and realise that you just aren't good enough and no matter how hard you try you won't succeed. I tried this 8b+ called Jungle Speed, it was hard I would say it was 8a into another 8a with only a few shake outs with the crux right at the top. It was one of the best route I'd ever tried completely beautiful flowing movement, I had two days left and I wanted to do it so badly. I climbed fast, fluent and still found the going hard. On my first go I was going for the last hold with hard moves around it, but I wasn't close. Next go I fell earlier. This was at the top of a 35m route and every time I knew I had to climb back up to that point. On the same day Luke fell 3 times at the top of Collection Automne Hiver even after doing the crux move on the 7c he pumped out and dropped it!


Luke doing Coloscope 8a

The last day it was my last chance and I'd never wanted it so bad, I climbed the best I ever had never faltering or hesitating but still I got to the crux and fell a move lower from a stupid mistake, I knew I hadn't enough energy left, I wasn't frustrated just broken that I didn't have it in me to complete those moves. A true heartbreaker.
Thanks to My Sponsors: Dewerstone
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North Devon Sports Foundation

The massive cave!

L'argentiere European bouldering cup

Topping my first problem

The first bouldering cup was held just a couple hours from Ceuse in a small town called L'argentiere. We travelled down to the town near, Briancon to try to watch the world cup. Unfortunately there was a storm and the water started to drip through the walls, with the setters desperately trying to dry it out. It was eventually cancelled when a lightning bolt struck the courtyard and struck a tree sending two people to hospital. Seeing this close up was one of the most scary experiences I've ever been in.

We took a rest day which involve playing lots of darts and watching films. We also checked out the wall, to me it looked really good lots of overhanging panels which look like they'll yield some powerful problems.

Competition day arrived and I hoped I could put in a good performance, because I was really struggling to compete in youth A everything was just harder, moves bigger, holds smaller. I saw our problems and sure enough we did have lots of powerful ones. I started on a yellow problem, it was made for me just small holds and gymnastic moves. I flashed it and missed the bonus on it! Oops. Next was a green problem which was just a massive swing move and was really easy. My third top was a slippy white problem, and I pulled on and my foot popped straight off. I was so annoyed, I looked at my foot thinking how could a possibly do that! Fortunately I got another go straight away and sent it. The rest of the problems where completely desperate and I was working to try to get bonuses which was really demoralising. After the competition I finished with three tops and three bonuses which ended me in 32nd place. So frustrating!

Will getting stuck into the desperate blue

Ed going for the green dyno

Super slippy on the white

Although I soon forgot about my bad result because Hamish had crushed and made final. We watched him and he managed to pull it out of the bag in the final with two tops this place him in third!

It was a really good competition because it was chilled out with nice weather but it was a shame I couldn't match it with a good performance. Still I had a great time!

Thanks to my sponsors:
Dewerstone
Sports Aid
North Devon Sports Foundation

flying!!!

Crowds, hills and the best climbing in the world

I start by saying this, Ceuse is without a doubt the best crag in the world for climbing, there is route after route of immaculate rock with well chalked holds and good bolts. This summer I spent two weeks there soaking up the sun and also climbing so stuff.

The lifestyle of Ceuse is so chilled out everyone is just chatting, pushing themselves and it was brilliant to partake in this vibe, I mean where else would you see Anna Stohr doing the dishes! This enjoyment of the basic pleasures of life was what Ceuse is all about. Like the hour walk up leaves you so tired you need to spend half an hour just chilling beneath the crag before you start to warm up. Leaving you to marvel at the stunning view.

We drove all the way from home and arrived at about 4, there was a bit of 'arrive at a crag psyched out your mind' feeling so we went straight up and I expect we did the hill in our quickest time. Luke had a long project he had been trying called L'ami de Tout le Monde 8b which you could tell he was desperate to send, so we warmed up and tried that in the evening. It was the most popular 8b on Ceuse and we tried it with a girl who I met in Siurana earlier this year, small world! I worked the moves and found it ok, this was followed by the a big fight to send the route second go! I was surprised to say the least.

Another benefit of Ceuse is all the routes are close to get to and with easy access which can lead to amazing days of mileage. This happened the second day, and it was just a day where everything went my way, these days are like gold dust and you have to realise when you are in the middle of one so you can grab the opportunity with both hands, it was days like these where the standards have been pushed. However I didn't focus on pushing my standard, instead I went for the classics, by 4 I had done Suedes Froides and Carte Blanche and by the evening I had ticked L'ami Caouette followed by Petit Tom, afterward I was so tired but completely thrilled about getting so many amazing routes done.

