Worldcup Boulder Eindhoven

Oeeee, almost. Just one night, a bit of soccer and then climbing!

I just had the technical meeting and got the starting list.

I'm already nervous and feel this little heartbeat in my throat. But, I already felt better after I met another iceclimber: Radka from Bulgaria. She's kind and social, so time to chill and laugh :)

I'm number 31 on the list for tomorrow. Which means I'll be one of the last to climb.

On the website of the Worldcup you can follow a livestream.

The Womens qualifications starts at 9h (Dutch time) which means I won't be climbing before 10h.

The Belgian climber Cloé (also an iceclimber) takes the lead on the list. Vera, is first of the Dutch to boulder as number 21. Then Magli form Belgium (nr. 25), then me (nr. 31) Roelien (nr. 34), Radka (nr. 36), Marianne (nr. 37), Rachel (nr. 38), Nikki (nr. 39) and Channah (nr. 40) (see the whole list on the IFSC website)

And now: have fun...and climb well :)

Tuzgle

I remember my first time in Céüse "many" years ago.

There I met a really nice, friendly, enthusiastic, energetic girl from Swiss. Nina Caprez.

When climbing in Europe I met her again a couple times and now she's the star in a new climbing video.

A real must-see video called Tuzgle.

Allez Nina!

Worldcup Boulder Eindhoven

Just a couple days to go.

I'm nervous and have the feeling I'm not strong enough, not good enough.

Erik told me yesterday that 50% of my strength is 'between my ears'. If I'd stop 'thinking', be more relaxed, I'd climb a lot better...which is true, I guess.

Most of the times, when I climb something difficult I'm surprised, not expecting to climb the thing. And that happens when I'm not under pressure of time, people or whatever.

So actually, climbing competitions is my weakest thing. (Then why do I join the WorldCup???)

This Friday I'll climb the qualifications and hopefully I'll land in the semi-finals (...getting little butterflies in my tummy by just thinking of it)

The program

Friday June 25

08:30 Doors open

09:00 Start qualifications Women

11:45 End qualifications Women

14:30 Start qualifications Men

18:30 End qualifications men

Saturday June 26

12:00 Doors open

13:00 Start Semi-finals Woman and Men

15:30 End Semi-finals Woman and Men

Finals

19:30 Start finals Women and Men

22:00 Award Ceremony

22:00 Worldcup Party

And there are several side events, demonstrations with Breakdance, Taekwondo, Bike-polo

So, if you want to see me climbing on Friday, wake up early and get to 'Klokgebouw 141' in Eindhoven.

Trad climbing meeting in Italy

Good news, again :)

I'm one of the two (or three, Dennis, I hope you can join us too!) who's invited by the NKBV (Dutch Alpine Club) to go the the International Trad Climbing Meeting in Valle Orco in Italy (yes, close to Arco)

It's not yet going to happen, but I just received my invitation. In September I'll go there... :)

For all who don't understand what I mean with 'trad climbing' (like my parents...)

It's that kind of climbing that you place "things" in the rocks as protection. If you know how to handle the gear it's completely safe (really mum, I'm always on a rope)

Here two video's of some climbing in the Orco area. One friendly multipitch version and Didier Berthod climbing one hard (HARD!) line.

Sunday Movie Time

My life is so complicated/simple (circle the right answer).

When I'm not climbing I am:

• Dreaming about climbing
• Fixing my climbing gear
• Working as climbing instructor
• Planning my climbing holidays
• Chatting with my climbing friends
• Make climbing pictures
• Write about climbing
• and....watch climbing movies

Like this one about Tim Emmet on Muy Caliente in Wales (E10 6c)

In the movie he didn't finish his line, but he recently climbed his route.

Tim about Muy Caliente:

“The section to the gear would warrant E9 in its own right, featuring F8a climbing in a very dangerous position.

The crux comes after the gear and is the equivalent of a V7 boulder problem. It bumps the whole route up to F8b.

It’s hard to say whether it’s E10 because I haven’t done one before! I have done Meshuga and Chicama (both E9) and been on Divided Years E8/9, Parthian Shot E9, Alchemine E9 and Rhapsody E11. Also ‘Ghost Train’ is F7a and has been E7 for years, now considered tough E6, – ‘Muy Caliente’ is F8b, with the same run out. I think E10 is a fair suggestion.”

