Thursday 29 October 2009

Two weeks in Font.........and only two days of rain!

Just returned from two weeks in font, and finally had some decent weather to wear my skin to the bone in! The first week involved back to back cold sunshine with a good breeze to keep the temps down, unfortunately my index finger split on the first day (it had been threatening to do it for about a week before!) so i maned up anyhow and taped it, still manging De Vita Beata - 8a, Isatis and my first 8a+ in Font with Papillon at Petite Reine, a cool prow/arete which i was probably doing wrong and spent most of my time looking at some areas i had not been to before. Once my finger had heeled it was time to resume battle with Kheops which is still managing to elude me despite having had several days on it, although i did feel more controlled on it this time but still feeling like i should have sent it! I'll get some video footage up next week.
I'm back in the UK for a while, now with a van which has decided to try and kill its gear box, could be very expensive! Anyone got any work?

Friday 2 October 2009

The summer

Since a slightly disappointing 2nd at the BBC's missing out on a frustratingly reachy last problem, i have been predominantly sport climbing at Malham, Kilnsey and Pen Trwyn. I'm starting to feel properly fit for the first time in my life, Having onsighted another 8a in the form of Over the Moon Direct at Lower Pen Trwyn, and sent several other 7c+ and 8a's first redpoint, the highlights being Zoolook at Malham, and Vorsprung Durch Technik at Yew Cougar. I even dusted off the trad rack for a perfect sunny day in North Wales to do Right Wall, glad i was fit enough to really enjoy such a class route.
The main focus of the summer, well as focused as i get on sport routes has been Power Ranger at Malham, having had a very frustrating day of redpoints on a hot day in August, falling off after the crux three times on the trot, i decided to leave it alone for a bit, it since having got wet or being too hot to even contemplate. I have also being trying Northern Exposure at Kilnsey, an incredibly bouldery short route, much more my style, here is a vid of a frustratingly close go, where i ended up with the wrong three fingers(back three) in the hold at the top, arrh, 8b+ seems to be very elusive!