Luke on Radote Joli Prepare

I'd really come here to climb hard and ticking low 8's wasn't what I really wanted to do. So after another day where I started by trying Radote Joli Prepare 8b but then gave up because I couldn't work out the crux, I tried Slow Food 8b+. On my first go I could do every move on the route but could barely link two of those moves together and still at the top there was another hard section, so to break it down I would say it was 7C through a roof with physical moves then a hold you can shake on before a 7B with a slap move to a crimp. Finally it finished with maybe another 7A+ after an ok rest. On my second go, I could barely even do the moves so I decided to leave it. After a rest day I returned, I knew every move so I just warmed up then started having redpoint goes. First go I got through the bottom crux, just! Went for the crimp and wasn't even close. Next go the crux felt harder but on the slap I actually felt the hold! Now it was a balance between having the raw power to do the bottom efficiently and having the luck to stick the crimp. Third go, I knew this was hard for me and hard as in I'd have to try harder than I have had before. This time, I gave everything I had, and stuck it! Just. I climbed to the rest, now for the top. I only just caught every move but manage to pull it out the bag! Looking back the whole crag must have heard me screaming.

Walking up the hill soon gets tiring and after sending Radote Joli Prepare 8b I was in need of a rest. This came as the L'argentiere comp which I'll write a separate blog on. Once I had returned I was burnt out, I tried Le Chirurgien du crepuscule 8b and fell at the last hard move 30m up. This killed me I just wasn't motivated to put the effort in each day but I had a good trip.

One thing is for sure that I will return. I had one go on Dure Limites 8c and actually found it pretty steady with some intense training I'm 100% sure that I can do that route in near future.

Thanks To My Sponsors
Sports Aid
North Devon Sports Foundation
Dewerstone

Ratho European Championships

Qualifier 2

This weekend many climbers from all over Europe travelled to Ratho for a shot at becoming European champion. This is probably the second biggest competition of the year after the World Championships so everyone was looking very serious and focussed. On the other hand I was feeling pretty relaxed because after a poor performance in Imst it was going to be easy to improve but I still wanted to feel like I'd done my best. To be honest all I wanted was to come off pumped without making silly mistakes.

I competed on the Saturday morning and I was on 5th. Warm-up went well and I was confident I could do well on the route after working through the sequence. It was a line of big, bright pink, blobs up the wall so looked athletic and powerful, a typical indoor route which wouldn't look out of place in a showy American comp. Once again the nervous hit as I was sitting on the preparation chairs watching someone fall of really low. Take a deep breath, go! The lower wall was easy just moving on good edges, about 7b then came a big slot. after some funky moves around this I came to a big cross-over move at about the fifth clip, I went for it and stuck the hold but I was loads worse than I expected and I couldn't unwind and I fell. I all seemed like a flash I barely got any time on the wall. This annoyed me because just after a new sequence appeared where you matched and missed the desperate cross move which looked loads easier! I knew I could have done loads better.

The second qualifier was on the stepped roofs of the old competition wall which was one of my favourite parts of the wall. I got on the route feeling confident and strong, I was comfortable on every move which is unusual. At the first roof though I almost fell because there was a massive move! Thinking about it now I still don't know how I stuck it. I then went on to climb really well, I got into the second roof super pumped but managed to stick the moves across it but then fell at the desperate slap for a crimp over the lip. I came of boxed which was all I wanted so I was happy.

I found I had finished in 24th place which was ok but in the worlds I'm sure I can do better and hopefully make top twenty. The next day was the finals and we had Molly and Will competing. Will was out first and got really high but fell which was surprising seeing as he was strong enough to do a crowd raiser. Next was Molly and she got really high and was in first until the very last person who got to the same place and beat her on count back so close!

I'm still feeling really psyched and am really excited for a mega trip to Europe hopefully getting some classic routes in. In Frankenjura I want to repeat some of Jerry Moffat's route like Bastard 8b, Ekel 7c+ and then hopefully some bouldering in Austria where I'd like to get another 8A!

Thanks to my Sponsors
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Sports Aid
North Devon Sports Foundation





Flexibility paying off!