(Thanks to Rogier van Rijn for the post about Tim on his blog)

New! Petzl gear

Yes, so cool to receive a big box full of gear!

Yesterday I went to Demmenie Sport in Amsterdam to pick up my birthday-sinterklaas-christmas-presents for the next 10 years.

I'm sponsored by my favourite climbing brand, Petzl. (Really, it is my favourite brand, even before I got sponsored I gathered as much I could from Petzl. Petzl Spirit draws, Hirundos harness, krabs, Meteor helmet were already in my collection.)

Whats new:

• Attache 3D krabs, extremely light krabs with renewed gate to ease opening and safe closing.
• Spirit draws, my favourite draws, they're the best with keylock clip system and just the clipping sound is so good that it's my ringtone on my phone.
• St. Anneau slings, nicely coloured new slings. (My old ones became very fluffy...)
• Nitro screamers (energy absorber), showed them to my parents and now they understand: climb safe, use screamers.
• Bug climbing backpack, handy little rucksack for fashionable climbs (and your rope, headlamp, draws, helmet, water and jacket)
• Koda chalkbag, my millipede got a baby!
• Power Crunch magnesium, I sweat a lot so I need a lot of chalk.
• Sarken crampons, technical duo-point crampons for the longer iceclimbs.
• Swivel to attach my axes when I'm training indoors or on glaciers.
• MC T-shirt, black Petzl logo t-shirt, I'm fixing it now to make it look girly ;)

Oh yeah, now I NEED to go out and use it :)

Elections 2010

Tomorrow, Wednesday, the Netherlands will vote for a new parliament.

It's an exciting 'competition'!

Will the conservative right-wing win, the anti-Islamic party, the Christian democrats (again...) or will it be my favourite this time D66 (liberal democratic)...

Op wie stem jij/op wie heb jij gestemd?

Ik stem op D66, ik ben zelfs lid van D66. Op de nummer twee van de lijst, Boris van der Ham.

Dat 'Anders, Ja', daar sta ik achter. Nederland is daar wel weer aan toe na jaren lang gerommel met partijen die het niet gelukt is om degelijk te regeren.

Ben je nog zwevend? Bekijk dan eens het D66 verkiezings-programma

Ow, en ik sta open voor discussie :)

Elderly-walk

These days in Holland we have an annual event called 'wandelvierdaagse'. Kids walk four evenings a little walk. On the end of the week they get a medal.

My grandmother is doing her special elderly-walk this week. Three days, one hour per day.

Me and my mum pushed her wheelchair.

Finally something good for the elderly in the elderly-home of Muiderberg :)

Though, I hope I'll never get into such an elderly-home...Imagine, working all your life, too old to walk and then, when you need something, theres nobody to help you. You get the wrong medicines, no coffee when you ask for it, and evening dinners which even I wouldn't want to eat on a cheap camping-trip...

New cams :)

Got a whole set of cams now. Finally!

Thanks to my friend Richard, I'm now the owner of a big vase with flowers ;)

(Not all on the picture are mine though, some are Dennis' cams)

I also made a funny chart with a size/weight comparison. I'll probably fill in more, when I have more cams.

Now, go out and climb!

Boreal

Yes!

I'm still sponsored by Boreal, it just all went so slow that I wasn't sure anymore if Boreal was still interested in what I do and what I climb.

But, it all changed again and I got new shoes!

First: the IceMaster, renewed and even lighter then the pervious version. They're slightly higher and the looks changed a bit. And, as all new good alpine shoes, they have a little strap to avoid getting snow in your shoes. Ready for the Summer and the Winter I guess :)

Second: the Arrow lila (lady), for running, walking and just casual walking. They're my favourite running shoes. The old ones are completely 'gone', as I wore them every day :)

Third: the Mutant, a bouldering shoe adjusted for lead climbing. Because of the strap, you can thighten the shoes pretty well. Only a little problem: I think they're too small...again, strange those sizes, I fitted exactly the same shoe about three weeks ago in that exact size and now they don't fit...did my feet grow that much??

Fourth: socks, yes Boreal has socks as well. And actually, they look just as good as your favourite socks of any other brand :)

Next week: full test results!

Anyway, I'm happy.

If you'd like to try those shoes as well, please contact me and check the Boreal website.