Every year the British
Lead Climbing Championships is held too far away in the smoke fuelled north.
This year, happily, it was a little bit less north, with the event taking place
for the first time I can remember south of the border at the new Awesome Walls
centre in Sheffield . The wall looks amazing,
and is great to climb on, it’s just a shame it’s so far away or it would be
perfect for training. This was the first time the wall had be used, opening for
the comp, so it was the perfect level playing field.
The Saturday was the day
for the junior competition, so we arrived bright and early to view the new wall
and the routes that had been set for us. They looked great, and I was early on
my first route, so set about warming up. The first route was really easy, no
harder than 7a I’m sure, but the entire category topped it, so it was all down
to the second qualifier.
This was the first route
of the day up the main steep competition wall, and it followed the right arête
of the protruding roof. This wall just as steep as the Ratho hangar wall, and
is the closest I’ve seen in this country that comes close to that level of
imposingness. The route began with a technical section of crimps and undercuts,
before moving downwards onto a jug and a big move out around the arête. I hung
around for too long on the jugs under the lip, shaking out the pump building in
my arms but it was only getting worse. I had to go, and got my foot high and
threw for the hold, my feet swinging off but sticking the move. I was pumped by
this point, but kept moving and managed a couple more big moves before an
awkward cross under spat me off. With only 4 in the category making it through
to the final it was going to be tight as to who made it, and after Buster and
Connor topped the route there were only 2 places remaining. Fortunately the 2
people who got past the big move in the roof fell off the same move as me, so I
qualified for the final in =3rd place.
So pumped I'm dragging! Photo credit: Peter Wuensche
I was annoyed that the
route we were to be climbing was leaked before isolation, so everyone had ample
time to read the route and decide their sequence. I feel like the onsight
factor suites me with just a 6 minute observation, so to have climbers
discussing routes with their coaches or even drawing route maps is frustrating,
and ruins the feel of a final for me.
My final route went
straight through the steepest part of the roof, and looked particularly cruxy
through the beginning of the roof. I was first out, and the beginning section
was much more powerful and pumpy than I expected, and I had to throw for a lot
of holds, not the ideal style for a lead competition. I arrived at the roof
pumped, and despite shaking out on a sloper below the steep section I had to
continue climbing still pumped. I reached an undercut at the beginning of the
roof, threw out to a side-pull further out and got my heel under the undercut.
The move I had read looked too big, so I desperately grabbed for a volume that
I, and the rest of my category, had read as a foothold. I spent a good 2
minutes scoping out every surface of that volume with a pair of binoculars and
could see no hold, but to my surprise, there was a veritable jug on the other
side. I knew I would have to bicycle the hold next to my right hand to stick
the move, but my heel was on the wrong side and I was too pumped to switch my
feet, so I squeezed and hoped I could make the match, but was off. All but one
in the category read the move wrong, and Connor made it to the same place as I
did, placing my 2nd via count back. I’m pleased with the result,
though it was luck that got me there more than anything. I have defiantly
learned not to discount holds, especially if they appear to be the only way!
Heel up and moving to the mysterious volume... Photo credit: Peter Wuensche
The next day, and it was
time for the senior event. This is the first year I have be eligible to compete
in the senior competition, and was keen to make the most of it. I was on my
hardest route first, so was psyched and ready to go when the time came. I was
on early, so not too many people had gone, but there seemed to be big moves
between slopers low down, and then my perfect style higher up, technical and
crimpy on a slightly overhanging wall.
The route felt awkward and
hard from the start, with a match by the 4th clip feeling very hard.
I knew a big move was coming, and clipped high ready to jump between the
slopers. I moved into the first, it felt terrible and slippery, and I stopped
to consider my options, reversing the move. I knew it was big, and it looked
bigger from here, so I knew I was going to have to jump, boulder style or try
and get my foot up and static the move. I opted for the latter, a mistake it
would seem after I slid backwards off the route, only 14 moves in. It was
frustrating to fall off that low, but I know that next year I will be stronger
and taller, ready to tackle the harder moves in the seniors.
Starting up Route 1. Photo credit: Peter Wuensche
The second route was my
exact style, vertical and crimpy, and I topped it pretty easily, along with
about 10 others. A nice end, but not enough for the final. A frustrating end to
my first senior BLCCs.
Crimpin' on route 2! Photo credit: Peter Wuensche
I have just returned from
my first Boulder EYC in Laval ,
France
Cheers,
Alex
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