Korean Iceclimbing Worldcup 2011

Today some fun news, which will make me work for my climbing! Literary, because I'll have to get money for a very expensive ticket to...South-Korea!

On the website of the UIAA they announced the first ever Iceclimbing Worldcup in Asia.

The Korean Alpine Federation (weird signs alert) will organise the Worldcup in 2011.

(Picture: Hee Yong Park from the Republic of Korea in the Daone World cup Finals, January 2010)

Knitting

Went to Kandersteg and didn't climb.

But still had loads of fun :)

Knitted a hat for Erik and Dennis.

Bright yellow isn't ugly

Now, after the brilliant idea of having a vote on the new color of my cast, I failed completely.

There was only ugly dark-blue, no orange, only dark red and dark green (which would make me look like a Christmas tree), pink, but I already had pink. Purple, but I already had purple, black, but they said it wouldn't look good and then yellow.

So it was yellow, with the idea of making it a different color as fast as possible. Just make a nice pattern with some nice colors.

I'll need some help with that I think, any volunteers/ideas?

The pictures are taken by my nervous mum. She found it all a bit scary and even forgot how the camera works (just press the big button)

Left handed

With two weeks and a bit of a cast around my right arm, I get really good with my left hand.
Wiping my ass is not a big deal anymore.
But also writing and even drawing. Here my first left handed drawing...still looks like a children's drawing, but try it, if you dare.
It's a gift for my grandmother, she's got her 90th birthday today (what an age!)

The new cast...tomorrow

Tomorrow I'll get a new cast around my arm.
The one I have stinks like toes which haven't had a shower for weeks! I desperately try to clean my hands the whole day, but it's under the plaster, this smell.
So time for some new. But...what color?
You can help me choose.
Fill in the poll!

Video's

Editing is boring, sitting behind a computer for the whole day is boring too.
But, at least I can do something. I can already type with two hands again.
I can't wait to climb again! My body (and mind) is just not made for sitting all day.
Here the first versions of the video's. Not finished yet, way too long, have to change some texts and...add in music. But at least there's something to watch.
Enjoy and comment (please)
*why doesn't it want to embed?...ok, here just the link...*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfKSSgxRKCQ

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 :)

Broken arm part 2

Finally home...
I left Chamonix last Saturday for a 2hour taxi drive to the airport of Chambery.
There it was total chaos due to the snow fall, cancelled flights and stuff. But at the information desk they took me straight to some waiting room. Relaxed sitting with a cup of tea with the other cripled. Now checks for my luggage, no passport check...(Imagine what I could have smuggled with that broken arm!)
Of course we started talking: how did you brake your shoulder/hip/back/neck/arm/leg?
That was the fun part for me. Roeland and I already guessed: the blue piste (maybe they should close that blue piste down...so many accidents on blue ski pistes). They all (more then ten) had the same excuse and said "but I didn't even go very fast".
I decided not to tell them my story, I felt most were too stupid to understand anyway.
We flew to Antwerp (Belgium). Weird to sit between 16 cripled complaining that their leg/back/neck/shoulder hurts.
I really wanted to take pictures, but even my mobile phone had to be off, too bad!
In Antwerp I got a special ambulance (why?) to bring me all the way to Muiden, where my parents and brother live (15km. from Amsterdam).
The driver had as family name 'van Steen', almost the same as mine. So conversation started easily. And with such a long drive you can talk about a lot of things. I know all about his life as medic in Africa, that he's aldready 69 years and as old man he of course had to talk about my future and boyfriend issues. He gave me some good (old fashioned crap) advices.
My parents and brother were happy to see me, almost happy that I broke my arm, as I normally never get home.
This Monday I had to get to the hospital again. New X-Rays and a good look at my arm. In Thun (CH) they wanted to operate, put a plate in my arm and cut off some muscle. That sounded like my worst nightmare and the last days I kept on dreaming about that. Waking up, thinking I'd never be able to climb again.
So, I was quite nervous when I got there. But prepared. I had loads of time to surf the net for expiriences, advices and more about broken arms.
And again, then doctor said they were concidering operation. I started to doubt my (and his) knowlegde and asked if he could discuss the situation with his colleagues. Some more waiting, X-Rays and waiting later, he decided not to operate and give me some new plaster for 4 weeks, later the 4 weeks even changed to 3 weeks.
But he was very serious: no climbing, not even the first weeks after the plaster is removed.
He was a bit rude and told me this things happen in dangerous sports. It made me hate the medical system even more. Couldn't he express a bit of understanding?
When I asked for a checkup for my tendons, just to be sure it was only a broken bone, he refused.
After all medical failures/issues (almost 10 years of regular acute Appendicitis and an allergy for female hormone shit) I've had in the past, I'm still worried...
But at least no metal in my arms, only some hard pink plaster (read: plastic) around it for 3 more weeks.
The only metal I get on my arms will be an iceaxe! (Or machine gun like in Planet Terror)
Now I can finally start studing (when I get my books and laptop) and meanwhile I'll do some other things like learning Morse-code, how to edit movies, how cut an apple with your feet and learn to write and wank with left.

