Monday 21 June 2010

YCS Final

On Staurday the 12th June I took part in the Britsih finals of the Youth Climbing Series (YCS) at EICA. I had got a place in this comp because i had come top 3 in the regionals.

On the week up to the comp i was really really nervous and worried that i wouldn't do that well but after a talk from robbie i became less nervous and more psyched. On the day i walked into ratho and started looking at the routes, this got me psyched. I was hoping for atleast a top 10 finish but wasnt sure if i would manage this.

After looking at the routes we all warmed up and my age catagory got split into 2 groups. I was in group B. We started with the first climb and Group A started with the boulders. The first climb wasnt to bad with only one awkward move off a undercut. Everyone topped this so it didn't really show me how good everyone else was. We then moved onto the boulders. The first boulder was really straight forward jug,jug,jug about V0/1 and again everyone topped it. The second boulder was a bit harder with small crimps and big pinches. I found this one quite hard because my fingers were hurting but again i managed to do it first time.

We then had a break before moving onto thesecond climb. This was the climb on the competition wall and the one I was most worried about even though it wasn't our hardest. I was something like 14th on so got to watch a lot of people try it before me which to be honest just made me even more nervous as noone was reaching the first lower off. Everyone was struggling on the one move off a volume and clipping. When it was my turn to go i tried to calm down and got tied on. The start of it wasnt too bad and when i reached the first volume there was quite a good rest. I shook off and prepared for the moves further up to the second volume where most people were falling off. I got to the second volume and managed the move off it and got the clip which meant i had gotten further than quite a lot of people. I then moved off the volum up to a jug and my feet flew off meaning my hands slipped out the jug so i only had the tips of my fingers in it. I made the next move and fell because of this. Even though I had got further than a lot of people I was still really annoyed at where I fell.

After another break we went onto the last boulder which was all slopey with a hardish move to a jug at the end. I was near the end in the line to try this but when it was my turn I got it first time. I was really pleased with this and now all I had to think about was the last climb. I hadn't thought about this climb much because I was more worried about the second one which meant I was more calm about this one. I watched a few people trying it before me and saw that most people were getting onto or to the top of the second overhanging section. I knew that if I had any chance of coming top 10 I had to get above the second overhanging section. The first part of the climb up to the second overhanging section was pretty straight forward and the actual overhang wasn't too bad either just quite pumpy. I then got to the move out left from the overhang where most people fell off. I pulled back and pulled towards the hold, I missed it at first but then managed to just grab it and get clipped. I was so pleased even to get here. I then moved up another clip to a crimp. The next move off the crimp was quite hard because it was a big move up to a palm on a volume. I fell off here. I was really pleased with where I got to.

After finishing all the climbs and boulders I had no idea where I was placed as it was out of 33 people. Although I knew I had done quite well on the second and third climb so was hoping I had managed my aim of top 10.

There was then about a 2 hour wait till I found out the results. I was joint 3rd with Alasdair. I couldnt believe it, I was so happy with getting onto the podium.

I am now really psyched for future competitions.

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