The Youth Open 2012

The time had come to make a point about how hard I’ve been training over the last few months. The Youth Open had arrived, along with a tough competition and weekend. I felt prepared and psyched and luckily recovering fast from the winter cold. 

Day one: Leading.

I was up third up and after a rushed warm up I stepped onto qualifier one; a technical climb with a small overhang at the top, a style perfectly suited to me. I felt calm, composed and psyched. Luke Tilley had demoed our climb effortlessly and being my brother went through the route with me afterwards, telling me to just ‘accept the bad holds’, great, thanks, really useful ;). Working my way up I kept breathing deep and climbing smoothly, staying relaxed. Totally absorbed in the climb I suddenly found myself a few moves from the top. ‘Just keep calm, carry on’. One more move to the top. One more pull. No more oomph . I fell, my fingers millimetres from the last hold. I reached the bottom happy with my performance but I was most pleased with my head. I had proved I could control it, keep its anxiety on a leash.

My second qualifier was up the main wall which was a barrel: an S shape. The climb started off more or less vertical, getting steeper and steeper then near the top reducing back to a vertical. This time, I was 10^th up, I was ready to go and once again psyched. It looked good, steep with good(ish) holds and a massive side wall big enough to bridge all you liked on. I started well, climbing strong and fluent and calm. I was getting into the steeper section of the barrel; I was in full flow but my mind and consequently my sequence missed the clip; I got the next hold, remembered the clip, tried to clip, failed to clip! I got the next hold, try to clip again, but would have fallen off. OK, well let’s try the next hold then, oh no, my arms aren’t that long. New plan, let’s climb down, energy is draining, still can’t clip, lets climb back up again, the clip is still failing me. The clip had won. I had fallen.

I knew it was over. I had made the mistake. I had messed up this important competition. My remaining energy was used up crying, tears pouring down my cheeks. I was angry at the error I made. Irritated because the climb looked so good. Frustrated because I hadn’t found the climbing hard. Cross because I knew I would have topped it. Distraught because I knew the competition was so tight I would loose my place on the GB Team.

Luke, as always, came to the rescue. He sat with me calming me back down, trying to staunch the flow of water falling down my cheeks. He explained the problem and told me solutions and amazingly got me psyched once again. However, being a girl and being, it seems, very emotional; every time the subject was raised a new set of tears would find their way back into my eyes, revealing my distress again.

Because of my determination I couldn’t let this climb slip by, so after the award ceremony, I whipped my harness back on, re-warmed up and stormed up the route. I clipped ‘the clip’ with ease and climbed past with no problem. The cruxy move at the top where I witnessed many climbers come off didn’t stand in my way. I was on a rampage. I was at the last move before long: a big powerful move from a tiny crimp to a massive jug. The pressure to finish the climb wasn’t there: I had proved myself right about th climb being well within my ability and the tears had drained most of my energy. I fell, ‘my fingers millimetres from the last hold.’

Day 2, bouldering. After debating long and hard on Saturday evening I had decided to compete in the first Open Youth bouldering competition.  We had 8 boulder problems to complete in two hours with 5 attempts at each. Then 3 problems with 4 minutes to complete each individual climb for the finals. The climbs looked hard but good. I had put no pressure on myself as I wasn’t too psyched to actually try to get a place on the bouldering team, as, if you know me, I really am not a boulderer. The standard is high,  I took this purely for fun. It turns out I didn’t do too badly considering, finishing 7^th, against Tara Hayes, Molly Thompson-Smith, Gracie Martin, Rachel Carr and Tash Allcock. And Tash only beating me by getting to a bonus hold 3 attempts quicker. This left me just outside a qualifying place. An awesome well done to Gracie as well for getting a place on the bouldering team after a sick effort in the final, finishing 4^th due to count back!!

So that was my weekend. Not really the outcome I was hoping for. I made a costly mistake on a climb and consequently lost my position on the team. Not great, but that wont stop me training, getting psyched and proving myself in July at the next Youth Open. Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll practise remembering to clip too!

The BLCC 2012

The BLCC had come back around, once again being held in the depths of the Ratho wall. Equipped with layers of clothes, including my new PrAna trousers and an opportunity to get selected for the last European youth cup of the year in Kranj I was psyched to get my boots on!

I was up about 10^th on my first qualifier, I was feeling good, I had warmed up well, and even my hands were immune from the biting cold of Ratho. This is a problem that many competitors have - losing sensation in their fingers. The climb worked its self round the corner of the old comp wall, looking a bit sketchy at times, technical at others and powerful at the very end.

