European Youth Cup and Exams, not a good mix.

As they say preparation is key, in the last month I have had to trim my training to a minimum or beyond to concentrate on my studies, being a bit greedy I have just sat AS exams in 5 subjects (8 separate exams) and needed to commit significant effort to these.  In the final week of exams I had 4 papers to sit on 4 consecutive days, and on my first free day I travelled to Ratho for the first EYC of the year on the following day.  Trying to be realistic with myself I was hoping a top 20 place in a group of 37 entered in the Youth A.

Youth A and Juniors’ were to climb the same routes, and instead of Youth A climbing then Juniors the groups were shuffled together, and would be climbing on both routes at the same time.  This made for a group of 57 climbers, the way the day was run I was up half way through the running order on the 2^nd route (old comp wall), and 57^th up on the 1^st route (articulated wall).  So my first qualifier was on the old comp wall, and was the more technically tricky of the two, not quite my favourite thing.  Things were going fine until my left hand popped as I made a move to the right, this gave me 22^nd of the 37 in youth A. 

Photo: Sandy Carr

 Then it was on to the articulated wall. I had a much better climb, passing the two volumes half way that had caused many to fall, I was just about to enter the final roof section when my lack of recent training took its toll, however I felt I had done reasonably well, being the last to climb the overall results were up pretty quickly, I was delighted to see I had 15^th place overall and went out to celebrate in the hot Scottish sun!  Later I found I had been moved down to 18^th, I don’t know why, and when looking at my route scores was a bit disappointed to see I had come 12^th on the articulated wall as I felt I had done really well on that.  I felt I could have done better overall, and some better prep would have helped, but I had had to focus on the day job – AS exams, now I can get down to some serious climbing.

Photo: Nick Pope

It was great to catch up with the rest of the GB team, to watch some inspirational climbing in the finals and the exciting speed comp.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Ribble Valley Borough Council, Lancashire Playing Fields Association, Whalley Physiotherapy and Beyond Hope Climbing for their continued support.

Lost many times in Snowy Sheffield

The GB junior team inaugural meeting was held at the end of March, snow was causing travel chaos.  Saturday I awoke in Sheffield to a pretty respectable covering of snow, and headed off for a morning of meetings, then a drive across town (including going down part of the pedestrian town centre -oops), for fitness testing at the Foundry.  Scoffing a whole pack of Jaffa cakes is not the best thing to do before fitness testing! Then it was onto the children’s hospital for medical and psychological screening.  We were asked some pretty weird questions, and finally we were free to travel the roads again in an attempt to find our Premier Inn  for a shower, before heading back into town for dinner, (almost up the bus/taxi only road – quick U turn required).  By now my chauffer parent had agreed to listen to me and the iphone and not the out of date sat nav.

Sunday arrived cold and crisp, after another meeting we finally went back to the Foundry for the climbing. The team management were selecting for the European Youth Championships (top 3 of the 5 routes) in Imst, and the Worlds (top 5 of 5) in Canada.  This time I did not let things like AS physics course work play on my mind (a bit of my down fall in the December Youth Open).  I dispatched the first route without much fuss. I then had to choose between a vertical crimpy route, or a slightly harder overhanging route – more my thing.  I opted for the overhanging route and was happy to get that cleanly done, then it was on to the vertical crimpy, which was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Great, 3 tops so I am going to Imst. The final two routes were 8a and 8a+, I fancied a go at the 8a+, and made it ¾ of the way up.  I was getting a bit short of time at the end and rushed the 8a a bit, again making it only about ¾ of the way, before taking an impressive fall, whilst attempting to clip.  Thank you Zoe for the belaying.

Great I am selected for the European Youth Cup in Ratho, and Norway; and the European Youth Champiopnships in Imst.  There is still a chance I could be selected for the Worlds if I do very well at Ratho!

A huge thank you to my sponsors Evolv, Metolious, and Whalley physio.

Long days and Tasty Jaffa Cakes

My latest trip has been to Slovenia for the European Youth Cup.  I left home at 12.45am (kind of a bit after midnight, or very early on a thursday), to travel to Manchester, then in a mini bus with some of the GB team from the North West and on the Stansted for a 5.45am check in with the rest of the team. 

                                                                Church in Kranj

Once checked into the hotel we wandered around Kranj, and did a bit of sightseeing. Feeling refreshed the next day, went shopping for provisions, discovered that Slovenian Jaffa cakes are very tasty; the jelly is a bit harder and chewer, and more flavoursome than the ones at home.

                                                                  A view



A group of us went to see Skyfall, fortunately this was in English!