Broken arm

After Rabenstein Dennis had to go home so I had to get myself a new belaybitch.
Roeland [van Oss] called Dennis if he liked to climb in Kandersteg...so here I am in Kandersteg.
I went by train from Zürich to Kandersteg and stay in the scout centre. Nice place b.t.w.
Roeland and me decided to get to Kiental, not too difficult but long routes.
There was loads of ice, and nice calm weather.
We warmed up on some easy short routes, unnamed and unmarked.
And then we got onto the marked routes. It all looked a bit vague bolted but fine.
I wanted to get M8 onsight, so I went up first.
The bolts in the start were a bit weirdly placed, causing ropedrag and me having to place a screw.
The rock is quite loose, so I tried to place my axes secure every move. Avoiding to get pumped.
It went all easy, solid except of the time it took to find the right holds.
The big ice-curtains in the route were exciting and sometimes challenging thin.
The last bolt before the big ice at the top was strangely placed. I had to traverse some meters to the right to get straight under the big ice. The ice I stood on was thin and the crack I torqueing was small. I thought already, "don't pop", carefully moving over my axe.
And then the axe popped!
I screamed "nee", the rope got stuck on the ice left under me, hit the icecurtain, and smacked hard into the wall!
I felt a bit dizzy in my head and my hip, leg and my hand hurt! Roeland asked if I was o.k., I told him I needed a bit of time to recover.
The pain my my leg and hip went, my helmet didn't feel like it was broken, now waiting for my arm to recover. For a moment I thought, shit, now I have to climb up again, oh, I'll finish the route now and then get onto the route next route. This felt easy so M9 os should also be possible.
But the pain stayed, and stayed...So I asked Roeland to get me down.
We decided to get the draws back, Roeland went up on toprope. And took out all my precious draws.
Later we walked to the car because I decided it all hurt a lot and that I would need a little check-up...Probably sprained I thought...
We drove to the hospital in Thun, but...not before we got the car started!
Roeland accidentally forgot to switch off the lights. Damn! So we pushed, pushed an pushed till the thing started.
In the hospital it all went pretty easy. Loads of waiting of course, but that was fine.
They took pictures and it all looked suddenly a lot worse then I was hoping for... Broken.
I saw the photo's and it was all quite obvious...
The doctor discussed some things came back and said it had to be operated. He suggested to put a plate in my arm and it had to be set in place. Therefore they had to cut off half of a muscle. I almost got in tears. Cutting things is bad bad. So I asked for a specialist. Finally they decided to try to put all in place without any operation.
Hopefully it worked...
They had some weird things on my fingers which they called 'women catchers'. And a weight on my arm, trying to pull it all apart and move it a bit.
I didn't even get any pain killers. The pain was there, but I could deal with it :)
Masochist...
They put some synthetic plaster, purple, cut it open again for the swelling and taped some white over it. Some more pictures, which I all got on CD for back home and then I was set...
In less then 6 days I have to get a check-up again. Hopefully it will all be perfectly set and no operations needed!
Afterwards we got to the Mac, took in more then 1800 Calories (and icecream) and went back to the Scout Centre in Kandersteg...
In the night I got nightmares of never climbing again, getting really fat and injure my fingers...
I now just hope I can climb again in six weeks...or less? And then get ready for next year's mixed/ice/worldcup season! M10 has to wait for a while now... And that all for an easy M8 os attempt...
I'm now in Chamonix with Roeland. He lives here (lucky him!) and I arranged to get back to Holland this Saturday with the 'plaster flight', a special flight from the alps to get all people with severe skiing injuries back home...I'll feel so stupid between those oldies with broken hips!
I'll put some pictures later when I have a better connection...

