BMC Youth Climbing Series 2015 - Grand Final

After school on Thursday my brother, parents and I traveled up to Edinburgh, Scotland for the BMC youth climbing series final 2015. Me and my brother had previously qualified for the final a month ago at the Beacon climbing centre in North Wales.

It was a long drive to Edinburgh and we were going at a good speed until our car went into limp mode for the last 2hrs. We arrived at 1:00am so we went straight to sleep.

Friday

I woke up late and had breakfast at McDonald's as it was too late to eat in the hotel. My family and I then went to EICA Ratho (the centre where the comp would be held) for a light session before the comp. It wasn’t a very light session because I ended up trying an 8a I got half way up. When I dropped the rope I fell and it got tangled around my leg which spun me around. I expected it to hurt but it didn’t which was good. We went into Edinburgh for lunch and to do a bit of shopping. When we were shopping for hats we found Chris Hoy's golden post box. This is the second one I have found on my travels.

Saturday

I woke up early and got ready. We were planning on eating in the hotel but it was too busy so we went to McDonalds instead.

We went to the centre and registered, the t-shirts this year were yellow and looked nice. I was excited so I went straight to look at my routes. Because the standard of last years competitors was so high all the routes and boulders were set a lot harder.

Each category was split into two groups X and Y I was in X, this meant I had a different timetable to group Y.

At 10:00 the competition started and I started my first boulder problem. I was really nervous for the first time. When I got to the long move I shook my head and gave up without thinking. This made me really upset so I went off until it was my next turn. I managed to complete the problem on my second attempted but I was annoyed that I had given up on my first go.


Next we had the second boulder. This boulder was really difficult and reachy. I was up first and I fell off the first move because I went the wrong way. I got annoyed and sad and went off crying to my coach Simon. He made me feel better and I followed the sequence on my second go. I got to the fourth top hold. On my third go I messed up the start and didn't get any further. I thought I was doing badly in the competition.

There was a long break before the first route. I moped around the centre feeling sorry for myself until it was time for me to climb. The route was easy and I managed to top it. I felt a bit better because not everyone managed to top it.


It was lunch time but I wasn't hungry but managed to eat part of a panini and some fruit flakes due to the nagging of my parents.


There was another long wait until my third bouldering problem. On my third boulder I was nervous because everyone before me had fallen off. I started the problem well and managed to hold each hold slowly so that I wouldn't come off. There were lots of features which made the problem a lot easier and most of the holds were pretty good. The hardest move was the top, but I went for it and got the top jug. I was very pleased and it made me happier.

There was yet another long wait before route 3 (the hardest) which group X had to climb next. I spent the time reading the route and making sure that I was warm. When it was my go I climbed the first part really well and managed to get to the undercut on the second grey panel. But I made a mess of the next move and didn't quite get it. I was annoyed after this and thought my climbing was awful. Even though I was disappointed with my hardest climb I still got the highest out of my group.

After I had recovered from my disappointment I focused on the route 2. I watched group Y climb this route and they did well so I knew I had to top it to win the competition. I read it really well and knew exactly what to do. When it was my turn, I felt a bit nervous but not as much as I did earlier on the bouldering problems. The start of the climb and just over the roof was easy and pretty much everyone  got to that place. The next two clips I did were harder. I came to a big move and didn't know what to do. I saw a really good crimp feature but I didn't use it because I didn't think we were allowed to use features for hands. So I decided to jump for the sloper and got it fairly easily which I was surprised at because I don't usually jump for holds. The next bit wasn't too bad because all the holds were good and there were good clipping positions. But when I came to the crimp section I was a bit pumped so I shook out. I love crimps so this section of the climb was pretty easy. When I got passed all the crimps I clipped the chain from the third top hold still on the flat wall so I could safely top it before doing the last two moved anyway. I don't feel it is a proper top unless you do all the moves.

I felt awesome and relieved and knew that I had won unless someone in group Y did really well on route 3. I watched the other climbers excitedly but I still got the high point.

I was pleased that I had won for the third year running and I thought the competition was run really well. It was very good that the problems and routes were much harder this year.

I have learnt to not beat myself up after every small mistake. So, hopefully, in the European colours festival I will be better at this.

Thanks to my coach Simon for helping me out mentally in the competition and it was largely thanks to him that Wales came second overall as he coaches the whole of the Boulders team and a lot of the welsh team were from Boulders.

Sunday

We went back to Ratho on Sunday and I was climbing much better than I was on Saturday. I got to the third top hold on route 3 and topped some of the other category's climbs.