Imst European Cup

This weekend I travelled with the team to the beautiful country of Austria for my first international competition of the year. The Euro was to be held on the outdoor wall in Imst, 23 metres and insanely overhanging in the second half this was one of the best walls to hold it. I'd trained hard through-out the winter and the work had been paying of with good outdoor accents on my trip to Spain so I was fairly confident I would get a good result so I was aiming for the top twenty even though it was my first year in Youth A. Going into youth A I knew would be a jump but I didn't expect the increase in ability that I found, there was no difference in distance up the route that everyone was getting and the routes were more like 8b or 8b+!

I did everything normally and climbed well, there was just one catch, I found every move I did hard and it involved pulling. Nothing was a give away however everyone else seemed to make it look easy! The first route was hell for me, not my anti-style but just a really horrendous route, not one good hold and I full crimped everything like a nutter. I got stretched out on every move, reaching as far as I could and just being tall enough to complete the sequence, having to move out of this stretched position was even harder and into the next one. This eventually took its toll and I couldn't complete this crazy high step while at full span but quite a few people dropped it here so I wasn't too upset.

The second qualifier wasn't any easier as well! However it was a lot more fun with massive moves on open handed holds which was really fun but wasn't situated to me so much. However I did get higher on this route and my attempt ended in a foot slip where I should have just kept my feet low and gone big. However I came down once again feeling like I had done alright. I feel like blaming my height but I don't think that will help me at all, just hoping for a more powerful and less stretched out route will be a waste of time because I have a feeling that big moves is the style that I am going to keep getting and I have to work to overcome this weakness anyway Sascha Lehmann who is shorter than me came second!

I thought with my performance I'd be in the low twenties or high teen's but that wasn't to be after my first route I was 32nd and finally I came 37th, I was just disappointed that I had got so much worse in comparison to everyone else, but one thing that I'm sure of is that this is the a good result because it allows me to build on it. This was a fluff up, I didn't realise how good I had to be and how much harder I should have worked to be competitive. Hopefully soon I will be back into fighting for a place in the final even though there are a ridiculous number of absolute monsters that I'm going to have to start beating to have a chance!

This performance was a set back, and with a big trip planned for the summer I'm not sure how much training I will get in but hopefully I'll do lots of climbing and it'll get me stronger. In the short run though I've got Ratho in a couple weeks so I'll hopefully do some intensive training to get a little bit more to give and fingers crossed improve my result. However I wasn't too worried because I was busy being happy for Molly and Hannah who both made finals and were really impressive oh yeah almost forgot Molly won boom go GB!

Sponsors: Dewerstone
North Devon sport foundation
Sports Aid

A Muerte

Flash Over

Wow Spain is defiantly the best place in the world for sport climbing, in my opinion, I'm not sure what could top it. This year just like last year we headed out in our Easter holidays after a winter of intensive training. I was really excited and spent hours memorising all the information in the guide books and researching loads of climbs I wanted to do on 8a.nu. Their was one main goal though Rollito Sharma Extension 8c, I'd trained towards this route and this fed my motivation to get stronger.

Flash Over

So we travelled out and my brother and I were like little kids in a candy shop! Maybe a bit too enthusiastic going to Santa Linya straight away, we met Anak Verhoven there who we have competed with and first met at Saint Leger, once again a marvel of the climbing network! Bit over keen we warmed up and got straight on the 8c, yeah surprise we got really shut down. I also worked an 8b called Niu de Chut which I got all the moves on and thought it was soft.

So day two we started, got up early and headed to Terradets, the sterotype of a sport cliff with 30m endurance tests all the way along the wall. Turned out I was feeling fit and I fired off Golpe de Gas 8b second go and as I was getting tired screamed and fought my way up Non Stop 8b. This was an amazing day and was when I realised that I could push it this trip.


Climbing at El Falco

The next day brought me back to earth as I dropped a 7a warming up. Next I tried an 8a+ which I backed off and I wasn't feeling that good. I was worried maybe I had burnt out already, but things started to get better and I onsighted a 7c which I really enjoyed and was a bit of a hidden gem. We then moved to a crag called Camarsa which was one of the oldest crags in that area, some of the climbing was bit too roadside for my liking but we did some routes their before heading to sector La Font which held the amazing orange wall of Font Picant 8a. I decided to go for the onsight not really expecting much, the moves through the crux flowed really well and I found myself above it. I dug deep and for the first time was positively talking myself through the top section in my head and it worked my first 8a onsight, although gutted for Luke who dropped the last hard move on the flash.

