Trad climbing meeting in Italy pt. 2

Caporal

We woke up just before 8. The alarm kept on ringing. We looked at each other and shook our head.

Mika, the Latvian guy sleeping in the same apartment (the opposite bed) slept...he just slept on...through his alarm.

We took our cutlery, plate and went down.

As Paul was a bit more injured then he said, he wanted to take a 'relax' day. So Markus and Paul swopped groups.

We were scheduled for the sector Caporal. A big wall with more then just a scent of Yosemite...

Lucy, Roberto, Markus and me would climb a 7c+ multipitch. We divided again in two groups. Markus and me, Roberto and Lucy. After the first to pitches of Crazy Horse as warm-up, we decided we'd go further in Crazy Horse whilst Lucy and Roberto went for the harder 7c+.

In the 7b I really started feeling my wrist again. Annoying...sometimes I'm just strong and can do any move whatever I want and sometimes it just hurts...

Markus and Roberto discussing what route to climb on the top of the 2nd pitch of Crazy Horse

So Markus went up and realised after almost pulling out a big piece of rock, that the aid-part really was just for aiding. After me seconding the route we both concluded that this was even harder then 9a... I went up, and down again in the next pitch and got nicely demotivated by all the bird-shit in that pitch...So, we decided to get into something else. Diedro Nachos maybe?

Impressive, impressive, interesting, scary (when I didn't have a no.6, was clipped in on some rusty piton and later when my no. 4 got overcammed and I still had quite some meters to go...)

Me in the scary 6b layback at the top of Diedro Nachos

What an adventure. But, we were way too late. We guessed it was already around 7 and had to abseil and walk back. But then, when we were half way down the path Mauro walked up. He was a bit worried and drove all the way to pick us up. Too kind!

Caporal again, on Wednesday

As the groups were still similar. We decided to climb together today. Dennis and me swopped groups and later Roberto and Markus joined as groups of 5 sound unhandy.

We'd try to climb the first free repeat of Tempi Duri/Strapiombi delle Visioni (6c+, 6a, 7a, 7a, 7b).

Markus in the first pitch of Tempi Duri

Roberto and I went up together and before us Markus and Dennis climbed up. As we were with four it went all pretty slow... In the second pitch (the first chimney I ever climbed) I was a bit in a hurry and forgot to lengthen my placements. Resulting in way too much ropedrag. So I made a belay in the middle :( Ashamed of my unhandy action I had Roberto climbing up after me and finishing chimney.

Roberto leading the 7a in Tempi Duri

Dennis was calling if I had a no. 6 and 5 with me. Apparently they were needed in the next pitch. When I was up I gave them to Dennis and understood why they were needed: a big crack with quite some loose crumbly rock.

Markus went first, I was last.

Then another tricky pitch with a bit of slab.

And then, the last pitch. A difficult to protect 7b...

Markus was a bit demotivated: we were slow, he didn't climb too much and just, well, just didn't had 'his day'. So Dennis and Markus went back. Roberto and me went for the last pitch.

And actually, when I was relieved Roberto didn't fall off (and would have ripped out all the old pitons) I seconded the route. It was easier then I thought. Oh, if this is 7b, then I can climb much more on trad!

Today we were back in time and had an amazing dinner again.

In the night we had a slideshow from Rolando Larcher of an area that really inspired me: Patagonia!

Announcement of the Pata slideshow

It was amazing, impressive, to see the three climbers in ‘an ocean of granite’ as Mauro poetically said. With my mouth open, holding in my breath, not even blinking with my eyes, I watched the movie. For me it looked like love, and I didn’t have goosebumps, but little butterflies in my stomach by the view and the imagination of me doing this kind of climbing as well!

More Pictures on my Picasa

Patagonia presentation

Trad climbing meeting in Italy pt. 1

On the way to the airport

Update

Normally I try to write something every week, at least, that is when things are going on.

But I had no internet at all last week. So, I have to write quite a bit now, I guess.

Why?

Because I went climbing :)

Not just climbing, I went to Italy, the tradclimbing meeting in Valle dell'Orco.

I'm not a very experienced trad climber, actually I'm just starting, I find. So this was a good opportunity to see what's actually possible.

I was hoping to find new techniques, new areas and new friends. And that's exactly what happened!