On the long journey to Scotland I was so bored and cramped I decided to listen to a deep relaxation tape and it turned out to be a very valuable decision. After 20 minutes of relaxation I opened my eyes and experienced the calmest, most relaxed feeling I have ever had.

You’re probably wondering why I’m telling you this. What has it to do with climbing? In fact, I feel it played a big part of understanding my head and learning to control my nerves. I could relate back to that feeling while climbing to control my unease.

I got on to the climb feeling confident and set off with a good start, clipping well and going smoothly. After unbalancing a little I readjusted my position, greatly helped by my sick new shoes doing their job. I surprised myself as I found I was a hold away from the top. The last move was big and felt even bigger as my arms were slowly got more pumped. I finally went for the move, after spending a little too much time ‘preparing’ myself for it. The hold felt my palm willing me to grab hold of it, but all too soon the chains were flying away from me. 

Meanwhile, as I was undergoing my qualifier, the first ever category of the female veterans had started their climb. With their entry fees donating to epilepsy action and a cake sale running throughout the day as well, they had a great atmosphere. I believe the vets will write up their experience.

With qualifier 1 down, I was feeling confident. This climb was still on the old comp wall but on the more slabby section. The Youth A boys had been up before us so I had a good idea of the route. It too looked technical and sketchy. I was 4^th up this time; I felt, a good position to be in. As I had finally sussed out my nerves on the last climb I was sure that this would no longer be a problem, it wouldn’t affect my performance. I was, with great relief, right. I now feel much more confident, un-sketchy and have found a new enjoyment to competition climbing. My head was focused on the climb, on every move, on my feet, on my hands. I worked up most the climb with ease, finding a good shake out just before the final powerful steep section; going over the lip. I pulled on and set off for my final battle. With some awkward heel hooks I managed to pull my self over the lip onto a volume. I knew I had little power left, so with one last effort I locked off to get the 4^th last remaining hold. I tickled it, teasing myself, I thought had got it but the tickle wasn’t enough and I came rapidly down.

From my performance in my qualifiers I got in the final in 4^th place. Unusually our Youth B category had 7 in the final, instead of the normal 6 due to a draw in 6^th place. After half an hour in isolation we were sent out for our 8 minutes viewing time. Our final was also on the old comp wall, however this time looking much more powerful, with, what it looked like, cruxy sections on the over hanging parts. Back in isolation, I started to slowly warm up, psyched to get on the route. I was finally called to go. With all my gear in hand I set off for my final.

I got on the rout feeling slightly more nervous than I did in my qualifiers, however I still climbed alright. I reached the end of the first over hang, jumping to a hold and only just holding it, my arms were at full stretch and I was unable to get a good enough grip to pull up and get my leg across to a vital hold to be able to do another long and powerful move. As I came down I knew this wasn’t the result what I was hoping for and was even more disheartened when I found out that I came 6^th over all.

However although the out come was not what I wished for I had sorted my nervous, performance knocking head out and replaced it with a controlled, confident and even more psyched head, ready for competitions!

I would like to say a massive thank you to my new sponsors, Evolve, PrAna and Metolious for their gear and for inspiring me to climb that little bit harder!

Crushing the Crag

So a year has passed since Team Crush’s last Kilnsey trip and Naomi, once again had taken the challenge of organising the rabble. After inviting themselves to stay at our Grandparent’s ‘Bothy’ – an out house my Granddad redid into a bunk room. Another year to send some hard routes!

Day one and Tash and I were out at the crag before the others had even arrived. We had warmed up on the Bulge-let; 6b+, finding that we needed a little more time to get used to the  limestone. An hour later, after working out the rock on the few easier climbs, the rest of Team Crush appeared. They were just in time to witness my feeble attempts on Pantomime; 7b+; a powerful, steep and bouldery route, and if you know me, that’s not my style. Feeling now that the limestone was slowly beating me, I moved to Directissima; 6c and a top roped trad; 7a neighbouring.

