Monday, February 06, 2012

Champagny: worldcup climbing with -30 C





















After the 'real-ice-sessions' in Cogne it was time for the Worldcup again. This time it was Champagny-en-Vanoise. For the first time in 10 years a Worldcup on French soil/ice again.
We enjoyed the lovely -25C on the first day when we arrived and got warned that it would get worse/better in the next days with tempeartures dropping to -40 in the night and finally when I was happy to climb the semi-finals it was -30 C. Though, I could handle the temperatures quite well and enjoyed the climb: loads of ice, a real ICEclimbing competition and not just the drytooling as on the previous comps.
Again I was too slow, not pumped at all but a time-out made me land on a 12th place, just not good enough for the finals, again...
Dennis had quite a bit of bad luck (again) and made a mistake by skipping a hold, it just, just, just took him out of the semi's. He was so close!
We'd put in an appeal (long story) resulting in more confusing things which made me to skip the speedclimbing comp that evening.
Dennis did climb the speed later that evening. It was FREEZING cold and hard to put a good time. He finally became (un)lucky 13th. After the bunch of Russians (that are probably used to the cold...)
Yesterday we went skiing, for the first time on my own (brand new!) ski's :)
I did okay, I guess, but I'm wondering how all these people go down the piste so, fluent, souple and gracious. Still need some time to practice I guess.
Now up for some more iceclimbing, a visit to the Petzl factory (thanks to Erwan) and then fly to Romania...
(note for the pictures: yes the thermometer is working...)

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