Rabenstein

It's so hard sometimes to find an internet connection when you're on the road. Luckily I'm a bit of a nerd and learn how to hack things (ooooh!)
Thus. Rabenstein.
I was really motivated, what a wall! Full of ice, finally a real iceclimbing comp! I couldn't wait to get my axes in that ice.
Only six girls were competing, of which three really good ones. Three Russians, Angelika Rainer and an Italian girl. Four would get into the finals, so I was a bit nervous. Actually quite a bit...
So I climbed and went too slow, got pumped, couldn't get into proper figure-of-four's because I couldn't hold onto my axes anymore and...fell. It wasn't even a hard route!
Also the waiting in the isolation without the possibility to warm up didn't really help.
I was so disappointed! Also because I knew the girl who made it on fourth place was just a Russian speed-climber. Not a real iceclimber at all!
The next day I saw them climbing, I really had the feeling I belonged the too, in the finals. Even the speed in the evening didn't go too well. Though, it was such an impressive wall! 26m long!
I fell in the start, so had a bad time. But...to think positive: I became second...there were only two girls competing, in the mens category. (Oh, yes, no pictures from me...some camera-camera-man failure...)
Though, my good friend Dennis was impressive on the lead! He reached the finals and became 7th. With his length and drytooling experience he got really far. You can read his story on his website .
On speed he expected to do more. He made quite some mistakes, and could do better...next year?
For me definitely next year better. Training hard and loads? Gosh, wish it was my job to climb!

Mess

The van is a mess, even now that we're just with a two, after Corné left.
There are icescrews on the floor and draws in the bed.
We tried to hang up all the stuff but now we have to cook with iceaxes above the sink. Hopeless...

Saas Fee 3

After the comp we went for a little iceclimb. Easy but fun. Weird to climb with people I've never climbed with. It all was a bit messy, but I really loved swinging my axes in some ice again.
Dennis and me went right. Corné, Tim and Edwin went left. Two little lengths and we ended in the middle together again.
Afterwards we enjoyed pancakes at Menno's place in Grächen. We watched the women's finals online and went back to Saas Fee just before the men's finals started.
And then of course we had the crazy party with people bouldering in the roof, t-shirts getting ripped off and loads of beer.
We went to the area this midday again and the only smell we smelled was beer, no climbing atmosphere at all longer. Time to leave.
We'll head for Rabenstein soon.

Saas Fee 2

Day two in Saas Fee, luckily back in the camper van, with heating and electricity now. It's just comfy and cheap. And money is not really the thing growing on trees in winter-time...
So, woke up early again, this time the isolation even closed at 7:45 (Swiss time). I took some breakfast and then the waiting, warming-up and getting nervous started. This time I was nervous, much worse then in the qualifications.
I knew I could do something good if my head was ok and if I would feel ok. Maybe even finals.
I started as number 8. Some already climbed and I really needed some music and close my eyes to focus.
The Swiss speaker announced me in Dutch and I started solid in the ice of the route. I like to hack in the ice, maybe more then most of the women. Some climb with really light axes which just bounce back when you try to get them good in the ice. Toothpicks we call them. Most actually never climb real ice. And I'm wondering why...it's called iceclimbing-worldcup....
But then the boxes of ice started and the pump got more. I wasn't very focused and was nervous of being out of time. Maybe I climbed too fast, didn't take the time to get the pump out of my arms. And there I was, figure of four failed, I just couldn't hold on my axes anymore! Finally getting to the real iceclimbing moves and then I was pumped... I knew I was out, I felt, that when you can deal with the pump you can get much longer...
Hopefully not last in the semi-finals :)
Afterwards I checked the results and it turned I became 12th. Not bad for a second Worldcup!
It was live on the internet, even my parents could watch me climb. I hope they will keep doing that, also in the next comps.