Gracie on Pantomine

Day 2 we were off straight to the crag, a whole 2 minute walk away. The day started off much better than yesterday, this time, flashing a 6b+!!! After our warm up, Tara, Tash and I, got on Ground Effect; 7b. After pulling past a bouldery hard start I worked it to the top, the crux, being half way up needing a deep Egyptian and determination. This climb would go!  Feeling more Psyched, Tara and I decided to get on the classic Sticky Wicket; 7b, a vertical technical climb. Tara went first, she worked it to the top, found it good but she had felt that her fear of falling outside had prevented her from going for moves and for the flash. I got on, working it too and finding the same problem of falling, definitely a part of my mind I need to fix! Later we made our way over to Gracie and Tash, we found them giving Smooth Torquer; 7a+/b a go, another, short and powerful climb, with another tricky start but jugs straight after. Gracie told us that she had got it in two, falling off not at the cruxy start but a dynamic move just after. I had to give it a go! I watched Tash repeatedly try the bouldery start swinging off after dynoing for a hold. Before I got on, Ian Dunn came over and gave me the beta for the less powerful people. My attempts were similar to Tash’s, catching the hold then swinging off, I was tiring and my finger skin was fast departing but I had to do this move, I finally got it, sticking my feet, but then in my exhaustion forgot the next hold and came off. Now I had that move, I knew I could do it, tomorrow would get some sending! Gracie, psyched to get a send, got back on and beasted it!

Tom

The sun was shining and because we are Team Crush and we are crazy, we all decided to go swimming in the river; well most of us, Tash and Gracie whimped out and watched at the edge. It was FREEZING! I would have been out first if it were not for the motive of; it will make me climb well tomorrow…

Gracie and Sara having a break from climbing...

After earning our let at my grandparents; doing the gardening and in mine and Tara’s case, scraping weeds out a drive way we were back on the crag. Today would be the day I get a route ticked. I warmed up on a 6b+ then got straight on Smooth Torquer, I was not planning on getting burned out for it this time! I watched Tara get the flash but it still took me a couple of goes to get the first moves again and I was starting to get worried that I would get too tired. So I rested for an hour or so while I watch Billy try an 8a and Tom Red Point it! I finally got back on Smooth Torquer and got the red point, my best outside route yet at Kilnsey! While Billy was resting I got a belay up WYSWYG; 7b, the first part of the 8a. I worked up it, I found many of the moves big but knew, maybe not to day but another, it would go.

On the way back from our adventures in the river.

Second to last day and it was not good. I woke up feeling awful, getting out of bed I knew I wasn’t right and after throwing up, blacking out and spending the morning sleeping on my Gran’s sofa, I knew I wouldn’t be climbing that day. I managed to get up to the crag however and sit with my sister, Naomi, (she also wasn’t climbing due to a shoulder injury) and watched the others get on hard routes.

            The last day had arrived, still tired and kind of better, I made my way up to the crag with Team Crush. I knew I wouldn’t get on anything hard, so I tried the 7a top rope I tried the first day. Managing to get a couple of moves then coming off feeling exhausted and unable to pull, I decided it was a day and joined Naomi again. About 30 min before I had to leave to get the train, I had worked up some energy to get back on Ground Effect, I pulled past the moves I had struggled with but then fell off, forgetting the next beta. Being so late on the climb I couldn’t work it again and Gran was calling and the rest were packing up. The week was over, time to go home.

This year I didn’t get many ticks, (the illness didn’t help!) but I have a plan for next time, so no dawdling at the beginning, straight to the lines!

Finally good luck to Tara who is currently in Singapore for the Junior World cup! I’ve got high hopes for her, ticking 4 7b’s, flashing 3 out of the 4 and 6 moves off an 8a, she’s beasting! And thank you Granny and Granddad for letting us use your Bothy, hostessing and looking after Team Crush! And lastly thank you to Naomi, ‘team manager’ for organising, mothering and cooking!!!

The Crag its Self

As Strong as a Mountain and as dynamic as a Flower



The Comp wall

A few weeks ago I had my 3^rd European. It was held at the Kletter Zentrum Imst, Austria. Its comp’s wall is placed outside and is AMAZING. If you’ve ever been to Ratho, it makes it look small. But to make it even more impressive it is surrounded by snow sprinkled mountains.

 We had another display of the British Team’s strength. Again we got 3 finalist: Luke Tilley, Alex Waterhouse and William Bosi and some pretty awesome climbing from those not reaching the final!



Qualifier 1 looked reachy, pumpy and fun. Unfortunately, I was 35^th on, although giving me plenty of viewing time, it also gave me time to get shaky and nervous. I had watched both Gracie and Molly reach the first crux; a long and powerful move which spat both of them off. But I was determined to stick the hold and climb on.

