BMC Youth Climbing Series Rd 2 - My last climb

Google auto created an awesome video of my final lead climb at YCS.

Round 2 BMC Youth Climbing Series 2014 - Grades

Today we went back to Dynamic Rock to check out grades of the comp climbs and try some of the other routes. Here are the grades for the routes in Dynamic Rock on Saturday.

Round 2 BMC Youth Climbing Series 2014

Yesterday, was the second round of the BMC Youth Climbing Series 2014. It was held in Dynamic Rock climbing centre near Swansea. On the way there we past Port Talbot refinery and saw a flame burning from one of the chimneys. The centre wasn't open so we decided to go for a walk to pass the time, we saw a waterfall and a canal. We walked along many paths next to the river and crossed the river using a bridge by the rugby ground. We threw a few stones into the river and then went back. When we returned to the centre the doors were just opening. Perfect timing! My brother and me were at the bottom of the centre first so we got first dibs of the lockers. My dad registered us and belayed me up some climbs as a warm up, my brother Oscar didn't do any climbs to warm up because he was too busy messing around not thinking about the comp at all. 

Once the comp started the girls went rope climbing and the boys went bouldering. Some of my climbs looked hard but they were easier than they looked. I managed to top all my climbs and I was very pleased.

Once everybody had finished climbing we had lunch and went to the pub to have a drink and a rest away from all the noise. Oscar and I had a sports drink.

When we arrived back it was bouldering time. I was very exited because the first two problems looked easy. The last problem looked really hard and some of the climbers in the older categories didn't do it. I managed to do the first and second ones easily but I didn't manage to complete the third. I touched the last hold so two points were deducted from my total score. My score was 478 out of 480 which wasn't bad. After having my last go on the last problem I realised that  I had taken my last to attempts too quickly and as a result I fell off earlier that I should have. Next time I will have more rest between attempts.

My group finished early so I tried the bouldering problems again and managed to do the third problem. This was frustrating because I should have done it in the competition.

Because my group finished so early it was a long wait before the certificates were given, our judge told us our places so I knew what position I had come. Oscar and I collected our certificates and were very happy. Oscar was second for category E and I was first for category C and we have both qualified for the welsh final.  

Reading Climbing Centre Leading Ladder

Yesterday I went to Reading climbing centre to do the last round of the leading ladder. Me and my dad drove up early so we could be one of the first people there, but when we got there it was packed, many many people had already started climbing and so we didn't have much room for our stuff but we found somewhere in the end.

When we arrived I looked straight for the leading ladders the 6c looked really hard so did the 6b+ but I tried each one except for the 8a because it was just to hard.

These were my scores:

I managed to do the:
5+
6a
6a+
6b
6b+
The ones I failed were:
6c
7a
7b
7c
8a

Going up to Reading was so fun I loved the centre it smelt of chips at the top of the high climbs and of washing up cloths at the top of the lower ones. I hope I get into the final it would be so cool.

Exeter - leading ladder at Quay Centre

Yesterday my dad and me drove up to Exeter to do the leading ladder. We drove past lots of flooding. When we arrived at the Quay Centre my dad had to sign loads of forms it was so boring, just as we thought we could go climb they had to check that my dad could put on a harness correctly and belay correctly although we did say we had been climbing for nearly 6 years. When we could finally climb I looked at all the climbs they didn't look reachy but some of them looked quite difficult.

The grades I managed to do were:

5+
6a
6a+
6b
6b+
6c

I couldn't do:

7a
7b
7c
8a

After attempting these a couple of times I decided to try some of the other climbs and do some falling practice because I get scared quite a lot and it stops me from doing a lot of climbs.
I  did some falls and climbs until it was only half an hour until it was time to go, so I did some bouldering. The bouldering room wasn't that big so i didn't take me long to attempt each one. After that we headed home because I was getting tired.

BMC Youth Climbing Series Rd 1 (Summit Centre) - Route Grades

I went to the Summit Centre today to try out some of the competition climbs again. The grades are as follows.

Pink 6c Cat C 3rd, Cat A 1st Orange 5 Cat C 1st Left Side	Pink 7b Cat A 3rd Orange 7a Cat B 3rd Left Overhang
Green 6c Cat E 3rd, Cat B 2nd, Cat D 3rd Beige 6a Cat C 2nd, Cat B 1st Right Wall	Orange 5+ Cat E 2nd Blue 4 Cat E 1st Back Wall

Round 1 BMC Youth Climbing Series 2014

Yesterday I didn't get a long lie in instead I went to McDonald's for one of their lush hash-brown breakfasts before driving up to the Summit Centre in Trelewis to compete in the first round of the youth climbing series. I was very exited because I have moved up to group to C so I am leading this year.

When I arrived at the centre I looked at all the blocs and routes that might have been set for my category and then I read them. I read 4 routes and my three routes were included in these. After a while Simon called everyone in and discussed the rules then he told us girls that we were bouldering first so I put on my shoes and chalk bag then walked over to the bouldering mats. Very soon after that I was shown my first problem it looked really easy. I managed to top it and so did everyone else in my group. Our second problem looked pretty easy too, everyone in my group including me topped this one as well. For the very last problem they put us on a long green one, it looked ok except one reach in the middle. When I was looking at the bloc a new hold was placed in the middle of the reach this meant finishing the problem wouldn't be very hard at all. On my first attempted I climbed quite fast until I got to the hold that was added in then I put my foot up and pushed up to it and grabbed it, it was good and easy to move off I managed the next two moves no problem, I matched the top then jumped down really pleased with myself.

I asked my judge what I should do next and she told me it was time for lunch. I had my lunch and watched my little brother Silas (aged 4) climb. After lunch Simon gathered everyone and told the girls in each category who their judges were. My category started really quickly. Our first climb was really easy and everyone topped it. For our next climb we had to wait a little while for group B to finish on it. As soon as they finished I had to wait a little longer as I was climbing third. This climb was really easy as well and everyone completed it.

The final was really hard and I was climbing second so I had to read it really well as I could only watch one person. When it was my turn I was really nervous and excited to see how far I would get. I managed to get to the 5th or 6th clip but there was a massive reach after this which meant I was too scared to make the move. The hold looked really good but it was just too far away. I decided to let go. When I got down I was really disappointed because I could have done better if I hadn't got scared. But I am going to do a lot of work on falling to try and overcome my fear.

Even though I didn't complete the last climb I got the furthest on that climb and also the third bouldering problem. This meant I won the first round.

Results: http://indoorsout.co.uk/index.htm#brycs2014results.htm

My certificate from the event

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