British Team Trials

At the start of December was the British team trials in Liverpool. So that involved me travelling 9 hours down to Liverpool. I was feeling fit for this comp because i was pretty phyched and had done weeks of training. Also this comp would help decide for the 2011 British Junior Team.

I had two qualifying routes to climb and then a final all to do in one day, all grade about 7c+. I have moved up a age group and now in youth A so the competition is harder. The team trials are also a open youth competition, so on the day i need to have my competition head on.

My first qualifying climb was a sustained pumpy route, over the overhanging section. I was pleased with my self, when i came off I felt I had climbed well. My second climb was on a vertical wall, which made the route pretty easy (7A ish) I topped out in that climb.

I had managed to climb well enough to get put into the final. The isolation zone was the boulder wall under the main climbing area, it was pretty big but was very over crowded and hard to warm up in. I was in isolation for like 3 hours before I got called out to climb.

My final route was a steep route up the corner of the main wall, it was very twisty and awkward to climb. I finished in 5Th place.

On the following Monday we were all told if we had made it onto the British team or not. I made it onto the team.

2010 BLCCS

Last weekend I competed in the British Lead Climbing Championships at EICA Ratho. The few days before the competition I was feeling strong and phyched for the comp, but the morning of the comp when I was warming up I was phyched but not feeling my strongest.

I got warmed up and started to climb my first climb, I was just over half way up the route and I got a sudden flash pump, I fought on and managed to climb into a good no hands rest. I managed to recover a bit before climbing through a crimpy section before getting to the last hold but couldn't hold on any longer to clip.

After feeling down about the first route I phyched my self up for the second climb and got the same flash pump about half way up the new competition wall, I tried to fight on but could not clip the clip on the steep overhanging section and jumped and touched the next hold. After this climb I was sure I wasn't going to climb in the finals, but I was shocked to look at my score to be placed 6th going into the finals in last place.

In isolation I proper phyched my self up to climb. I ran out to the route preview and read over the route several times. I knew being first out to climb was good having the route fresh in my mind. I went out to climb and did not get that horrible flash pump again, I managed to get about half way up my final route went to the next hold and missed it and fell. I was devastated with my self because most of the moves were easy and I should have managed them.

I finished the competition in 5th position not too pleased with my self!

Here is a fantastic video that Ruaridh Mackenzie put together!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IIduJgxyrk&feature=player_embedded

World Youth Climbing Championships

A few weeks ago I competed in The World Youth Climbing Championships. This was my first world competition, and I was really nervous. It was a four day event, qualifiers day one and day two, semi and final on day three and speed on day four.

I woke up the morning of my first qualifier, got to the wall and watched the demonstrator. After watching the demonstrator fall several times I knew the route would be hard. I was climbing 40th and last out of the British team. I was watching the other competitors in my category and they were struggling. When I sat down on the seat watching the climber before me I started to get really nervous. After fighting my way up the climb I managed to finish day one 30th, I was pleased with my self.

Day two was an early start for me as I was climbing 6th. After the demo I started to warm up, I found it hard to warm because it was early and it was cold. This route looked hard with a long move at the 6th clip. I started to climb and managed to get passed the long move and proceeded another several moves up the route and after a bad foot placement  was off. I was not too pleased with my self after this climb! I went on to finish in 43rd position.

The next day was the final and it was spectacular to watch, Sebastian Halenke top out in the final route and go on to win the World Youth Climbing Championships for the second year running!

Vienna EYS

After the EYS in Imst and finding out what it was like I was physed for Vienna. I was training since after Imst till the week before the Vienna comp and was feeling strong. What I picked up from Imst was I needed to warm up in plenty time and power through the moves.
When I got to the wall the morning of the comp, The wall looked amazing, I really liked it. I was really phyced for the comp! I was climbing near the end of my first route, but near the start of my second. I was watching people for about an hour then I started to warm up, I still felt strong.

I sat down on the chair and tied in, I was not that nervous.

I climbed well on my first route managed to finish 19th well chuffed! but I still had one climb to go, My aim for the second route was to finish in the top 25.


My second route was on small crimps on a slab not really my type of route, I had to start warming up straight away because I was near the start of the list.

I was so happy with my self when I came down off the route and managed to finish 17th on that climb.