Qualifier 1

As I got to my chair to start tying on, the sun was beating down, not helping my ever rising nerves. It was my turn to face the climb. I was too nervous to climb at my full potential but I tried to push this thought away, just focusing on the next move, trying to get my feet right and to make my clipping good.

However my nerves got the better of me. I come off because of a misjudged foot sequence. I came down, frustrated, knowing this was not the best performance I could have done.

After having lunch back in our apartment and a good long 5 hour rest we made our way back to the wall. Here we discovered that my 2^nd qualifier was the Junior Female’s qualifier 1.


Qualifier 2

I knew I couldn’t let the previous climb faze this one: this would be a new start. Being 15^th on, it also meant I had enough climbers to get me psyched and ready to climb but not too many to get me quite as nervous.

I felt more calm and composed as I stepped on the climb this time. I kept breathing deeply and concentrating. I felt like the climbing was going OK. I wasn’t climbing too smoothly but I had remembered to rest and so far hadn’t gone wrong. Finally I reached a big throwy move out left, a move I could have done if I was fresh and had my foot in the correct place. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case. So, after just scraping the hold I fell. I fell in quite an unnerving way; smashing into the wall. This made all the spectators and competitors look my way and draw in a breath. At least I got my moment of fame…

As I was lowered, by a slightly shaken belayer, I felt happier. However I still knew that my two climbs had not witnessed my full ability!

Knowing that you haven’t climbed your best in such a big competition when you’ve put in so much effort training is hard to get over. Luke however, made this so much easier.

Qualifier 2

He had seen that I was nervous on both qualifiers, especially my 1^st. Being my brother, he often sees me climb and therefore knows my full ability. He knew this wasn’t it.

Luke explained that it isn’t my actual physical ability letting me down: it’s not being able to control my head. He explained that he meditates, meaning when he is climbing he can keep his head and body calm. He said when he is climbing he repeats, ‘I’m as strong as a mountain and as dynamic as a flower’.

Meditation obviously works wonders as he climbed awesome in the qualifiers. He made the final in 9^th and then beasted it. He ended up finishing 7^th!

Talking to Luke helped me understand that I still have lots to learn, and even if I don’t do my best in a competition, it’s still worth it just for the experience. He also reminded me that I still have plenty of time to improve!

Over all I finished 37^th, not such a great result, but as I said, I’m just leaving room for improvement! And I had a pretty awesome weekend!!






(some of) Team GB



The Open Youth Competition

Last weekend Edinburgh International Climbing Arena held another Youth Open competition which showed off ever stronger youth climbers. With some pretty awesome looking routes and Naomi Tilley (my sister) commentating while recovering from a shoulder injury the climbing seemed set to go!

Qualifier 1

My first qualifier was on the comp wall; the climb looked juggy, steep, pumpy and fun! Being 3^rd up I didn’t have many people to watch, so, as tied on I watched the first 2 climbers intently. The first climber took it steady and got most the way up getting a couple of moves into the roof before coming off. However, the 2^nd climber didn’t reach this far which switched on my nerves, knowing that maybe there were crux moves half the way up. I knew that this couldn’t phase my performance so when my time came to step up and face the climb I kept myself calm, kept breathing deeply, and focused on each move. I stayed positive. The climb was as good as it looked! Most of the holds were positive, with a massive jug before the pull into the roof, perfect to rest on. I knew I had to climb fast through the roof as my energy was fast diminishing. It was going well until I hit a very reachy clip. This drained more of my energy but I carried on. I managed to squeeze in a couple more moves until just before pulling round to the finishing clip. I used my last remaining power for a huge throw which saw me just scraping the hold and the end of my attempt.

Final

My second qualifier took me to the old comp wall; it was a slabby climb, with no good olds, and no good rests. Less steep and powerful climbs should suit me better; however the long reaches seemed to rock the boat a little too vigorously. After struggling on a dynamic move I began to get pumped and careless and about half way up. I reached out for a clip and missed; I lost most concentration, slipped and fell. I came down knowing this wasn’t the best I could have done but I put this behind me and hoped it would be enough to get me into the final!

I was in luck! I had scraped into the final. Qualifying 6 with only 6 going into the final was a bit close for comfort, but now I had to fully concentrate on the final climb. Running out to route read I found the climb on the far right of the comp wall. They were positive but not huge holds, most of the way up, following the line of the arête. My psyche had risen! Being 6^th into the final meant being 1^st out of my category, playing to an advantage for me, as I still have the climb fresh in my head, and a whole set of clean holds!

