The YCS supporting CAC! |
Last year I thought I was done with the YCS’, but my loss of a place on the GB team, meant I was once again able to compete! Having only 3 of us in the Peak area in the Youth A group; Naomi Tilley, Beth Garratt and me, we were all guaranteed a place in the final, which was handy as Naomi and I missed the first round due to a climbing trip to El Chorro, Spain, to read more about my trip there, visit; http://flotilley.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/el-chorro-spain-late-nights-laughter_12.html .
For those that don’t know, the YCS consists of 3 boulders
and 3 leads, or top ropes if you are category C or below. It has the
international age categories with an extra youth E and D!
Our first boulder was by far, in my eyes, the hardest,
completely de-psyching me- failing on a move I knew I could do. However as the
day progresses things started to brighten up, flashing the second boulder and
being only one of two to top our third one. The leads, also being my strong
point brought me back from a weaker position to a stronger more comfortable
one, topping the first two and slapping for the last hold on our hardest rout.
In the end I came third, it would have course, have been nice
to win but third suited me just fine! It’s not however just about the position,
at the end of the day it’s about how you, yourself performed. And today I
actually felt I climbed with nothing holding me back; like my nerves. On the
routes I finally made my anxiety unwind, allowing me to climb fluently and smoothly
and the trick I found was simply, to be happy!
This year was also extra special as an extra Tilley had
joined the crew!! Harry, my younger cousin, who has only been climbing for
about 6 months and is only 8, reached the final, a top notch achievement (look
out for the next generation of Tilley crushers). It seems that the desire to
send routes and pull hard is in our blood, running in our very veins!
The next comp I’m will competing is the Senior BBC ’s
at Sheffield in a fortnight. How well I do is a complete
mystery, especially as I would of have week in Barcelona
with school before hand!