Wanaka Outdoor Climbing: Part 2

Thu 7 Apr

Dad and I warmed up on a cool slab climb and then I tried Onion again and, after a few goes at the start, I fell off on the crux move. I found an easier sequence and then came down and rested for a bit. When I next did the start I managed to keep going and send.

After that we went to an area called Sunnyside and I onsighted some climbs:

Sisters of Mercy (22)
Head on (24)
Creepy Crawler (23)

Dad did Sisters of Mercy second go and did all the moves on Creepy Crawler.

Fri 8 Apr

It was much more sunny than the previous days and we went to Sunnyside again. We warmed up on Mum's on the Run (20) and Dad tried Creepy Crawler but it was too hot and sunny for him to send. Because of the poor conditions we decided to go climb somewhere less sunny. We went to Riverside and I tried Inshallah (25) and sent the climb second go. I then tried Lollapalooza (26) and, after a long struggle, I made it to the top clean and onsighted it. This is the hardest onsight I have done and I was very pleased.

In the evening we packed and the next day we caught a couple of flights back to Wellington.

Photos:

1. Me resting before I send Onion
2. Me working out what to climb at Sunnyside
3. Riverside
4. Me ready to onsight Head on at Sunnyside
5. Me at the top of Lollapalooza

Wanaka Outdoor Climbing: Part 1

Mon 4 Apr

Dad and I went to Roadside Attraction and we warmed up on Short Cut to Exposure, a 45m 17. I then onsighted Up Your Scud (23) and set up a top rope so I could try Onion (29). On my first attempt at Onion I spent ages working on the start before skipping out the hard move and trying the rest of the climb, which turned out not to be as hard. On my second go I managed to do the start and then got up to the crux at the top.

Tue 5 Apr: Rest Day

Wed 6 Apr: My Birthday

We warmed up on I Need a Pie (21). After a few goes I managed to get up to the crux clean on Onion, but I ripped the tip on my left hand pointer finger, which was tender from Monday, on a sharp hold at the crux so we had to tape it up when I came down. After falling off again on my next attempt I tried using the sharp hold with my back three fingers and when I came off my middle finger was bleeding! After we taped that finger up as well I found an easier sequence which didn't use the sharp hold. Dad sent Up Your Scud and I had another go at Onion but I was too tired to do the hard start.

Photos:

1. Roadside Attraction
2. Me by our rental car getting ready to go climbing

Climbing NZ National Cup - Round 1, Base Camp Wanaka, Wanaka

On Friday 1 April Dad and I left Wellington on a climbing trip to Wanaka. We would be competing in round 1 of the National Cup Series. I would be in the Youth A Male grade and Dad would be doing Masters, and both of us were doing Opens as well. After the comp we would stay in Wanaka for a few days and do some outdoor climbing.

Sat 2 Apr: comp day 1

We got up at 8:00am, had breakfast and drove to the climbing gym. There were six people in my grade including me, and Dad was the only one in the Masters.

Youth A First Qualifier

My first climb went up an Arête and was quite technical and delicate but I managed to top out, without too much difficulty, along with two other people.

Speed Qualification, Open and Junior

The speed routes were very narrow and the one on the left was quite hard, the Youth D competitors fell off on that route. I got the fastest time in both Open and Youth A :).

Open First Qualifier

My first Open climb went up on to the right hand side of the roof and the last move was a dyno off a bad crimp to handle. I got a no hands rest before the roof but it didn't help much as I wasn't pumped. I got to the dyno but didn't hit the loop. At the end of the first round I was coming fourth equal with one other competitor.

Open Second Qualifier

My second Open climb went up onto the left side of the roof.I was first up and I fell off going to the second hold on the roof.

At the end of the Qualification round I was coming fifth and Dad came ninth.

Open Final

Our final route went up onto the roof, traversed right bit on to a 45° wall, traversed the 45° wall and then went back left across the roof and topped out. I fell off just before the climb back onto the roof. The climber before me topped and only one guy after me did better than me so I ended up coming third. I was pretty pleased with that result.


Sun 3 Apr: comp day 2

Youth A Second Qualifier

This climb went up onto the far right side of the roof and the two guys who topped our first qualifier topped this route along with me. At the end of the qualification round I was coming first equal with two other competitors.