Saas Fee 1

So...finally internet again at the appartment of the Americans and Canadian (they say "hi").
And we took a shower too...But I'm not sure if that works as all my clothes are smelly and dirty including the sheets I'm sleeping in.
It took a while to get here and when we arrived we couldn't get any electricity. So I had a free stay at the Americans (thanks).
On Friday we had the first competition day. And the meeting with all the climbers on Thursday, including pasta and the drawing of the starting numbers. Mine was 12.
I had to wake up around 6 on Friday as the isolation closed at 8 in the morning. I was the second climber, so really had to be early. Not the best start, to start on that time in the morning.
But with a bit of running, loads of figure-of-four's and pull ups, I thought I was ready for climbing.
So, my turn, nervous, more nervous then in Daone. So I decided to climb slowly to keep steady and not get pumped, shake a lot. I climbed, climbed and actually didn't find it too hard, but then I heard: 'one minute', which means I have one more minute to finish the route. And I stressed! Wobbly on the holds I suddenly popped off! I was disappointed and thought all girls would top out the route.
But after the 20 girls climbed it turned that I was 11th and thus in half-finals! I was so happy and surprised!
Later on the day we had the speed. Eight Russians, one Romanian and me. The girls don't want to join because it's easy to injure yourself with the meat-hooks you use for the climbing.
I went ok in my first run out of three, fell in the second, decided to go on safe but fast on the third run but fell again! So my first time counted, which wasn't such a good time. I wasn't very happy, and thought I could do better. With an 8th place I thought I should train this thing for next year.
Corne was injured and unlucky and Dennis got pumped (duh). Dennis landed in 29th place (?) and Corne in somewhere last place :(
Though, speed was really exciting! Dennis put up the third time in the qualifications and had a chance to get win! So all nervous and excited we watched and cheered. With some unlucky runs in the finals Dennis landed on 6th place, which is not bad. The ice was not so good, he was nervous and the others are also pretty good. Of course the Russians won, but, hopefully there will be a Dutchman 1st, 2nd or 3rd next time!
Tomorrow the half finals, waking up early again and do something good :)
Pictures by Corne Brouwer. The picture of the dude at the Red Bull table (drinking Red Bull-Jagermeister) is being stitched by his friend Mark after he cut himself with the speedclimbing qualifications. (Maybe speed climbing is a bit dangerous? Who's going to make us some cut-free gloves and trousers? Diederik? Dennis?)

The Italians 2

And there was Polenta. Loads of Polenta.
We were forced to eat it. Including the fat which was poured over it.
We all didn't like it, it was just too fat... Poor Italians, they'd been cooking for us since 4 in the midday.

The Italians

In Italy it all goes a bit different then in the rest of Europe.
If you're blond, young and have a good smile, you can get everything done for you. If you speak two words in Italian it's even better.
So I enjoyed my time there :)
Here some pictures of the competition besides the climbers...

Kandersteg

After a train-road-trip we arrived in Kandersteg, Swiss.
It is so great to be in between those beautiful big mountains. I get this thrill of wanting to climb them all and never leave this place!
There is so much to do here. Even if you're over 50 you can still have some fun with ski-walking (langlaufen) in this langlauf-resort of Kandersteg.
But we didn't get there for the langlaufing...
In Ueschinen the is a big cave with a ice curtain and loads of mixed routes!
With an hour walk we got there and I didn't believe my eyes: all routes filled with the world's best iceclimbers. Little puppets hanging in between massive icicles.
Corne took pictures of Dennis and me and hung around the Romenian girls.
My eyes fell out of their sockets by seeing this cool rock and ice, my arms almost fell off because of the pump en my hand broke off because of the cold. But wauw, that's so much fun!
I hung around in an M8- and almost climbed it!
The next day, today, Dennis and me went up again. We really wanted to climb and almost ran up into the valley of Ueschinen.
After some dubbing we decided to get onto a route called Pink Panther. (M9+)
I started and got over the ice, and some further, and then I was so pumped, cold and confused of what to do...I climbed on to the almost top just before the next curtain and went down.
Then Dennis' turn. He struggled, went longer and longer and then lost his axe!
So me again. Further and further...and then I fell, too pumped, nooo! Dennis then climed the route and was satisfied he could still do it. A good test.
I climbed the route third go. And I was so happy I climbed this cool, pumpy, various ice-rock line! Afterwards we tried something harder but had to leave the route. Time was up.
I'm going back there!
Dennis has some nice pictures of us on his Picasa album

