Summer roundup – new and old things

Senior GB Team in Chamonix, photo John Ellison

After a couple of days rest from the Senior World Cup in Chamonix I travelled down to London for the Youth Open. It was boiling in London, reaching 34oC per the car whilst stuck on the M25. I qualified for the finals in first place and so was last out of isolation.  I almost topped out the final route, great photo from Paul Alexander from Tokyo Magic catching my foot slipping. It was great to be competing in the UK and in my age group again, the win gave my confidence a boast after the Senior World Comps.

Final route at youth open, photo Paul Alexander at Tokyo Magic

  

Next was something totally new and for fun – the Deep Water Solo comp in Exeter.  I had done no training with this in mind, have not even been swimming for ages, and never done any DWS.  It was a great fun to take part in. The event was also very well organised event that ran like clockwork. It looked a bit bouldery for me when I got there – the water did not look to inviting, I did not want to fall in too early.   I was pleased to top the first problem, keeping my shoes and chalk dry.  However, I let myself down with a lack of flexibility at getting my foot up on to a small screw on.  Fresh dry shoes on for the third problem (great to have a spare pair of Primes), all was going fine until I could not switch from a toe to a heal hook.  I was a bit annoyed with my climbing, but this is the first boulder comp I have taken part in for years, so 16^th place was not so bad.  Watching the finals with so many of my friends in the Devon sunshine was very enjoyable.

Next it was off to the Senior World Championships in Gijon, Spain.  This was run in tandem with the Senior Para climbing championships, and the whole event lasted a week in hot sunny Spain.  The event was held in a huge indoor arena and opened with the speed climbing, the next day it was qualifiers for the men.  The wall had been purpose built for the comp, and looked fantastic; the routes however looked rather difficult.  I was hoping to get higher than I did on both qualifiers, however on the first I missed a hold and on the second I forgot to move my feet.  The silly mistakes are by biggest problem at these senior competitions, hopefully with more experience they will become less frequent.  It was really impressive to watch the full time professional climbers competing throughout the week and the final was really exciting.  Watching and meeting the Para climbing team was impressive and inspirational.

Finals at Gijon

Other new things; I was mostly pleased with my A level results, and am off the Sheffield Uni to study Aerospace Engineering in September.  I have also been outside climbing a few times over the summer, it was good to chill out and do some fun climbing with a few mates outside.

Once again, a huge thank you to all my sponsors; without their help this would be very hard to do. SportsAid, Beyond Hope, Johnson Matthey, Ribble Valley Borough Council.

Competing in the rain – Senior World Cup Chamonix

After the technical meeting and publication of the running order we had a bit of a debate over how to share the one senior male GB competition vest we had (kind of Déjà vu moment to Kranj last year).  It looked like we would get away with it, I was up 22 on my first route, giving plenty of time for Ed to get the vest to me. However for my second climb the timing got tight for me to get my vest back, I got it in the nick of time - slightly damp, hope that was rain and not sweat. 

Qualifiers in the rain

Athletes' presentation 

I have mixed feeling over my performance on the two routes.  The first one, I was climbing well and felt comfortable, but just made a mistake and was spat off the wall. I was a bit fed up with being 71 of 76 as I knew I could have done better.  I focused on the second route and did much better – coming 45 of the 76, although oddly I felt I came of this due to a mistake again.  I was fairly happy with 62 of 76, especially considering the quality of climbers I was competing with.

Finals

Crowd watching the final 

Yet again I have learnt loads, and know what to try to focus on in training, and competing outdoor in the rain an experience.  Staying all together in one apartment was brilliant, and defiantly the way to go, especially with the wet weather.

Chamonix in the sun

View from the Tourist office

Looking forwards to the Senior World Cup in Imst, and then Senior World Championship in Gijon, with all the senior GB men.

  

A huge thank you to my sponsors:

SportsAid

Johnson Matthey

RVBC

UCLan

Whalley Physio

It would be impossible to do this without your help.

My first senior worlds

After my Awesome weekend in Sheffield, winning the Youth A BLCCs and coming 3^rd in the Seniors I was stunned to be invited on to the Senior Lead Team.  My first event would be the Senior Lead World Cup in Kranj at the end of November.   I was going for the experience and I had no expectations (but I did not want  to come last).  I journeyed down South with Ed, Dave and Ellie on the Thursday night for an early flight out of on Friday. 

 

Saturday we arrive at the wall only to find that a mix up from the BMC meant our comp vests were not the same, my junior kit did not match the seniors and so the team risked disqualification.   So I find myself in a senior comp and sharing a vest with Ed. With 59 competitors the groups was split in half and both qualifiers run at the same time. My draw meant that I am second up on one of the routes…..at the same time Adam Ondra is on the other route.  

 

 

Screen shot from IFSC feed.

 

The routes were the hardest I have ever climbed but a great challenge; I passed moves I thought I would fall at and then fell where I thought would be OK.  Although I finished well down the field, I was not last and I had climbed well.  It was incredible to climb with the world’s best and it has really given me something to aim for in my training.