The next day was the finals it was spectacular to watch the boys in my group climb, and I wished I had got into the final because the final route looked fun!

I finished 23 over all out of the competition I am really pleased with my self!

BMC Open Comp / Training Camp

The BMC held a 5 day training camp at EICA Ratho which the junior French team were invited along to with their coach Francois Legrand.
Day 1
The training started with a 10am start on the Thursday where we all met in a room to find out what the plan was for the next 5 days.
We were put into groups and had a few routes of 7b / 7b+ until another meeting at 5pm then we were introduced to the new team sponsors Mountain Hardwear and The Epicentre who handed out our new team kit.

Day 2

Was an open competition which the junior French team joined in, the competition lasted all day, I managed to finish in 5th place in my group which I was ok with as we were competing aginst some of the best in Europe.

Day 3
We had a morning off, so after a longish lie in we headed to the wall for 2pm where we had a chance to have another go at the routes we were climbing on at the comp yesterday.

Day 4
Was a mock competition, we were put into isolation, came out for a route preview before back into isolation to wait our turn to climb. After the climb we headed over to our group to cheer on our team members as they came out to climb.
 Unknown to us we were being assessed all day and given marks out of three for various things, ie: Route reading, behaviour in isolation.
The day finished with a party along with the French team as they were leaving in the morning to head back home, the party went really well and gave us a chanch to mix with the French team.

Day 5
We got to climb a few routes before getting interviewed by team managers, Ian Dunn and Jane Newman asking us how we thought we had done over the last few days, they also told us our scores we got at the mock comp the previous day, which has tought me a few things that I need to alter and be aware of before my next comps.

I really enjoyed the 5 days and now know how much training I need to be doing before the Worlds in September.

Scottish Youth Climbing Championships

Saturday the 15Th of May was the Scottish Climbing championships, which was at EICA ratho. I had been training soo hard for my European competition on the 4Th, and was climbing so strong at the Scottish. I was totally phyced and was climbing really good:). I managed to top all three of my boulder problems, and all three of the qualifying routes. I was joint first with Dylan Mackenzie going into the final. So if I wanted to win I had to climb strong and get to the top! We were in isolation and as we were joint first we had to play rock paper scissors to see who would be out first to climb, I lost the game so I had to leave isolation and climb. I was walking up to the start of the route and looked at it again, I put both hands on the starting hold then started to climb. I took my other foot off the ground and the first hold moved.I came off and was shacking cos Igot a fright.I started to climb again and managed to do some funky moves and get 3/4 of the way up,I was not even pumped when I came off, it was that I missed the last good jug to chalk up and I went for the hold on the roof and my hands just slipped off. Dylan was out next and he managed to climb really strong and get a few moves below me.

For years me and Dylan have been so close at competitions and he always seemed to beat me, but after training lots I managed to become Scottish champion:) woo hoo.

RAF Lossiemouth Climbing Wall

Today I was asked by Scott Muir if I would help out grading around 40 routes that have been put up on a new climbing wall that he built at the RAF base in Lossiemouth.

The wall is amazing made from plywood and moulded panels. It has been built with some great overhanging panels that are excellent for stamina training. The original wall built into the brick is still there and can be used for placing gear.

I was talking to the RAF base commander who officially opened the wall, he hoped that we would be back to climb on the wall again at some time and maybe they would be able to hold some sort of competitions there!!

EYS competitions

I recieved an e-mail this morning from Ian Dunn the junior British climbing team manager saying that both myself and Dylan have been selected to climb in the EYS competitions in Imst and Wein...... wooo h000

Sheffield Team Training

At the weekend I travelled down to Sheffield along with Nikki & Ellen Macaskill to attend a junior British team training event which was held at the Foundry wall in Sheffield, the day was suppost to be used as a training day for the team but was also going to be used as a selection day for who was going to be going to the EYS competitions in Imst and Wien (both in Austria).



We were told at the start of the day that we had 5 routes to complete before 5pm and that if we were wanting to go to any of the EYS comps we had to top at least 3 of the routes which all started at 7b.



Myself and Dylan were the only ones to top three of the routes, I got just over half way up the final two 7b+ routes so I will just have to wait till the team managers make a selection and let me know:)