Daone Comp 2010

Gosh, it has been some days since the last post here. I haven't had internet closeby and the internet is quite slow...
Daone was so much fun, partying with the Russians (crazy Vodka!), speedclimbing and leadclimbing which was so impressive and motivating.
The day started with the dudes doing their lead climbing. Corne did his best but didn't end up very high. Jurgen tried really hard to fix the undercling, but also fell off pretty early in the route.
Dennis had a different qualification route, and climbed easily through the first drytooling part and had a big struggle in the ice roof. He fell popping off with his feet and handing just on one axe, out of energy, power to get on. But out of all of us he did best!
Later came the speed for me. I failed (I found). I was slow, not used to the snowy crumbly ice and kept popping off with my feet. I didn't want to fall so climbed slow, resulting in a 9th place. No finals for me.
Later around three I got in the isolation for the semi-finals lead climbing. I warmed up well, talked a lot with the other girls and guys and felt pretty ok, not too nervous.
When I got in the isolation where you prepare your stuff, the light and heating went down. So it got quite cold and dark. Not the best seconds before a attempt. But I still felt fine.
I struggled in the route, not yet used to kicking my crampons in the wood and matching iceaxes on one hand and clipping. I got pretty pumped, not so much in my underarms, but more in my hands! When I started on the roof I was so pumped in my hands that I fell off, leaving my axes in the ice.
My mission was to reach at least the roof and get to the rest, but just before the good rest I fell off. Too bad, but not too bad :) I landed in 14th place, which wasn't even last place!
The good thing was, that I gained so much experience and motivation to train hard and loads for the next competition year!
In the evening we had the disaster climbing of the dudes in the speed.
Corne fell. So was out :( Then Jurgen had to climb. He was pretty promising when we trained in the Globe in Holland. So I was really hoping the best for him. But he hit his arm with his iceaxe (meat-hook) Had to quit, get to first aid and get some stitches in his arm. Damn...
The next day we amazed us about some Korean climber and of course Markus Bendler both dominating the field. And then we drove off to Kandersteg in Swiss.
We dropped off Jurgen at the airport, because with his arm he wouldn't be able to climb on.
It was painful to leave him there. We were just starting to form a team, and with a three it's always different then with a team of four.
Jurgen, we miss you here!

Daone Ceremony

Arrived in the Hotel with Corne and just attended the extremely patriotic Italian ceremony.
Bla, bla, bla in Italian, children in Italian colours, old men with Tiroler hats and feathers, fire brigade kids and adults and the local-forest-army-dudes playing some music and a procession through the little village of Daone.
I have some video's, but the connection here is so slow that I can't add anything :(
Tomorrow at 10:30 the speed climbing for the women starts, and the isolation for the men opens at 8. Pretty early...and later on the day I have the lead. Busy day...
I quite excited about it all. Loads of eastern European gilrs competing, 9 from Russia (is that allowed? *Checking the UIAA rules...*) and some other countries.
They first thought I was from Iceland. I wasn't actually allowed to compete (Iceland is not member of the UIAA, why why why...?) and they were worried becuase they couldn't find an Icelandic flag for the opening ceremony. Funny Italians... After showing my Dutch passport it was all ok again and they smiled again (instead of talking emotional Italian).
Now I'll go asleep early, to be fresh for tomorrows comp!

First real iceclimb in Europe mainland!

We arrived in Daone on Wednesday evening and slept next to the big competition wall. We stole some electricity and slept well, though, we felt our throats next day (cold?)
The next day we wanted to try our brand new Black Diamon Fusion axes on the backside of the snow-speed-wall, but then we heard there was real iceclimbing. So we left for a WI5 and climbed until dark 5 pitches and abseiled back in the dark. It was extremely cold but fun!