Eindhoven, Barcelona and Sheffield

First up I qualified for the final in 4th place at Eindhoven and slipped to 6th place. In the final i had nothing left even though i felt like i was capable of doing all four, i only topped the first problem. This photo sums up my final quite well.The following weekend was Barcelona, where i qualified for the semi finals and finished 11th but should have been in the final really after i missed a foothold on one problem doing it 2nd go and fell victim to a stupid out of bounds tape on an other. I was pleased to perform well in such horrendously hot conditions, i don't know who's idea it was to hold a competition in a non air conditioned building in the middle of summer but they should be shot as the are so many cool places in Barcelona it could have been attracting a large audience too, but it wasn't so no one really saw it!
Finally It was the home event in Sheffield at cliffhanger, where i hoped to climb well......unfortunately i climbed well and felt strong but only topped three problems falling off the top of the other 2 leaving me 16th in a very strong group. I guess that's the way it goes sometimes in such a strong field 7 of this years finalists did not qualify! The semi final problems also look like they would have suited me too, a very frustrating weekend.

Ohh well a weekend off this week(well lots of work) before heading out to Arco for the World championships where I'm also going to do the lead, which should be fun.

Font Videos

Below are two videos from my trip to Font, Karma and Gecko (assis) which is apparently 8b+ my first of the grade :-)

Karma


Gecko assis

Karma and Gecko (assis)

I've just got back from 2 weeks in Font, where i did the mega classic Karma (8a+) and the sit start to Gecko (8b) my first 8b in the forest. I also did Rubis Sur L'Ongle, La Gaule a reach dependent prow that i didn't think i had the span for. I was also getting close to Satan i Helvete but ran out of dry weather and skin!

Here is a pic of La Gaule, i am currently editing together some video footage so watch this space.

While i've not been posting any thing on here i've mostly been out doing a few routes including Power ranger at Malham, my first 8b+. I've not been on it for about a year and sent it on my first redpoint of the day, hitting all the holds wrong through the crux, but still managing to get to the top! i guess that's the way it goes sometimes, never let go!

Amongst doing a few routes i've also been training for the European championships in Innsbruck starting on Thursday, it will be web cast here, withe semis and finals on Saturday.

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/

one or two things

Plywood masters

Last Saturday saw the annual Plywood masters at Boulder UK, After the qualifiers i was in first place, but with Nige looking strong and Ned always capable of pulling something out the bag the pressure was still on!
I flashed all five of the final problems to take the title for the second year in a row.
It was nice to feel strong in a comp again and am now motivated to train for the first round of the world cup in a three weeks time.

Harrogate

Monday and Tuesday i was at the recently opened Harroagte climbing centre to do the first re-set of the bouldering wall so there are now 50 new problems to test yourselves on, get down there its well worth a visit.

A bit of trad pottering!

Saturday i decided to dust off the trad head and went off to Burbage south to find some cooler temperatures and found the conditions to be really good, having warmed up on a few easy routes we did the knock, then i on-sighted Nosferatu, which has amazing moves on really positive crimps, a bit like a limestone route really! Then it was down for a classic fight with Goliath, which i found surprisingly easy, and not much of a fight at all if you just go for it! Finally the draw of Messiah was too much it looked like my kind of climbing and decided to go for the flash(nearly on-sight but it was well chalked and i have seen video footage a long time ago so not much help from that!) Turns out it was my style as i powered through the crux some of the best moves i've done in a long time. Mr Messenger was on hand to take a few photos too.
Not a bad day really E6 on-sight, E7 flash and not a pad in sight!

Manchester

Yesterday i set the downstairs bouldering area at Manchester climbing centre so more problems to test your monkey genes on.

Skymasters

The third skymasters was last weekend, thankfully the spinning planet of doom was now fixed meaning more of a straight race across the suspended boulders in the sky. Saturdays Qualifiers saw me land up third fastest with a good draw for sundays knockout rounds.
I seem to have been fighting the dreaded man flu for a week or two now, and it seemed to affect my ability to campus through moves, not good when its quite often the quickest way through most of the skymasters course! I managed to speed my way through to the semi's with my feet on, where i met eventual winner Rob Mackenzie who proved just too young and quick, leaving me in the climb off for third against Adam Watson, a particularly rangy beast from the north east! I lost the climb off by just one hold in a very close race finishing in quite possibly the worst place in a comp 4th! All still a great fun though.

The CWIF

Saturdays Cwif was a mixed affair for me, qualifiers went well, finishing in third place for the semi-finals. The semi's where incredibly frustrating as i felt strong but only managed to top out one problem, finishing in 11th. I miss read the second and just did not feel like i had enough power endurance on the third or enough recovery for the last problem. I'm not sure whether i was not fit enough or i just hadn't eaten enough during the day. But at least i now have something to work on in the five weeks before the first round of the world cup in Switzerland.

MCC new problems

Finished filling in the problems on the bouldering wall at Manchester climbing centre yesterday, after fridays final bouldering league. Loads of new problems up to test you all out.
The leading ladder also started on saturday so dust off that rope and get leading.

Font video

Finished editing the footage from font check it out

Fontainebleau

Well font could best be described as mostly moist and very frustrating as it only rained at night with the days being nice. Still managed to do a few things though, mostly on the same day. The highlight being Beaux Quartiers at Rocher Bouligny, one that i,ve tried a few times but always been thwarted by wetness before. So after despatching that i thought i'd try the moves on Gecko, Five minutes later i topped it out, almost slightly disappointed at how easily it went, but still a great feeling to do such a good problem although probably only 8a in my book.
I'm currently editing together some video footage from this trip and my last one in October, to create my own font four, which will hopefully go up on Vimeo sometime in the next week.

Back to setting this week with a lead ladder and the final round of the Manchester bouldering league to set in two days and then some last minute training before the CWIF next weekend.I seem to be climbing well considering quite a long running finger injury hampering my training plans, but that seems to be better now so fingers crossed for next weekend.

finger injury's christmas and work!

well that just about sum's up my last two months, after hearing my finger go crack at the start of December it has been a frustrating few months of not really training, coupled with a good bout of man flu after Christmas which just would not go away! The finger seems to be coming good again now so i can get back to pre-season training.
January seems to have been dominated by some much needed work, with two lines on the main wall at Manchester followed by a couple of weeks at the new wall in Harrogate due to open next week, and then the February bouldering competition at Manchester, meaning a whole new batch of problems down at MCC from tomorrow night when I've finished filling in the gaps.

I've even managed to sneak a few days out on the rock and don't seem to have lost too much of the strength I'd gained before Christmas, just a little finger strength. Got a nice day out on Wednesday last week at Trowbarrow, flashed Iron man stand up, 7c, and the did the sitter 3rd go after a frustrating slip at the start, originally given 8a, but probably 7c+, see vid below.




Off to Font for a week on Tuesday, so hopefully might finally do Kehops.......but probably not as there has been shed loads of snow out there! watch this space

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?

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!