  After a rest day it was time to try to have a proper redpoint go at Rollito Sharma, it wasn't to be though and I couldn't get through the desperate crux on the 8b+ section which was a bit rubbish but felt better when I saw some Belgian wad falling there as well. That day I finished of Nuit de Chut extension 8b which turned out to be hard and I almost dropped clipping the chains that would have been a heart breaker! I finished the day with an 8a and tried an 8a+. The Austrian Youth team showed up which was fun because I knew most of them and they are always a good laugh, although we did feel a bit outnumbered. Final day in Santa Linya and I tried the 8a+ again but couldn't do maybe next time! Gaz Parry turned up which was cool because he was like a beta god and with his and Anaks help I sent Koala 8b second go. Then I did an 8a and two 7c+ to finish off but really I know I'm not finished and will hopefully be returning there soon to finish off Rollito Sharma!

Non Stop 8b

No rest and we went straight to meet 'the Northern Lot' to climb in Suirana and Margalef. Previously I didn't have the best experience with Suirana finding it too vertical and fingery but this time it blew me away. Classics like La Cara que no miente 8a+ and Ramadan 8b went on the first day. Good job to Alex also sending them. Another good send that day was getting a lift offered from the first guy I tried to hitch! The following day we went to the same place and I tried Kale Borroka 8b+. Let me describe it a 38m orange wall at an outrageous angle for most of its length split by one crack system covered in chalk. It was a line and I didn't find it that bad. On my first redpoint I fell on the top crux. Michaela Tracy told us the day before that the 8a+ next to Ramadan was actually harder so always keen for a sandbag set off to try it. Alex was getting bored by the time I'd figured out all the moves and they were hard, I don't think I'll ever crimp so hard. I got on a redpoint and was fresh through it but just lost crimp strength towards the end and ended up holding a hideous deadpoint to a mono. Hardest move I've ever done? Felt like it! Of course I made it look harder than it was and Alex went to cruise it.



Non stop

Next day was the first day in Margalef and there was one route I wanted to do, Flash Over 8b+. I just wasn't focused that day and fluffed it too many times and eventually ran out of energy, I'd failed. I wasn't down for long though because watching Billy send Dando Brea 8a was pretty inspirational good effort!

The rest day was full of sun tanning and swimming although I'm not sure swimming across the lake at Margalef was the greatest idea maybe a bit reckless. After this I was refreshed for a siege on Kale Borroka. Two other people where trying it so there was a good buzz and I went up on my first attempt and got to the final crux again but couldn't stick it. One of the guys suggested a change of foot beta at the top and I decided I'd use this. I sent it next go and it was weird I wasn't that over the moon to send it but I just felt fulfilled because I'd climbed it perfectly and to be honest it didn't feel hard. I think I'm not going to get that very often it was really special.

Last day with the Northern lot was at El Falco Arboli and I spent it climbing low 7's and just really enjoyed it. The last night was interesting and just to say the following morning I wasn't feeling my best but it was my last chance on Flash Over 8b+. I only did one warm up and decided to get straight on it. Without expectation I climbed, I felt crap but kept going move after move. At the top I was boxed but clipped the chains in a daze. That was unexpected. Luke sent El Fustigador 8a+ and made it look easy so a good day all around. Luke and I finished on a ledge at Suirana climbing beautiful routes and finished just as the rain came in. Wow, I have to say it was fun.

Thanks everyone that made it an amazing trip, thanks to Mike for getting me in shape and thanks to Dewerstone for the support!



The crew!

Building it all up

Chimes of Freedom 8a+

Although not going on any trips for this first part of the year I've been super busy, with basically training. I'm conscience of the standard rising all around me in competitions and I feel like I'm at the age that I really start pushing myself for example, I've started fingerboarding regularly, which paid off this week were I sent Tuppence Ha'penny 8b+ and managed to do the uber-crimpy start of Fisherman's Tail another instance was sending Chimes Of Freedom 8a+ at Raven Tor which was my first hard route on Peak limestone and I hope there will be many more to come!

