a few bits and pieces

My finger is now well on the mend just in time for the final round of the world cup in Munich at the weekend which should be web cast here. Qualifiers on Friday, semi's and final on Sunday.
I'm then heading to Frankenjura for a week of sport climbing.
The last few weeks i've been sport climbing a bit, I did Full Tilt at Kilnsey first red point and started working All Out.
I have also been route setting at Harrogate climbing centre, resetting the bouldering last week, here is a video of a few of the problems.
I also set the upstairs bouldering room at Manchester too.

the frustrations of finger injuries

Well the Sheffield world cup was extremely frustrating. The finger i tweaked at city bloc a few weeks ago and aggravated last weekend in Eindhoven was very sore while crimping, which was fine on the first three problems, but on the fourth, a very fingery vickers creation it proved too much for my weakened finger. The last problem wasn't much better, leaving me with three tops in four attempts. and a very frustrating 28th place. At least the rest of the Brits did us proud with three men and four women getting into the semi-finals, and the team came 2nd!
Here's a pic of me making some shapes on problem 3.

I've now got a few weeks before the final world cup round in Munich to sort my finger out and do some training and some work.

Sheffield world cup this weekend

This weekend sees the uk round of the bouldering world cup, Qualifiers are on saturday, semi's and finals on sunday. It is being held at Cliffhanger in Sheffield, so come on down and support the British team. If you can't get down there, it is being webcast too here

Eindhoven world cup

After taking 15th place at Vail i had a few weeks to work on a few things before the next round in Eindhoven, mostly a bit of strength work and take part in the City bloc comp (bloc party) where i successfully defended my title, flashing all three of the final problems. It was good to start feeling strong again.

Before Eindhoven i had a long rest my last climbing session being on the Tuesday, i actually felt good warming up for the qualifiers. I topped out three of the five problems and could have done the fifth but got a split tip on my first attempt! But i qualified well for the semis in 9th. Warming up for the semis i felt relaxed and strong, but had a big hole in my finger! i tapped up and told my self it didn't matter and i could pull on the holds anyway. I topped out two problems in three attempts, which to my surprise was enough to make my first final of the season. Stu very nearly made it in too, which probably would have been a first for GB but was pushed out at the last minute by Ondra.
I decided i was just going to enjoy the final, even though i felt tired and my skin was very sore. I topped the first two problems but ran out of steam on the third even though i would have backed my self to do it. I was so tired on the last problem and it was probably the hardest problem too. I finished 5th in the best final of the season in front of a very large and noisy dutch crowd.

here's me after flashing the first final problem. Thanks to Heiko for the photo.
I can't wait for Sheffield next weekend.

Vienna World cup

Last weekend was the 2nd world cup round in Vienna.
I scrapped through the qualifiers in 17th for the semi finals, where i always seem to climb better than the qualifiers. I topped the hardest problem on my second go and got all four bonus's in five attempts, putting me in a slightly frustrating 8th, just missing the final (if only i had done that problem on my first attempt!). I was still quite pleased considering the frustrating off season i've had.
Stew made in to the final with 2 tops and came in fourth.

Swiss world cup

The Swiss world cup was a bit frustrating, so close to making the semi finals but not quite on a slightly strange and reachy set of problems, it was good to see Stu climbing well and be so close to making the final.
Off to Vienna this weekend for round two which is being broadcast live here.

Swiss bound

I am just about to head out to Griefensee near Zurich for the 2010 World Cup as a member of the British bouldering team. This is the first round of the year in a series of seven, including one at Cliffhanger in Sheffield. There are seven of us going, so wish us all luck and keep track of the results at http://www.climbingworldcup-switzerland.com/