On Friday 17 February Mum and I left for round 2 of this year's National Bouldering Series at Froggatt Edge. Half an hour into our journey we realised we had left the boulder mats behind! Since we had barely started the journey we went back home to collect them and added an hour to our trip. After a long car ride up to Froggatt we set up camp at the school camping ground and went to bed early.
Saturday 18 February, day of the comp
After registering and receiving our topos we waited around for half an hour before the competition started. For most of the day I climbed with Wiz, Josh, Peanut, Isaac and Kaze, all guys from my age group at the indoor comps. We warmed up in Animal Biscuit Valley and I sent a V4, V5 and a V6 second go. After struggling on Power On (V7) for a while, I moved on to Toilet Block, sending another V5 along the way. At Toilet Block I flashed two V6's and a V5, as well as redpointing Double Trouble (V6). We then moved on to Riverside and worked on Duck Fat 2.0 (V9 in the comp, but felt like V8/7 to me) and after a lot of goes I managed to send this. The others thought I went off route but later I talked to Liam, who did the first ascent, and he thought my sequence was fine. Next we did Kiwi Kiwi Attack, a V6 dyno to a sharp jug. I needed tape to send. The others moved on but I stayed until the horn blew and time was up.
At the end of the day I came second in the Expert Male category with a score of 576 points comprised of my top eight problems: a V9 (233 points), five V6's (55 points each) and two V5's (34 points each).
Sunday 19 February, route climbing at Froggatt
I worked on Burn (28) but I was too tired from the day before and kept falling off on the crux. Mum had a good day though, flashing Monsterpiece Theatre (20).
Monday 20 February, Waipapa
I felt too tired to climb well at Froggatt so Mum and I decided to check out Waipapa. At the crag we met Bryce and Jamie, who had both put up a lot of new climbs there recently, and they showed us around. Mum did the third ascent of a 17 that Bryce had bolted that day, and I sent a couple a 26's: Utopia (third go, third ascent) and Yoda (second go, second ascent).
After climbing we hopped in the car and made the long journey home.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
World Youth Champs Summary
Because of exams, which finished some weeks ago, I was busy and didn't get around to updating my blog. So here's a summary of the World Youth Champs.
Wednesday 17 August
We had a one and a half hour train ride to a different climbing gym with a ten metre speed wall. When we got there we found out they no longer had the speed holds up on the wall (we found some of them in the boulder room), so we did onsighting instead. After some not great first attempts Ken gave us a team talk about how, after going to the swimming complex the day before, we were in 'holiday mode' and needed to switch into hard climbing mode. After Ken's motivating talk I was putting more effort in and getting further on the climbs.
Thursday 18 - Sunday 21 August: last days in Munich
We had three more days in Munich. We went to the Dachau Memorial Concentration Camp and watched the semi-finals and finals of the Boulder World Cup at the Olympic Stadium. One night we watched as more and more people arrived outside our hostel to film a scene or part of a scene for a movie. On Sunday we caught a coach to Imst, Austria.
Sunday 21 - Wednesday 24 August: Comp prep in Imst
We climbed on the indoor wall on Sunday and Monday (the Comp would be on the outdoor wall) and met some of the other competitors who were also doing some last minute training. On Tuesday we went up to the Alpine Coaster for the third year running but the ride didn't seem worth the money so I sat around instead.
Thursday 25 - Sunday 28 August: The World Youth Champs
My first qualifier went ok but I think I could have got further. The climb was very cool and I enjoyed trying it. The next day on my second qualifier I psyched myself out about a move low down and fell off there. I was very frustrated and disappointed about that climb.
In the speed qualification I did better than last year's time and got under 20 seconds.