          As I got on the climb I told my self to be calm and enjoy it. I still felt slightly nervous but I focused the nerves into my climbing, hopefully pushing me up higher. I felt I climbed well and steady, I came off slapping for a hold round a volume with my arms completely boxed!

On the Podium!

I came down feeling like I climbed my best but because was first out I didn’t know how I’d fare compared to the others. As it turned out I hadn’t done too bad, in fact I’d done quite well! I come 3^rd to Tara and Molly with close competition from Gracie, (finishing 4^th) only wining 3^rd by climbing a whole 5 seconds faster!

Over all a successful weekend and with even more psyche for my third European (EYC) in Imst, Austria next week!

An Epic Journey!

My second European competition happened to be held in a not so local location as my first European- Edinburgh; but a 2 and a half-day train journey to Moscow. (3 days returning!)

The wall was specifically built for this competition, in a park surrounded by trees in the center of Moscow. The wall was all of 12 meters high; however I was pleasantly surprised when I saw our routs. Our first qualifier was on a constant 20-degree wall, just my style, and the second, 40 degrees; the style just like at Ratho. The GB team was in luck! I was climbing 4th on my first qualifier and I felt relatively calm comparing to how I felt on my first ever climb in a European in Ratho! I felt I climbed well until I had to do a big reach near the top, unfortunately I tried doing it the tall persons way and consequently fell off! I was psyched for my second rout on the 40-degree wall as I enjoy this style. However they don’t suit me as well as the less steep stuff does, as I currently do not have the power, which I unfortunately needed for a number of the moves on this climb. To my frustration the climb through me off just I was making head way on the steepest part of the wall. I came down disappointed, as I knew I could have climbed better.



 Even though I messed up on a move I still felt I climbed the first part well and calmly but when I got to the steeper section a number of holds up, I had to make the clip but couldn’t quite get it and I knew I had to move on as it drains your body trying over and over again. Crossing over to the next hold I came off after losing some concentration.

Molly Thompson-Smith and Luke Tilley, my brother, however did a storming job! They both toped both their qualifiers! Furthermore they climbed amazingly in the final! Both getting the same spot on the podium, 3rd place!!

Over all team GB did pretty well with 2 out of the 3 on the podium!
I have come back with a whole lot of experience for Europeans and catching trains! Even though I am not hugely happy of how I climbed I know it will come with experience and more hard-core training! “The secret of life, though, is to fall 7 times and get up 8 times” Paulo Coelho. (From ‘The Alchemist’, an inspiring book to read after an inspiring weekend!)

  To get to Moscow we came by train. An Epic 2 and a half-day journey! On the way it went swimmingly, going through France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus and then to Russia, Moscow! The trains were all on time and we had no problems, however the return journey was a different story!
Because Luke did so well, we just had to wait for the ceremony, which then caused us to run 1km to our train, we had 10 minuets till our train left when we arrived at the station so all was good, until we realized we were at the wrong one! Oh dear!
The guards tried to be very helpful, unfortunately as they had absolutely no English it didn’t help the situation; only until too late did they realize we had the wrong place!










After some hanging around in the correct station we got tickets to Warsaw, it seemed liked things would be alright again, we had a bed and we were going to the right place. All in till we arrived at the border of Poland and had to show our visa’s, and apparently being 6 hours past the expiry is not tolerated.
The visa control with their big hats and authority gave us some trouble, demanding that our visa’s expired all 6 hours ago and had to extend them, throwing us off the train just two minuets before it left. Oh dear!
A quick phone call from a guard, a mad taxi man, Timo, whisked us to the police station where we interrogated by the chief inspector why our visa’s had expired and waited to be ‘freed’. With the help of Timo knowing everyone we got our visa’s made in 3 hours rather than 5 days. We finally made it out of Belarus!

We now had the next hurdle to jump, the train to Warsaw from Terespol. At about 10 at night a train arrived to go to Warsaw but apparently it was a train just for Russians and they were not going to pick up anyone, not even my puppy eyes swayed them. So we found our selves with no bed and the next train being at 2 am. Oh dear!
We had 4 hours in a train station in the middle of the night so it looked like we would be kipping on the benches. I don’t recommend it; with people shouting, trains coming and going and one hard bench there is no comfort!
Finally 2:00 came and we got our train, still with no bed but a compartment of our own and a soft seat to lie on.

An extra night in Cologne, the train to Brussels in the morning, and then finally, to a well missed home.

An extended adventure that I doubt I’ll forget (or repeat)!