Eindhoven - Ceresole Reale

On Sunday 19th I left for Italy. Quite stressed and worried. We had a bit of overweight and we were flying with Ryanair so we were only allowed to take 15kgs. Just a rope and one set of cams+wires is enough for 15kg. We stuffed the tiny bit of clothing we had in our day-pack and went to the airport.

In the flight I was sitting in between father and daughter. They were going to a big shoe-fair. To see the shoes for the new year. I love shoes, but it always turns out that I wear my climbing shoes or running shoes :)

When we arrived Angelo was waiting for us with a paper "Tradclimbing Meeting Valle dell'Ocro". He excused himself for his English, we stuffed our bags in his Ford and drove to Ceresole Reale. Which is a 3hour drive!

There we were welcomed by all kinds of Italians. They looked all the same: pretty or old and all had black hair. The only name I remembered was Mauro, the one of the e-mail contact.

We got a big bag with a backpack, some Ferrino advertisement stuff, and the brand new topo of the area.

And then, it was time for dinner. Real Italian dinner with lasagna, meat, and of course wine.

The group enjoying dinner

Climbing at Sergent

At around 8 'o clock we arrived in de 'salle' of the appartment-building. We slept quite weird as our blanket had some strange creatures inside and they were really itchy. (Even through my sheets).

We were separated in different groups. I was supposed to climb the route Canabis in the sector Sergent together with Paul Sass from Germany, Lucy Creamer from the UK and Roberto Vigiani our local guide/host. Roberto would arrive a little later so we started in some warm-ups and got ready for Canabis (7b, 6b+, 7a).

Paul Sass in Canabis

Paul went up first and had quite a hard time in the first section. A tiny crack with some pitons. What a thing! It looked hard...

He tried, tried, went for a hold just above a piton and fell, the piton ripped out and he made a hard smack upside down!

That worried me...

Paul was ok, he was even ok enough to belay Lucy on Canabis again.

So, when Roberto arrived we split up in two teams. We first went up a 6a trad, bolted line and then decided to get on Canabis as well.

Roberto basically flew through the first pitch after I bailed out because I found it taking too much time...

The second pitch I was a typical flying Dutchman when I slipped in the 6b+ traverse. Luckily the piton held. Roberto was 'sleeping' a bit, resulting in me 'flying' down :)

The third pitch was a 7a crack. A bit nervous, as I'd never climbed a proper 7a crack before. I didn't climb it in once...and had not enough time to try the whole thing again. Reason one to get back here :)

More pictures on my Picasa

Roberto Vigiani in Canabis, Zoe Hart belaying

Me in Canabis

back in Holland

Just back from the tradclimbing meeting in Valle dell'Orco (Italy).

Soon more about the adventure :)

Picture: me & Markus from Germany on top of the cliff after climbing Diedro Nanchez.

Trad climbing meeting in Italy

Packing...and it's limited to one set of cams some nuts, maybe pegs a rope and a sweater. As Ryanair doesn't allow us to take our regular gear due to weight restrictions (annoying!)

Tomorrow we (Dennis & me) will travel to Italy for the International Tradclimbing meeting.

Sweet!

New Nomics

Earlier today I posted something about some Pr0n.

But, my real babies arrived today @ Demmenie from Alpitec/Petzl.

With my babies I mean my new Nomics (for the rookies: ice axes)

And gosh I'm happy with them! They're beautiful, precise, strong and...renewed.

These are finally more alpine style. Good for dry, mixed, ice and alpine lines. With such versatile axes, you can just have one pair, instead of 1. 2. 3. 4.... Which basically means: climbing gets cheaper :)

You can change the pick for dry/mixed or ice lines, put a hammer or adze on the top and for the oldies: they still have the attachment point for your leashes. That just sounds like adding lingerie and jewellery to a beautiful girl: makes it just perfect.

As I'm working in Rock Steady now, I had the chance the test my axes in real...

wood. See pics: I was hopping and running around everywhere looking for the perfect placements. And I even got myself a whole wall! I can use the wall as I want, slam the axes in, use crampons, and I don't need a belayer, as it's just a long boulder (see 1st pic) :) (Thanks Robbert!) and Rock Steady even had a wood wall. What more do you need as iceclimber in a flat country?!

New cam

Went to Demmenie Amsterdam (=shop) and bought myself a new toy.

It's like going to the sex-shop (or something) because this toy is real Pr0n!

Winter training!

Yes, Summer is changing into Autumn, so time go get started with my axes again.

