So, a lot has just seemed to have in the last couple of
weeks from winning to the YCS’s, finishing school and getting into a bit of cycling!
A week or so ago, Ratho held the YCS final once again. A
youth comp with 3 series leading up to a grand final. The format for each round
being 3 boulders and 3 routes. A comp I have been doing for almost a decade and
which has finally come to a close as this was my last year. I’ve got to old!! I won each one of the rounds in my area-
Peak, and I so desperately wanted to win it all!
On the day I managed 2 out of my 3 boulders and the same
with my routes- 2 tops. And although the boulders didn’t out me in the highest
position, I was the only one to top one of the routes; a very technical, slabby
climb with a powerful finish, which pushed to the top of the pile.
I couldn’t have been more happy with my result, and finished
my Youth Climbing Series days with high.
A week before the YCS, there was the British Bouldering
championship. I had only competed in this style of competition, all isolated,
once before, at last years BBC’s, and did not go at all well. However this year the
boulders seemed a little easier and I had also got stronger and managed to beat
my last score of 0.
Watching the mens in the morning got me psyched for my turn
in the afternoon. The qualifiers were well set and great fun to do and I got 3
tops with 2 flashes, a score which got me into the semi’s in 12th. I
felt psyched and ready for the semi’s on Sunday and after a good isolation I
started off well with a flash of the first problem. I was also so close to the
second boulder, falling off tickling the last hold. I got the 3rd boulder 2nd
go, managing to miss half the holds on the way. My final climb of the day, a
flexible slabby climb, finished me with a flash. My performance didn’t get me
throught to the final but positioned me came 8th over all, an
improvement from the qualifiers and a score I was more than pleased with!!
Two successful competition, finishing school and having the
chance to see some talented cyclist fly past me as I watched the tour de France
out side my Grandparents house, has left me feeling strong and psyched for the
summer.
In a couple of days I’m off to Arco in Italy and then from
that, straight to the Open Youth boulder and lead comps in London and then
after a break at home back down south to Devon for the Deep Water Solo comp at
the Quay climbing centre. Bring on the summer!