The team's results were
Junior Male
Daniel: lead: 54, speed: 26 (16.99)
Youth A Male
Christoph: lead: 34, speed: 27 (18.76)
Sam: lead: 65, speed: 33 (22.08)
J.J. (me): lead: 67, speed: 30 (19.80)
Youth B Male
Josh: lead: 39, speed: 27 (21.23)
Kaze: lead: 46, speed: 32 (33.36)
Peanut: lead: 49, speed: 28 (22.90)
Youth B Female
Tayla: lead: 39, speed: 29 (34.29)
Aiyana: lead: 45, speed: 32 (46.05)
Alex: lead: 61, speed: 31 (45.93)
The next day it was raining. The semi-finals were in the morning and we all went down to watch. I got very cold and wet but I stuck it out to the end. In the afternoon the clouds cleared and the mountains all around were covered in snow. In the evening we watched the finals and then the medal ceremony.
On Sunday, the last day of the competition, we headed down to watch the speed finals and trade some of our team uniform. I ended up with a Swiss hoody and a Singapore singlet. We went to the after party that afternoon but the only countries attending were us, the Ausies, South Africa and Japan.
Monday 29 August - Thursday 1 September: Heading back home
We had another long coach ride back to Munich. In the afternoon we did some shopping and I somehow managed to get left by myself in the climbing shop. Because Glenda told us not to go off on our own I made my way back to the hostel and waited there.
We left Munich the next day and travelled back to Auckland with a short stop in Singapore. We arrived in Auckland at 11:00 at night so there were no domestic flights until the next day. Most of us were met by family but Glenda, Sam, Christoph and I all had to stay the night and fly out the next day.
The next day I arrived in Wellington and Mum, Dad and Tessa were waiting for me. I was Home.
Photos:
1. Peanut on his first Qualifier
2. Josh on his first Qualifier
3. Sam on his second Qualifier
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friday 12 August
We had a rest day and went climbing gear shopping. I bought a pair of 5.10 Arrowheads and some of the others spent almost all their money.
After lunch we took two trains and a tram to Nymphenburg Palace and I took lots of photos.
That night Daniel and I did the video diary.
Saturday 13 August
During our first two days climbing we took it easy because of jet lag, but were back to training hard now.
Sunday 14 August
Because it was Sunday almost all the shops were closed and the gym opened late. After hunting around for some time we found a bread shop and had sandwiches for lunch.
Monday 15 August
This was a public holiday so the shops were still closed. Training today was all about getting the boom (German slang for pump).
Photos:
1. Nymphenburg Palace.
2. Josh, Aiyana, Tayla and Alex outside Nymphenburg Palace.
3 to 5 Alex, Aiyana and Kaze training at the gym.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Munich Day 1 & 2
Wednesday 10 August
When we got to Munich we caught a train to our accommodation and had breakfast there. We couldn't check in to our rooms until 2:00 so we went for a walk and played hacky. After lunch we went to the climbing gym and climbed for a while. The climbing gym was massive. It had two indoor, NZ-climbing-gym-sized rooms and an outdoor wall. There was a boulder room downstairs with set problems and another one up stairs with campus boards and other training stuff. That day, though, we just climbed in the first room.
Thursday 11 August
On the way to the way to the climbing gym we went to an old church and some of us went up to the top of a bell tower and took photos of the view.
Photos
1. View of Marienplatz from bell tower.
2. Peanut, Tayla, Aiyana and Alex in the bell tower.
3. The bell tower.
4. The team at Marienplatz.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Christchurch to Munich
On Tuesday 9 August I left Christchurch, via Singapore on Singapore Airlines, for Munich, Germany, along with the New Zealand Youth Climbing Team. The members of the team were:
Adults
Ken: Coach
Glenda: Manager
Ari: Manager
Junior Male
Daniel
Youth A Male
Christoph
Josiah, JJ (me)
Sam
Youth B Male
Kaze
Josh
Adam, Peanut
Youth B Female
Alex
Tayla
Aiyana
After training in Munich for a just over a week, we would head to Imst, Austria, to compete in the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championship.
After saying good bye too our parents we went though security and boarded our flight.
On the first flight I watched five movies: Kunfu Panda 2, Source Code, Thor, Kunfu panda and Hanna.
At Singapore airport we had a five hour stopover before our next flight and I sent an email back home.
On the second flight I had three seats all to myself! I slept for most of the flight and only watched one movie: Red Riding Hood.
