Black Out

I started working on Black Out , a V9 at Turakirae Head, about the same time as I started working on Mr Olympia. But, because I made more progress on Mr Olympia, I stopped working on Black Out, and focused on Mr Olympia instead. The day I sent Mr Olympia I tried Black Out again, but because I still couldn't do one of the hard moves I decided the problem was too hard for me. A few days before I went to Paynes I tried the problem again and found a new sequence for the move I couldn't do before, but I didn't send.

On Wednesday 26 January, Dad and I went out to Turakirae for an evening session and after many goes I finally managed to put it all together, stick the top sloper and send the climb. Black Out is my second V9 and my third V9 or higher.

Paynes Ford 2011: Part 3

Day 13 15/1

I sent Dancing on a Skewer in the morning and then tried the direct version (29), but that was too hard for me so I gave up. I then onsighted Amino Pro (24). In the afternoon we went to the main swimming hole and I tried a problem called The Acid Test. I got the problem but I thrashed around with my feet in the water near the end of the roof so I don't think it counts as a send.

Day 14 16/1

I sent Make My Day (25) second go having tried it once last year. I then tried the climb next to it, Feeling Lucky Punk (25). I onsighted Why Would You Wave To a One Armed Man Riding a Bike (25). We took friends climbing that day so I didn't do any more notable climbs but Mum did her first 22, You're Either Dead or You're Not.

Day 15

Dad and I went to Pohara and climbed on the sea cliffs. I warmed by flashing Coup de Grace (22), sent Red Tape (25) second go and warmed down with an onsight of Honor and Obey (21).

The next day we packed up in the rain and went home.

The photos are:

1 Me and Mum stretching.
2 Me, Mum and Dad on the ferry.

Paynes Ford 2011: Part 2

Day 8 10/1

Had a rest day.

Day 9 11/1

I warmed up on Electricorp Production (22), a climb I'd had a go at last year, and sent Bulga Nomics fourth go total. After that I worked on Electrocution (27).

Day 10 12/1

I sent Electrocution in the morning and then had a couple of goes at Dancing on a Skewer (28). I warmed down by onsighting Woop Woop Pull Up (22).

Day 11 13/1

I onsighted Recidivist (20) as a warm up and then worked on Dancing on a Skewer for a bit and got to the top with only one fall. After that I sent Gravity (24) second go having tried once last year. Some climbing friends from Nelson gave me lots of beta on the climb which helped a lot.

Day 12 14/1

Rest day and Dad's birthday.

The photos are:

1 Me, Mum and Dad at The Grove
2 Me during a rest day
3 Me on Electrocution
4 Me on Dancing on a Skewer

Paynes Ford 2011: Part 1

On Sunday 2 January my family and I embarked on a two week holiday in Takaka, Golden Bay. Most of our days would be spent climbing at Paynes Ford. We had gone to Paynes during the summer for the last three years and it's my favourite crag.

Day 1 3/1

I warmed up by onsighting Feeding the Rat (21) which was probably a bit hard for my first climb of the year. I then struggled on Slaprobatics (24). This is probably the dirtiest climb I have ever tried. After that I had a couple goes at African Head Charge a very pumpy 25m 26. At the end of the day I decided that, having spent the last one and a half months bouldering and doing very little route climbing, my endurance was very poor.

Day 2 4/1

I onsighted The Good the Bad and the Dread (23), worked on African Head Charge and had a go at Mea Culpa (27).

Day 3 5/1

Had a rest day.

Day 4 6/1

Had another rest day because it was raining.

Day 5 7/1

The top of African Head Charge was wet so I worked on Mea Culpa instead.

Day 6 8/1

I flashed Bury Me in a Y Shaped Coffin (21) as a warm up and spent the rest of the day working on Mea Culpa.

Day 7 9/1

After warming up I finally sent Mea Culpa and then followed it up by sending African Head Charge. I then tried Bulga Nomics, a 25 I'd tried the year before. At the end of the day I decided I had my endurance back.

The Photos are:

1 Me on African Head Charge
2&3 Me on Mea Culpa
4 The African head

Mr Olympia

Over the last few weeks I have been working on Mr Olympia, a V10 at the Bronx, Turakirae Head. Mr Olympia is an extension to my first V9, Pumping Iron, itself an extension to a V7, Toast. I have been going out to the Bronx twice a week and when I first started working on it I couldn't do the hard start sequence.

On Sunday 12 December I got up at 6am in order to get out to the Bronx before it got too hot. After warming up I hopped on Mr Olympia and sent the problem first go of the day. Mr Olympia is my first V10 and the first V9 or higher I have done since I did Pumping Iron in April.

Here's a video of me sending the climb:

Whanganui Bay - 7-9 November: Day 3

Tuesday 9th

Dad and I got up at 6:30 and had a one square meal bar on the way to the rock.
I warmed up by attempting to repeat Childhood's End but I took a rest on the rope half way through. I then had a go at Trilogy and fell off on an easy move just after doing a hard move where it splits from Trinity. On my next attempt I sent the climb! I was really stoked.

I offered to belay Dad but he had a sore shoulder and back so didn't feel like climbing. We went back to the campsite and had breakfast. Then we packed up and left.

Whanganui Bay - 7-9 November: Day 2

Monday 8th

Dad and I tried to get up and get to the rock before the sun was on the rock but by the time we started walking to the rock the sun was already on the top half of Trilogy.

I warmed up by onsighting Picked the Wrong Week to Give Up Chocolate Marshmallowpuffs, grade 25, and then worked on Trilogy for a bit. Dad got all the moves on Kafunka... and then we went back to the car and had lunch.

At the campsite we met a couple of Austrians and they recognised my top I'd been given in Austria for a competition there, and we let them borrow our guide book for a bit.

In the afternoon Dad and I went back up to the rock and I worked on Trilogy and managed to get to the top with only one fall. Dad got all the moves of, and took lots of falls on, Schneiderburner, a 21 he tried last time we went to Whanganui Bay.

We planed to get up early the next day and have a One Square Meal bar on the way to the rock instead of breakfast.