                                             The route cleaning, Looks a bit sketchy

The next day was competition day, off to the wall bright and early. I was drawn just before half way in the group of 39. I was quite pleased with my result of 14 for this route.  Then I had an enormous wait, I watched all the Brits climb, including Molly and Johnny getting themselves in the final.  Climbing had to keep stopping for route cleaning, done on ladders and wobbly looking scaffolding that was wheeled in. It was nearly 7 hours later when I finally got on my second route (as I was the second to last to climb). Most of the team stayed behind for the hours of waiting, once they had done theirs, they were great team mates, most appreciated.  After looking at the route for hours, I just wanted to get on it and climb it. I achieved a 9^th position on this route, which gave me 12^th overall on the day.   During the evening I got to know some of the competitors form across Europe.  The next day (Sunday) it was back to the wall to watch the finals, and then return to the UK.  Finally home at 2am – now Monday, and had to go in to school for a chemistry test!

Route 1, Placed 14th (Photo: Rebekah Drummond)

                                                          

Route 2, Placed 9th (Photo: Rebekah Drummond)

                                                      

European Youth Championships

Another 4am start, and travelling to Luton to fly out with the GB Junior Climbing team to Gemozac, France for the EYChampionships. The team had a day to explore Saintes, which had an interesting looking cathedral, from a climber’s point of view (no disrespect meant). The doorway was pretty cool too, complete with gargoyles.

Saturday we left out at 7am to head for the comp. I had such a good time warming up I nearly missed my first route, only arriving as the commentator was yelling out for me! I’m sure I could have done better and come of when my foot slipped.  I had an hour before competing again. My next route was fantastic, which I really enjoyed, and did pretty well on, I was placed 12 for this route. My overall position was 17^th due to being 20^th on the first route. Not that bad being out of 43 competitors.

                          

                           Gemozac comp wall

Fire

Why are fire alarms so loud at 3 am. You just have to get up, grab a coat, and some trainers, and go for a wander.  How well trained we are. We were evacuated to the car park for 15mins whilst the fire brigade came, and then allowed back in. I was ready to get back to sleep. Morning came soon and it was time for the BLCCs.  It’s my first year in A age group, we were climbing the same routes as the juniors.  The first route was on the old comp wall which I have found hard before. However, it looked ok and I topped it out along with the 3 other GB members. 

Second route was on the hanger wall, this route was good fun with no clipping disasters from me this time.  Only 3 other boys topped this. 

Of the 3 that had topped both routes I was the first out of isolation, a tricky looking route up the middle of the hangar wall, all went fine until I messed up by not pressing out of a foot hold enough to hold a volume.  I was spat off.  The next climber fell foul of the same move. Then it was a tense wait to watch the last climber, who did not get as far. With the new rules in tie break, as we had both topped the qualifiers, time is looked at.  I was the quickest by about a good minute.

Next day I had decided to enter the seniors, just for fun, well we had travelled all the way up to Ratho and it was an opportunity to climb on more comp routes with the seniors!  I was fairly early up on the first route, mini jugs and some crimps on the old comp wall.  I was a bit cross with myself for only touching the final hold.  This put me in joint 7^th with 6 others.  The second qualifier was tricky, I watched many climbers fight their way up it. Somehow my brain just gave out on me and I made a mistake.  It was a really good experience to climb with the seniors.

Gore and Glory

‘Take’, my belayer gave me a bemused look;

‘Take’, crossly, the blood was dribbling down my leg and she would not like it when it started to drip on her.  I had just knocked a small scab off my knee, the scab stuck out at 90 degrees hanging on by a thread, a group of climbers clustered around to watch the gore with glee as I pulled it off. How can such a little cut make so much blood, it even dripped on my new Primes (oops).  Blue paper towels were used to mop up the mess and sticky plasters applied, the photo is three sticky plasters later – it just kept bleeding like blackcurrant jam!

The little pesky scab was from when I bashed my knee at Ratho in the Scottish Lead and Speed Climbing Championship. I had a good day doing both events, (speed for fun), as soon as I had finished climbing my final lead route I was straight on my final speed route – and that’s when I dinged the knee, it was quite insignificant then.  I came away with 1^st in the Lead and 3^rd in the Speed. So a pretty good result.

Clipping Heck

I was in the Youth Open at Ratho on 28th July. Youth A Boys were faced with a technical route across the old comp wall, and a powerful route on the articulated wall.

Embarrassingly I fell off rather early on the first route. The second went much better, until the penultimate clip which was on a long runner. There I am hanging by a heal hook and the last hold, clip the rope…which popped back, clipped it again….popped back out again, and again and again, finally the rope stayed in and I could take the final move to top out. The spectators seemed to enjoy my high drama.  Good result I’m in the final.

Final route again went smoothly until the penultimate clip, but which clip was it; the one to the left or the one to the right, I decided to climb on for a bit to see if it became more obvious, which it did but then it was tricky and I fell trying to make the clip.  Bit of a school boy error! Still I had done enough to get second, and learnt a valuable lesson.

I had a great day, managed to catch up with friends and watch some awesome climbing.

By Connor Byrne

(Photo: Nick Pope)