MCofS Scottish Youth Climbing Championship 2014 - Grades

Venue: EICA, Ratho

Category	Route	Colour	Grade	Comments
Girls E	Qualifier 1	Black	6a+
Girls E	Qualifier 2	Yellow	6c
Boys E	Qualifier 1	Green	6b+
Boys E Girls A+B	Qualifier 2 Qualifier 1	Blue	7a 7a+*	*7a+ to top of route Boys E only 2/3 of route
Girls D	Qualifier 1	Pink+Black	6b
Girls D Boys D	Qualifier 2 Qualifier 1	Red	6c
Boys D	Qualifier 2	Green	7a
Boys D Girls C	Final Final	Pink	7b+
Girls C	Qualifier 1	Black	6c
Girls C Boys A+B	Qualifier 2 Qualifier 1	Yellow	7a+
Boys C	Qualifier 1	Black	7a
Boys C Boys E Girls E	Qualifier 2 Final Final	Orange	7a+
Girls A+B Girls D	Qualifier 2 Final	Blue	7b
Boys A+B	Qualifier 2	Green	7c+
Girls A+B	Final	Bacon	7c
Boys A+B	Final	Red	8a

All grades have now been published here.

Scottish Youth Lead and Speed Championship 2014

I managed to win both the speed and the lead Scottish Championships. This is how I did it!

On Thursday I travelled up to Edinburgh for the Scottish lead climbing championships. It was a long drive but we eventually made it. We stayed in the Premier Inn and went to the centre on Friday for a light session before the comp.

I got up early on Saturday and went down the hall to breakfast. I had a hash-brown a piece of bacon and a sausage. After this I went back to the room and grabbed my kit. We got our food as well before jumping into the car and going to EICA, Ratho.

We found a good parking space right outside the centre so we could come back for stuff if we needed it. In Ratho the registration table was next to the reception. I signed myself in and went down into the arena.

I walked straight over to the comp routes and saw that my first route was the black (6c) on the Sardinian pillar. It didn't look hard and it didn't go right to the very top of the pillar. I walked around the wall but I couldn't find the tag with my second route on. There were barriers all around the wall so I couldn't stick  the labels back on that had fallen on the floor. I had to ask the staff to do it. They told me that it was the yellow (7a+) on the tallest section of the wall. At first it looked really hard but after reading it it looked pretty straight forward. I started to warm up so I would be ready for the briefing.

At the briefing they told me how the day would run and the GB team members did a warm up with us. 

I looked at the running order and I was 3rd last to climb so I stopped getting ready and watched Oscar, Gwen and Harry climb. Most of my category topped the first route so I really wanted to as well. 

When it was my turn to climb I wasn't very nervous I think this was because I was confident about the climb, much more than usual. I looked at my dad and the camera before starting the route and found that it was easy up until the top. It was hard to see the hold from around all the features but I managed to get my feet high and reach round to get the hold and move off it to the top. I hadn't clipped the second last clip but I had planned to clip then both from the top hold anyway. I felt pleased after this climb, it made me feel much more confident for the final qualifier!

I had then a half an hour break for lunch. I used this time for reading the route as I had snacked on stuff all day. I saw lots of details on the holds and worked out how to hold all the holds I had second thoughts on earlier.

I was fifth to climb on this route and I was a little bit nervous. I chalked up and started the climb, it wasn't as bad as I had thought like my dad had told me. I got to the bit I thought looked the most hard and I didn't have any trouble with it. I climbed past it and knew the rest was jugs so I took my time and made it to the top - I wasn't that pumped either. All that training paid off! I was so pleased that I had topped the 2nd qualifier. 

We had a long break until the final so I went over to the speed registration and had my practise attempt. I had practised the speed the day before for the first time, I had a good time but I couldn't hit the buzzer. The same happened in my practice. I was determined to register a time this attempt so I gave the jump at the top everything and I missed it. I was gutted and I only had one more chance to register a time. The speed climbing coaches gave me some advice on how to hit the pad so I could register a time. This time I was on the right hand side. I got to the top, jumped and hit the bottom of the pad. I thought I hadn't stopped the timer and so did my dad but I had managed to and it was 25.08 seconds. Not bad.

By this time my friend Pippa had also topped the yellow. I had to wait a while but eventually my category finished and the results were posted for speed and lead. I had qualified 1st in the speed and joint 1st in the lead. My brother had also qualified 1st in both top rope and speed. 

I called my mum and told her the news. She was really pleased. I had a very long wait until the final. 

Isolation opened at 2:45 and closed at 3:00. It was my brother Oscar's first time in isolation so I had to explain to him how it works. I didn't bother warming up at first because I knew the observation period would start soon and I was last to climb.

When we went out to look at our route, we found out out that it was the pink (7b+) on route 27. It looked crimpy but not as quite long as my second qualifier. I started reading it and it seemed to look better and better each time. By the time we had to go back to isolation I was really happy because I thought that I could top the route.

When my brother Oscar was called to climb I wished him good luck and sat back down. I was bored for a long time and I eventually thought that I would be called soon so I started warming up - then I stopped because I found out that no-one from my category had actually climbed yet and weren't going to climb for 5 minutes. So, I sat back down and had something to drink.

