CWIF 09

WOW!

what an event, almost the perfect show for competition climbing (would have been perfect if i'd won!)
The qualifiers went well, only failing on one problem, although a few went 2nd or 3rd go, putting me in 3rd place. the lottery of the qualifiers over it was down to pulling hard on the comp wall for the semi's. Warming up again i still felt strong and fresh, it took a few goes to get the measure of the tricky dyno on the first problem, mostly due to the layer of grease on the volume! but nailed it on my fourth go. I then seemed to be in my stride dispatching the typical Percy volumes with ease. the third problem was a lesson in undercuts, which i happen to rather like and so flash number two. The final problem a pumpy quest on undercuts across the roof into a good bit of precarious groove, a quick battle against the pump in the roof an there was non way i was going to drop the groove after that battle, the third flash and i knew it was enough to get in the final, my first international final. Turns out it was more than enough as i qualified in first, bring on the final, i still felt fresh, strong and psyched out of my mind.

First problem was a quick volume wrestle followed by a big dirty press up the groove onto the slab and teeter to the finishing hold, i dispatched first go as did Jerome and Tyler, the final was well and truly on! Second problem, more volume wrestling to a very hard finish, dropped by Tyler and done by Jerome, i got perched on the volume went to set off on the last difficult section and then my hand slipped as i re weighted it, an i was off! a foot pop on my second go at the start , and the third go all went perfectly as i latched the finishing hold with a roar. Down to the last problem , i knew no one had topped it, once again a tricky dyno set up for some campusing on very poor sloping edges, it seemed my fitness had found its limit as pump set in, seems that the man flu did effect me in that i couldn't do quite as much power endurance work as i'd liked.

All looks good for the coming world cup season, nearly taking the scalp of current European champion, i'll take a great deal of confidence from an awesome competition (weather i'd been in it or not) well done to the boys at the works, and the setting team. Congrats to Leah who was even closer than i was to winning the women's, if only she could have matched the last hold!
I'll try and get hold of some photos and once again

WOW!