Yesterday evening we (Dennis and me) had our first real drytool session. So much fun!

I got a mission for this Winter. Part of the mission are the competitions in Korea, Italy, Switzerland and more... So, time to get started :)

Work is boring...but good for loads of climbing!

Sometimes work is boring, stupid and you hardly get paid for all your effort...But, with this tiny bit of extra money I can climb more :)

I was sanding dolls, preparing them for a paint job. I hope to make promotion soon... ;) But they're right: work less, climb more!

*** Uhhh, Hans Boodt doesn't want me to publish anything from their company, so I was forced to remove the video...***

Goodbye Chloé...

Last Sunday I was climbing in Ettringen.

I had loads of fun, climbed my first 5.12a trad onsight and felt just good.

But, then I got a phonecall...bad news, sad news...

Chloé Graftiaux died last Saturday.

Chloé was one of the most versatile climbers, one of the best even.

She became third on the Worldcup Boulder, won iceclimbing competitions, climbed 8b+, climbed the most difficult things in the Alps, Yosimite and more...

Chloé was descending from the l'Aiguille noire de Peuterey (Mont Blanc massif) when she got dragged by a falling rock. She fell 600m.

So sad...

She was a very inspiring young girl, friendly, fun, enthusiastic, super strong and a bit crazy sometimes (like on the Saas Fee iceclimbing afterparty).

(Pictures: website Chloé and Hans van der Steen)

The last week

Loads of things going on now back in Holland.

Probably a new place to live, a new job, new thoughts and climbing ambitions.

This weekend I'll be trying to climb the cracks in Ettringen together with Kris, Roland and Jelle. Sweet!

I made some time this week to make the last clip of our Summer trip and surf the internet for some new stuff....:

New video's.

Before we started our holiday we went to "Nordwand" a movie about one of the first attempts on the Eiger northface. We watched the movie in an empty cinema due to the football match. We beoth don't like football so it was perfect timing.

An impressive movie of how two climbers live their dream and risk their lives in a time of war. The Second World War.

We both had a teardrop in our eyes in the end of the movie, just because it's so hard, beautiful, painful to watch.

You really should see Nordwand I think.

Now, theres another movie: Metanoia. Again about the Eiger. Again the northface. Different times, same passion. It's more a kind of documentary about the life of Jeff Lowe and how he came to climbing his extremely hard line on the Eiger. See the trailer of the movie here.

Hmmm, imagine being strong enough to climb that line...

But those famous climbers are not the only ones trying to get up to the summits.

Sometimes life isn't as easy as it all looks. Sometimes life tries to take away everything you have and you have to fight to get it back. Then, when you have it all back again (sort of) it's the most beautiful thing to do: climb. That is kind of what Ágúst is doing: "Going up, despite limitations" is what is website says. And that's basically what he's been doing with his life and with his climbing this Summer. Curious? Read about his adventures on his blog here.

Back in Holland

It's been more then a month since I was last in Holland. My home-country still feels like a holiday country: good reason to visit friends and family, but not a place to live for now.

It's been raining a lot in the Alps. It's actually raining now...

Meaning we had to bail out of our last two routes: Motorhead and Salbit SW-grat. (Both in Swiss)

For me it meant: time to go back home and time to start working. Wait for some good weather the in next months.

Motorhead, in the sector Eldorado, slab, corners on good, good granite. (Trad, of course) but as the crack turned into a slippery waterfall in the rain, we bailed out of the third pitch.

We bivouacked under some rock the right before and were quite disappointed as we'd put quite some energy in getting there. So, as the forecast was better for the next days we went for our second project: Salbit.

Some days before we decided to drive to Chamonix as the weather was bad, bad, bad. We met Roeland and he gave us the advice for the Salbit and Motorhead.

It was so good to meet Roeland. He's such an motivating factor for my climbing and my dedication to climbing. He understands what I want with my life (climbing) and is not like a parent, worried- or workaholic-friend, he just sees what I want and motivates me to live my life as I want it: full of climbing. (Thanks Roeland)

Salbit, I said. We walked up last Sunday to the Salbithütte and then the Salbit bivouac. Because of the new (2009) bridge and the bivouac-hut it was a long but good walk.

We didn't knew there was such a good bivouac hut, providing not only shelter but also a bed, sleepingbags, maps and more for at least 8 climbers just under the start of the routes.