Zaff Skoczylas 7C

Also when I'm up in Sheffield I get out on the gritsone. It truly is a great rock and I've found it really hard to adjust my typical powerful limestone style to the intricate nature of grit. It was hard and some days I'd just go away feeling really demoralised especially when I ended up making my finger bleed and freezing cold after failing on Electrical Storm 7B, although that is one I'm going to have to get back to. However I had done some really memorable problems for example doing this high arête when Dad wasn't looking!

Training at the Works

Life in a Radioactive Dustbin

I got four days in the couple months and finally in the fourth day at Stanage it all clicked. It was with the GB bouldering team and we where given a Hueco rock rodeo format to try to send as many problems as possible, warming up on pebble arête one of the most beautiful climbs on grit. The business boulder was next and I tried Jerry's Traverse 7C which was a power-endurance traverse done by the famous Jerry Moffat. Sam Whittaker was there to give me beta so that really helped and I soon figured out the easiest sequence, not long later I sent it but had to dig really hard to get it and it felt right at my limit. I then got Green Slap 7A which I couldn't touch last time I tried it. Their was one problem that I wanted to do that day and it was Brad Pitt 7C, I'd tried it last year and got close falling on the final move. This year though one of the holds was damp and everyone was saying it would be impossible! I was psyched though and the main holds where dry so I gave it a shot, first go I got to the last move, that was when I realise it would go. With some great encouragement from the rest of the team I managed to stick it on my fifth go!

Boulder Training at the Works

Brad Pitt

I've also had lots of training days with the various teams. Everyone I've come back refreshed with new motivation and new ideas on how to train. I've met some great people during these and its been really fun training with some of the best climbers in the world. Another reason for going up to Sheffield was the CWIF which was a great competition and team psych( James, Ed, Alexia and myself) where in high spirits!

So its the Easter holidays are here what I've been working towards. I think I've trained well, first with lots of volume now recently getting in lots of hard redpoints and bouldering however I'm still nervous to see if it pays off. Lets hope it does!

Also thanks to Dewerstone Lifestyle for supplying me and Luke with some great clothes.

Over the Moon!

2013 Roundup

This year has been amazing.  It really started in February half term when I went with some friends to El Chorro, an amazing climb destination in the south of Spain. There I climbed my first 8a+ which was a great start. After that I had a trip to Spain in easter where I did my first 8B called La bombi and my second one called Nina Mala.  During term I took a project at Ansteys cove called Tuppence which was a classic 8b, it was a proper project and a finally got it which was great! Next up was basically the time for competitions and I had the Glasgow bouldering open which I finished second and the Ratho European where I finished 11th.


Poema de Roca L2, El chorro

Stavanger



8a in El Chorro

Imst

Canada

Next came the summer holidays were first we went to frankenjura to do some outdoor climbing. It had been amazing the last year and it was no disappointment again. I sent three 8a+ and my favourite being Misery. After that I went to Austria and climbed in the Zillertal and competed in Imst where I finished 12th. Next was back home to compete in the Leeds open where I finished 2nd in the boulder and 1st in the routes which was amazing because it was my first win. The World Championships was next and I travelled to Canada which was the first time I'd been out of the Europe. The trip was amazing and I finished in 13th place with great memories.



Leads Youth Open

 After some down time, it was time for the last to competitions of the season, Stavanger and Laval which were my last two chances to make a final. This came easier than I thought! In Stavanger I qualified in 4th place and finished in 7th overall which was great. In Laval which was my first bouldering European. I was really surprised to qualify in 5th position and after the final retain that position. It was crazy. I had half-term where I went to Saint Leger in France. We met up with the Irish and it was really fun I got another 8b called Abrage Nief. Also sending loads of 8a+s and 8as.



Laval

BLCCs

Laval

Youth Open Sheffield

youth open Sheffield

To finish the year we're to highs. The first was an outdoor one with a second go ascent of Brean Topping which was supposedly 8b but I thought it wasn't that hard. It was still over the moon to get it. The next was my first competition of Youth A, although I didn't do that well in the bouldering and finished 5 but in the lead I won again which was sick! Great End



Tuppence

Tuppence

So goals for 2014, I want to climb 8c basically. I have my eyes on Rollito Sharma Extenstion in Santa Linya, so better get training. Also on a competition front I want to make another final and do some more of the bouldering competitions.

Reve De Pappilion



Misery

Glasgow