Photo: from left to right top to bottom: Ken, Ari, me, Tayla, Alex, Aiyana, Christoph, Sam, Daniel, Kaze, Peanut, Josh, Glenda.
Adults
Ken: Coach
Glenda: Manager
Ari: Manager
Junior Male
Daniel
Youth A Male
Christoph
Josiah, JJ (me)
Sam
Youth B Male
Kaze
Josh
Adam, Peanut
Youth B Female
Alex
Tayla
Aiyana
After training in Munich for a just over a week, we would head to Imst, Austria, to compete in the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championship.
After saying good bye too our parents we went though security and boarded our flight.
On the first flight I watched five movies: Kunfu Panda 2, Source Code, Thor, Kunfu panda and Hanna.
At Singapore airport we had a five hour stopover before our next flight and I sent an email back home.
On the second flight I had three seats all to myself! I slept for most of the flight and only watched one movie: Red Riding Hood.
Photo: from left to right top to bottom: Ken, Ari, me, Tayla, Alex, Aiyana, Christoph, Sam, Daniel, Kaze, Peanut, Josh, Glenda.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
National Championship - The Roxx, Christchurch
On Friday 5 August, Mum and I flew down to Christchurch to compete in the National Champs. On Tuesday 9 August I will be leaving NZ from Christchurch and flying to Europe to compete in the IFSC Climbing World Youth Championship in Imst, Austria. You can follow the team's progress on our video blog.
My Youth A first qualifier wasn't too hard and I topped out along with two others.
I found it hard to find a good sequence on the speed routes. Daniel Krippner and I have been consistently in the top two for Open Speed all year but this time I was coming third, Daniel fourth, and Masters competitor Rich Morgan was coming first. In Youth A I did better and was coming first.
In the Open qualification, I was close to topping the first climb, topped the second one and was second going into the final.
In isolation I could guess by the cheering that the guy before me had topped out. When I got to the end of the roof, I slipped off a big hold after making a difficult clip. The climber after me topped out and I came third.
On my Youth A second qualifier, I fell off on a big move and was third going into the final. On the final, I came second.
The Speed finals were on different routes to the qualifiers but the Open Male results stayed the same. In the Youth A I was Speed Champ.
Written by Josiah; posted by Lisia.
Sat 6 Aug: Comp Day 1
My Youth A first qualifier wasn't too hard and I topped out along with two others.
I found it hard to find a good sequence on the speed routes. Daniel Krippner and I have been consistently in the top two for Open Speed all year but this time I was coming third, Daniel fourth, and Masters competitor Rich Morgan was coming first. In Youth A I did better and was coming first.
In the Open qualification, I was close to topping the first climb, topped the second one and was second going into the final.
In isolation I could guess by the cheering that the guy before me had topped out. When I got to the end of the roof, I slipped off a big hold after making a difficult clip. The climber after me topped out and I came third.
Sun 7 Aug: Comp Day 2
On my Youth A second qualifier, I fell off on a big move and was third going into the final. On the final, I came second.
The Speed finals were on different routes to the qualifiers but the Open Male results stayed the same. In the Youth A I was Speed Champ.
Written by Josiah; posted by Lisia.
Friday, August 5, 2011
IFSC Oceania Series - Round 2, Bayside Rock, Melbourne
On Friday 29 July Dad and I flew across the Tasman to compete in round 2 of the Oceania Series. Once we were in Melbourne, we had a long journey, consisting of two buses and a train, to our accommodation in Carrum Downs. The NZ climbers who had gone over compete were:
Jorgia Oliver (YDF)
Alex Jones (YBF, OF)
Aiyana Grigsby (YBF, OF)
Matthew Sutherland (YBM)
Charlotte McConnochie (YAF, OF)
Josiah "JJ" Jacobsen-Grocott (me, YAM, OM)
Christoph Riedel (YAM, OM)
Geoff Jacobsen (Dad, Masters Male)
Sat 30 Jul: Comp day 1
Youth A First Qualifier
My first climb was easy and all but one of the ten climbers in my grade topped out.
Youth A Second Qualifier
This route was harder than the first. I topped out along with Christoph and one Aussie.