An Awesome Weekend, or perhaps a Cake with Icing and a Cherry on Top

Well as you may guess this is my blog from the British Lead Climbing Championship at the new Sheffield Awesome Walls.  The journey over was fine until we hit Glossop and mum decided she knew the way better than the satnav. “If possible do a U turn” became quite insistent, my view of google maps agreed with the satnavs idea – we stopped to let Mum realise we were heading to Buxton- bit different to Sheffield there Mum; and a very interesting way onto the Woodhead Pass, just as well we had gone over on the Friday.

Saturday was the Junior comp, we got to the wall nice and early to check out the new venue, nice one there Dave, and catch up with everyone.  Qualifier one was on the vertical, I watched the 9 climbers before me top it, so I knew I could not make any mistakes. Topped it, job done.

Qualifier two looked much more interesting, up the edge of the comp wall, using some of the overhang. Joint first into the finals.

Second Qualifier: Photo P Wuensche

Second Qualifier: Photo P Wuensche

Final route was up the left hand side of the main comp wall, making full use of the huge overhang. I was last out of isolation, got stuck into the route, right into the overhang; I put in a toe hook but then I left my feet behind and was off.  However, I had won the Youth A and retained my BLCC title.  The Cake.

Male Youth A Podium: Photo J Ellision 

Day 2, back to the wall to take part in the Senior Comp.  There was a wonderful mix of climbers on the Start list, from the defending champ, a number of really serious talented senior climbers, a Canadian comp climber and a load of youths, including the Irish team and other seniors.  I wanted to get in the final (top 10).  As the group was pretty big we were split and some of us did route one first and some route 2.  The crimpy slightly off vertical was my first, I was pleased to dispatch that with a top.  Then after a short rest it was onto route 2, which was horrible and only saw one top.  I had qualified in 5^th into the finals!

Second Senior Qualifier: Photo P Wuensche  

After a bit of lunch it was into isolation, it was pretty daunting to be in isolation with the seniors.  A quick look at the route and finally out to climb it, right up the middle of the main comp wall, a really challenge but fun route. I was pretty pleased with my efforts getting well above half way.

Senior Final: M Barefoot

To my utter amazement I found myself in 3^rd place and on the podium! 

The Icing on The Cake

Senior Podium

It was such a good weekend with so many good things going on I even have a choice of Cherries For The Top, but I think passing my driving test first time a couple of days later is the one for now. More about the other cherries later.

I would just like to thank all my sponsors:
SportsAid
Lancashire Sport and UCLan
Beyond Hope
Whalley Physio
for their continued support.    

Norway; my first European Final

I had a fantastic weekend recently in Norway, my aim had been to get in the Final

Stavanger harbour

Friday was spent  shopping for provisions, recovering from the traveling and sight- seeing in Stavanger;  a pleasant city, complete with docks, city centre park with plenty of fat pigeons (ok Pete I owe you 10 Krone as you did catch one).  Stavanger can do pretty impressive thunderstorms, they were that loud you could feel them in the hotel!  Friday and Saturday nights we dined with the Swiss team, in a Greek/Italian restaurant in Norway….

A Church

 Qualifier day, I was drawn to be first up on the first route, so I had to really rely on my route reading. After watching the demo I realised there was a better way to climb the route for me than the demo had shown, and it worked a treat, getting quite high before I fell. Annoyingly as I had been first up, my beta was out and most of the others used it. Pretty impressive first climb as I was now7^th.  Second round did not go quite so well, however I found myself in 9^th place overall and in the FINALS.

Stavanger wall (qualifiers)

 

It was a pretty amazing day as all the other GB climbers had made the finals as well.   First time ever all the team had made a final.  

 

Finals day we were up early, and I was pleased to see the route was on the more overhanging section. I just had to wait about 2 hours in isolation for my go on it. Everything went as I planned on the route, until my hand popped off. I was really disappointed as I felt I could have climbed much further, and I had messed up.  However I then watched in amazement as a number of the finalists then fell fractionally below my high point, and so I ended up in 6^th place!

 

Final route

I was very pleased with getting in my first final and coming 6^th. This was the second round of the European Youth Cup (first round was just after my AS exams), and my two scores have given me an overall ranking of 10^th in the European Youth Cup!

Leeds Youth Open

I am feeling happy again after winning the BMC Youth Lead Open at Leads this weekend. Although on both qualifiers I managed the comedy move of missing the final hold! I really enjoyed the final route, making sure when I got to the top I got hold of that jug!

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me.

It was great to be winning again after I had a disappointing result at the European Youth Championship in Imst, the week before.  

European Youth Championship; Imst, Austria

What a fantastic venue the Imst wall is, perhaps a bit daunting the first time you see it.

What can I say about my performance at the European Youth Championship….I just messed up on the two qualifiers. I do not know if competing with 28 other countries, and 65 competitors, or the fantastic venue in got to me. I just made some silly mistakes, and climbing at that level if you make a mistake you fall.  On the second route I had more or less made it through the slab section, so I must be improving; slabs are not my favourite.  As well as feeling annoyed with myself I feel really bad about letting all those lovely people down who have just invested in me.  Sorry guys.

Before the comp in Imst time was spent sightseeing and keeping cool in the pool. After the qualifiers some of the GB and Irish team played ‘beach volleyball’, where I joined the Irish team to balance numbers – my Irish granddad would have been proud of me. Obviously being a competitive bunch the result was important. I am pleased to say the Anglo-Irish team were the victors.