Results and missions

After all the bad luck of the last weeks, finally some fun news.

The Worldcup season is over, and the results are out.

I missed the Worldcup in Romania (should have gone there instead of breaking my arm) and climbed in total 3 competitions: Daone (It), Saas Fee (CH) and the competition in Rabenstein (It, which doesn't count for as WC).

Overall I landed in 10th place on Speed, and 18th on lead (one time 14th, one time 12th)

For all the results, see the UIAA homepage.

I'm satisfied with my results, but know I could have done better with more and longer specific training. I got pumped really easy, climbed too slow and didn't have enough strength in my hands to keep on holding the axes in figure of 4's/9's when being very pumped.

But I also know I can train that.

The only thing I whish/hope I could have I somebody to help me/guide me in this training and somebody to train with. (Any volunteers out there?)

In between the comps I climbed an unknown WI5(+?) in Daone, climbed Pink Panther M9+ in Kandersteg (CH), climbed a waterfall WI4+ close to Saas Fee (Tim, Corne, do you remember the name?) and climbed half of a waterfall (Dennis went on lead), WI5/M6 2nd go in a valley close to Arco, tried Captain Hook M11 in Ever Dry (Arco) and then some easy warm-ups in Kiental.

Not so much, as we spent most time on competitions.

For the next year I'd like to stay in the Alps longer (which was the plan until I broke my arm) and get more experience in Mixed climbing.

My goals are to climb M10, 8a, 7a+ trad, the unclimbed route on Thumall (Iceland), climb Chocolat Chaud (M10) and open a new M10 in Iceland, get more experienced in alpine climbing and get into the finals in lead and speed iceclimbing Worldcups in 2010/2011.

I'm wondering if my goals are high, maybe too high or maybe too low?

At least I know I'll need to train really hard.

At the moment I'm extremely motivated to train, make my climbing into my profession and give up things which block my progression.

Ah, there is the word: 'Progression'. It reminds me of the movie progression, in which the world best climbers try to bring the sports to a higher level.

My feelings go more and more in the direction of being an different climber then just a sportsclimber, just a boulderer or just an alpinist. I don't feel like 'a sportsclimber'. It doesn't feel natural just hanging on boulders in Cresciano when you see all those mountains around you. Though, it also doesn't feel natural just doing iceclimbing when there are all those granit walls around. Maybe that's the beauty of climbing for me, climbing is not just one movement. It's the variability and the way you have to adapt to the rock. Adapt with your mind, your body, your axes or hands...

Actually, explaining what climbing is for me, is impossible.

It's just like love, how do you explain that? (Yes, Valentine's daywas yesterday)

For now I just wait until I can climb again. In April I'll be in the rocks again. I hope I'll have enough time, money and support to train for my goals :)