Youth A Final

My final route roughly followed the same line as the Open second qualifier. I fell off on a hard throw to a sidepull on roof. The other guys who topped our qualifiers fell off at the same point so we all came first equal for the comp.

Speed Finals

I came first in Youth A, and second in Open.

Baring Head Rock Hop

On Saturday 26 February I went to round 2 of the NBS at Baring Head. As it happened I was the only Junior (under 16) competitor at the comp but that didn't stop me having a good day. I warmed up by doing a couple of V5s and then tried A Show of Strength (the first V8 in NZ, a climb I sent the previous weekend) but I didn't have much luck. I went back to the area where I warmed up and, after many attempts, sent a different V8 (Das Fuer). I did a V6 traverse and I did Sand and the Vaseline (V7). I then went over to Split Apple and did Split Apple One-Handed Dyno (V6). After that I tried different problems without much success and did another couple of V5s. Not long before 3pm when climbing finished, I finally did a V6 Dyno I'd been trying for ages.

At the end of the day I had a score of 500 points. I made a mistake when I added up my score and gave myself 600 points but I got it sorted out before the winners were announced and the spot prizes handed out.

Central North Island Climbing Trip: Part 3: 6-9 Feb

Day 6

I was pretty tied after the NBS the day before so I had a day of easy climbing. I warmed up on Bother (20, Flash) and then onsighted Zoomers (20). I flashed Opel (23), which was a bit hard for a day of easy climbing, and did some easier climbs.

Day 7: rest day

Day 8

I warmed up by putting the draws back on Louder and sent the climb two goes later. I then onsighted Mister Daddy Long Legs (22). Dad and Mum tried Opel and Dad managed to send. Mum also did Bother.

Day 9

We packed up and left Bryce's in the morning. On the way home we stopped at Mangaokewa and did some climbing. I tried Model of a Modern Major General (25/26) but the top holds were really dirty so I gave up. I then tried Hot Harissa (25) and sent the climb next go. Dad did Moonshine (23) and I warmed down by onsighting Yellow Snow (22). After that we left and went home.

Central North Island Climbing Trip: Part 2: 4-5 Feb

Day 4: Rest day

We went up to Hamilton to go supermarket shopping and watched a movie.

Day 5: NBS Waitomo

We got up early and drove to Waitomo to register before briefing at 9:45. It was raining when we got there so the comp was postponed to start at 11:00.

A competitor's score in an NBS comp is determined by their top 8 problems. The score of each problem based on the Fibonacci sequence:

VE = 1
VM = 2
V0 = 3
V1 = 5
V2 = 8
and so on

My top 8 problems were:

V7 - problem 10 Greek Gods (repeat, extremely soft V7 which everyone does)
V6 - Oh Lord (repeat)
V6 - Swing and a Miss
V6 - Got Dirt
V5 - Down Load
V5 - problem 10 Totem Area (repeat)
V5 - Reservoir Dogs
V5 - Roasted Addiction

I had a score of 390 points. As well as the problems above I did Echo Psycosis (V4) and got close to Wazzup (V8), a one move wonder I tried the year before as well.

I won the Junior Male category (under 16 as of 01/01/11) and won a set of Metolius 3D rock rings for coming first. Dad also won a set of Metolius portable power grips as a spot prize.

Central North Island Climbing Trip: Part 1: 1-3 Feb

Day 1

After my sister left for school camp on Tuesday the 1st, Mum, Dad and I drove up to Bryce's at Wharepapa South, and then unpacked into our unit. We stayed at Bryce's for the duration of our trip and climbed mainly at Froggatt Edge.

Day 2

We went to Froggatt and I warmed up by onsighting Lunar Leopard (21), and then did this really hard 23 called Hardon, 3rd go. After that I tried Louder (28), a climb that had been recommended to me as a soft 28.

We went back for an evening session and I tried Louder again.

Day 3

I tried Louder again and on my second go I got really close and fell off on the crux pocket near the top. After that I was too tired to send and on my next attempt I had to clean the route in case the weather was bad after the NBS comp on Saturday and we went home early.

Photos:

1 . me working out what to warm up on
2 . & 3. me on Louder