Before Pippa was called I did some warm up. When she was called I had to tie in to a rope in isolation. I was so excited about this climb as it looked really fun. It was a while before I could climb so I assumed Pippa had got quite far.

When it was my turn to climb I was a little more nervous. I made a good start to the climb by managing the first half. The second half however was harder and on top of that I was more tired. I got past the next clip where the holds were much worse that I had thought but they were better after that clip, but they still weren't great. As all of the holds were crimps I got more pumped quicker and the route seemed to harder and harder to finish. I had second thoughts before using the arret but there was nothing telling me not to use it so I did. I had now reached the second top holds. I was so pumped by this time I had to get chalk and shake out. I rocked over and touched the top hold and fell. I was gutted that I didn't manage that last move but really happy to have got so far.

When I got to the floor my dad didn't tell me if I had done enough to make the podium, he said that there had been some confusion whether I was allowed to have used the arret or not. I was a bit scared but I knew that I hadn't been told other wise that I couldn't use it. I asked the judge if the arret was in and he said it was so I was really relieved.

Pippa then came over to me and told me I had won and that she was second by two holds. I was so pleased, everything I had worked for had paid off.

After calling my Mum to tell her about the final I went over to the mini speed wall that was specially set for category E and D because they are a lot younger and shorter and can't reach the holds on the IFSC speed wall.

Oscar had his speed final first so I watched him. It was so exciting. He got through to the head to head final, and he won! He was so pleased. He had won both of his events!

My Dad and Oscar came over to the IFSC speed wall to watch me. As I had qualified first it was:

Me Vs Kirsten (4th qualifier)
We both went up, I was faster but neither of us hit the buzzer so our times didn't qualify.

Then:
Pippa (3rd qualifier) Vs Emma (2nd qualifier)
Emma was faster climber in that race but again neither of them hit the timer.

This meant it was back to qualifiers: 
Pippa Vs Kirsten  --- Racing for 3rd place 

And
Me Vs Emma for 1st.

In Pippa and Kirsten race Pippa won being faster climber and that Kirsten didn't hit the timer so she didn't register a time.



In my race we were called off the wall twice because the timer didn't start but on the third attempt the timer started I sprinted up the wall, hit the timer and won by 2 seconds with a time of 22.87 sec. I was so pleased to have won both comps and proud of my bro Oscar for winning his comps too. We packed up our stuff while we were waiting for the presentations to start.

I was really looking forward to seeing the trophies/medals because the trophies I previously had in Scotland are awesome. I was an awesome competition with interesting routes. I am definitely coming back next year!

I enjoyed the routes so much we came back on Sunday to try the other ones. I tried the Girls A+B routes and they were just as good.

MCofS report and results are here.

Youth Climbing Series 2014 - Super Final

I was really nervous about the super final as I had never been in one before. I had to warm up because I didn't know when I was going to be called. I got my harness and chalk bag on and I put my shoes on my chalk bag belt ready to go to isolation.

Eventually we were called to the front. They said Pippa and me were climbing for first place with Izzy and Kitty climbing for third. As soon as they had explained this to us they shoved us behind the climbing wall into isolation. We sat in a chair behind the wall fidgeting in worry of the climb. The GB team member tossed a coin for who would have the choice of when to climb. I chose heads and won the toss. I chose to go second. I said good luck to Pippa and then watched her walk off to do the climb. After hearing a big thud I knew it was my turn. I walked up to the climb and started reading it as soon as they said I had one minute. I started to read to the top by then I thought that I wouldn't get there so I concentrated on the bottom. Once I started the climb I manged to get to the lip fairly smoothly I then went around the corner and matched the sloper. I tried to clip from it but my arms were too pumped and I didn't want to fall. So I went to the under cut below the sloper. This meant I could go with my left hand to the higher hold. The Welsh crowd cheered so loudly when I got this hold I didn't realise that so many people were supporting me. I still couldn't clip because I was too tired so I decided to forget about the clip and just go as high as I could. I went another hold and the crowd cheered even louder this time - I knew then that I had won but I wanted to make sure so I went one hold higher to a foot hold before leaping off as I knew that if I missed a clip the holds above wouldn't count anyway.

The belayer had too untie my knot because it was so tight. I walked off to the Welsh group and they were all saying congratulations. I can't believe how supportive they were. Loads of people stayed to cheer me on even though they could have gone home. I asked if I had won just in case and everyone said yes and then I started crying because it was over. It must have been devastating for Pippa because I was only three holds higher.

Podium with Pippa and Izzy

My prize for first place was an experience day with DMM. Sometime in the holiday I will get a tour of their factory where they make all of their products and get to go outdoor climbing with some of their sponsored climbers.

I would like to thank all the people who supported me through this competition especially my coach Simon.