Open First Qualifier
The open climbs were much harder than the youth ones and this climb had a big dyno to a jug in it. I managed to get both hands on the jug but couldn't hold the swing. After that climb I was coming sixth equal with a lot of other people.
Open Second Qualifier
The climb started by climbing up a rope dangling from the bottom of a massive stalactite! The route crossed over from the stalactite and traversed left for a bit without footholds. It then went up onto a roof and after that onto a 45.
The climb highlighted my lack of bicep power, but I made it onto the 45. At the end of the qualification round I came tenth, two places and about two holds from making the final.
Speed Qualifiers
I got second in both Youth A and Open.
Sun 31 Jul: Comp day two
Youth A Final
My final went up a slightly overhanging wall, across a roof, and down the huge stalactite from the open climb. The climb finished by clipping the clip at the bottom of the stalactite.
By the second clip the climb felt hard. I persevered and made it onto roof.
When I came down I was told that I was coming first and taken to room where potential first equal competitors stayed in case of a super-final. Two climbers later I was told that I had won and allowed to leave.
Speed Finals
I came first in Youth A and second in Open.
The Kiwi results for the comp were:
Youth D Female
1st Jorgia Oliver
Youth B Female
1st Alex Jones
2nd Aiyana Grigsby
Youth B Male
5th= Matthew Sutherland
Youth A Female
4th Charlotte McConnochie
Youth A Male
1st Josiah Jacobsen-Grocott
6th Christoph Riedel
Open Female
7th Alex Jones
11th Aiyana Grigsby
16th Charlotte McConnochie
Open Male
10th Josiah Jacobsen-Grocott
12th Christoph Riedel
Masters Male
2nd Geoff Jacobsen
Jorgia Oliver (YDF)
Alex Jones (YBF, OF)
Aiyana Grigsby (YBF, OF)
Matthew Sutherland (YBM)
Charlotte McConnochie (YAF, OF)
Josiah "JJ" Jacobsen-Grocott (me, YAM, OM)
Christoph Riedel (YAM, OM)
Geoff Jacobsen (Dad, Masters Male)
Sat 30 Jul: Comp day 1
Youth A First Qualifier
My first climb was easy and all but one of the ten climbers in my grade topped out.
Youth A Second Qualifier
This route was harder than the first. I topped out along with Christoph and one Aussie.
Open First Qualifier
The open climbs were much harder than the youth ones and this climb had a big dyno to a jug in it. I managed to get both hands on the jug but couldn't hold the swing. After that climb I was coming sixth equal with a lot of other people.
Open Second Qualifier
The climb started by climbing up a rope dangling from the bottom of a massive stalactite! The route crossed over from the stalactite and traversed left for a bit without footholds. It then went up onto a roof and after that onto a 45.
The climb highlighted my lack of bicep power, but I made it onto the 45. At the end of the qualification round I came tenth, two places and about two holds from making the final.
Speed Qualifiers
I got second in both Youth A and Open.
Sun 31 Jul: Comp day two
Youth A Final
My final went up a slightly overhanging wall, across a roof, and down the huge stalactite from the open climb. The climb finished by clipping the clip at the bottom of the stalactite.
By the second clip the climb felt hard. I persevered and made it onto roof.
When I came down I was told that I was coming first and taken to room where potential first equal competitors stayed in case of a super-final. Two climbers later I was told that I had won and allowed to leave.
Speed Finals
I came first in Youth A and second in Open.
The Kiwi results for the comp were:
Youth D Female
1st Jorgia Oliver
Youth B Female
1st Alex Jones
2nd Aiyana Grigsby
Youth B Male
5th= Matthew Sutherland
Youth A Female
4th Charlotte McConnochie
Youth A Male
1st Josiah Jacobsen-Grocott
6th Christoph Riedel
Open Female
7th Alex Jones
11th Aiyana Grigsby
16th Charlotte McConnochie
Open Male
10th Josiah Jacobsen-Grocott
12th Christoph Riedel
Masters Male
2nd Geoff Jacobsen
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