A Long Summer

Not written a blog in a while because I’ve been away a lot and sorting stuff out for Uni.

But at the start of August it was the final round of the Junior British Bouldering Championships just a couple of days after getting back from Austria. This round was at the depot in Leeds.

It was a pretty relaxed event for me because I had already done enough in previous rounds to win the overall prize. So I was pretty chilled in the qualifiers, I went round the first 6 problems quickly then rested before trying the 2 harder ones. One of the two a few people had topped so I felt I really should but I was really struggling getting the right body position for one of the moves and I couldn’t work it out. The other problem only Tara managed to top so I wasn’t too bothered about not managing it.

I made the final in first place in my category so I forgot about my frustrating qualifiers and ate a load of pasta before going into isolation.

Isolation felt like ages as usual but eventually (about 2 hours later) we were getting ready to climb. Our first problem was a slab with tiny, slopey holds and some sketchy moves that was a lot harder than it looked, but after a bit of a nervous start I managed to flash the problem!

The second problem was the complete opposite: through a big roof on pinches – not my favourite style of climbing at all.

My first go I managed to slap at the penultimate hold, I had my feet a bit wrong but really I just felt tired. I saw the extra foothold though and was about to get back on when the next climbers came out and my timer reset. They hadn’t realised I was still climbing so I looked around pretty confused but was told I could carry on climbing but my timer had carried on counting down. I got back on quickly and hit the same hold and did the same thing on my final, tired attempt. The problem didn’t feel too hard I just powered out. The last problem was on a vertical bit of wall with a hard start into a big volume and an ok top; I managed to flash this problem without too much trouble.

Although I was not completely happy with my performance it was enough to win that round and end the British Bouldering Championships with 3 wins. My first British title.

 

We stayed over in Leeds that night as it was the lead youth open on the Sunday.

I felt a bit more ready for this than the bouldering because I had been training for Imst but my arms were really sore from the day before. My warm up was good though and I started to feel a lot looser.

I was last up on my groups first route so had seen Sarah and Charlotte both top it. I climbed quickly at the start knowing the harder section was at the top, I had a bit of a shake on the small vertical section before the final barrel and I felt ok but as I got into the undercuts and the powerful moves I got pretty pumped and came off slapping for a hold by the last clip. Again I was frustrated but I was still in 3^rd. the second route was a lot harder and after a bad first route I wasn’t feeling great and basically I mucked it up and came 3^rd on this route too. However the final is a new comp so I tried to get psyched for it and I did like the look of the route. So after another long isolation I was climbing again. I started a bit shaky but got into the climbing quickly and was soon near the top but I was pumped and the move was dynamic and I came off, I was equal 2^nd in the final but 3^rd on countback. It wasn’t the result I wanted but I was the only one to have done the bouldering and I knew I was pretty knackered from all the comps close together.

 

I decided to have a week off after these comps because I felt I needed a big rest and we were going on a family holiday anyway so it would be a good time.

 

Once I got home I had a couple of days training then I was on my way to font!

It was my first climbing trip and only my 3^rd time bouldering outside.

 

I set off from home at 10am on Friday and arrived at font at about 5pm on Saturday after a long drive and a short stop in London at Jonny’s for a couple of hours sleep.

We went climbing pretty much straight away.

 

I don’t really know what the climbs were that I did but it was 4 7as (flashed 1) and 2 7a+s along with a few 6s. I had no idea what it would be like so was surprised to get up anything especially with the heat.

It was an amazing trip, it was great to just climb everyday (Probalm was essential) and do something other than training and comps.

Photos by Sarah Pashley

 

team photo waiting for the ferry

I got back last Sunday and I’m back to training for my last ever junior lead European in Norway next weekend. I feel so much better now I’ve had a rest and spent some time enjoying climbing for something other than comps.

We leave on Thursday and I can’t wait!

 

A week after Norway I start at Sheffield University after a ridiculously long summer.