Although it was so warm in the hut, that is was better to sleep outside on my Therm-a-Rest then on the banana-shaped-mattress in my -20ºC down sleepingbag.

We woke up at 4:30h to be in time before the next bad-weather-front would come in that midday.

Quite hard to climb the first pitches in darkness (no moon, just clouds and our Tikka headlamp) but we survived and climbed on in the morning light. The wall was full of lost gear, so Dennis sometimes had to stop to hammer out a nut. I don't have a collection of nuts (enough cams though) but after this holiday I can use my own rack...

I was trying to be faster then average. This holiday I figured I'm such a slow climber and walker. Especially compared to Dennis, and he says he's slow compared to some of his friends...

And for this line we needed some fast climbing. The guys who were in the wall yesterday only climbed the first wall when we arrived, meaning they still had about 20 pitches to go out of 30 in the afternoon...Logically they didn't make it and abseiled out.

Roeland warned us, that it would take more then 18 hours for some climbers.

We were just over half-way and had the longest pitches behind us. But it was already midday. Bad weather would come in soon we guessed, having clouds and wind around the mountain and dark-grey skies in the background. And then we still had to climb around 10-15 pitches at least, abseil down and walk back to the van. We decided now, that it was still possible to abseil down, we should do that. With a very double feeling in our stomach we went down leaving the top of the route far behind us in the clouds.

We knew it was our last route of the Summer. After a month full of beautiful climbing, this was quite a bummer. We both wanted to finish with something beautiful.

When I look back, I'm very critical and serious and see more clearly what I can do and what it is to climb trad multipitch like I did this Summer.

Dennis is an experienced climber, a better climber in trad and alpine. I'm just a sportsclimber, a boulderer accidentally "falling up" to the tops of mountain trad lines. Without Dennis guidance I guess I wouldn't have climbed the things we climbed. Though, I became more fluent, faster, better and more confident the more I climbed. On the end of the trip I had the feeling I was just getting started. Up for more, up for more serious things.

Now back in Holland I know I have to work on some things: ice/mixed climbing, stamina and fluency. I have to become faster. faster in walking, climbing, iceclimbing. So I've been running, cycling, finessing and climbing.

Though, climbing is a bit a difficult point. I need somebody to climb with. I'm fed up by going to the gym every time again and figuring that I can just only go bouldering. I need a bitch, a belaybitch. (So, if you need a belaybitch as well, please mail or call me).

Meanwhile I'm writing again and arranging all the things to have a place to live and work.

Which is actually quite hard, hard to find a cheap room or apartment, hard to find a place to work. I'm trying to find something close to Rotterdam/Barendrecht/Dordrecht/Zwijndrecht...

Suggestions and help is welcome!

Summer trip pt3.

Chamonix got one place which is always good. Not healty, but handy: MacDonalds. With free internet :) Time to post something new on my blog.

Loads has happened since my last post. The best thing was my one-midday-visit to Céüse and climbing Pic de Bure: TD+ 6a+ max (and A0) 29 pitches 600m.

We were so much into trad and multipitch mode that we decided to do a nice line on a nice wall. Not knowing that the thing was so impressive: until the last pitch you just didn't see the top of the wall and you had just a big, big, big wall beneath you. Abseiling was almost impossible (as the topo wrote, and as we figured on the way up...) so just one option: up! After 10 pitches we got quite lost and weren't sure any longer if we were on pitch 11, 12, 13, 14...or wherever on the wall...

And that's what we did in 25hrs and 30 minutes (including one bivouac on the 7th? pitch)

We were so happy we made it all the way!

Later we had a good pizza birthday party and drove to La Bérarde to get to the Dibona.

We had been lucky with the weather all the time, but now: rain, thunder and even wet snow... We had to wait for 2days before we could walk up and climb. We climbed one line (took out 3 cams, one nut and a ATC Guide) and rain again... :( So we decided to walk down again and drive to Chamonix for our last Summer days...

Dennis has to be back in Holland on the 12th/13th so hopefully some good last days here in Cham!

Ailefroide pt. 2

And another day with internet :)

It's hard to get a good connection to upload photo's and videos...

But now in Gap (yes, close to Céüse) I'm having a good connection :)

We left Ailefroide because the weather predicted some cold days with maybe some rain. So Bérarde and Céüse are my next desinations.

We'd been climbing some really nice things and trained with our big backpack for our "dream climb"

on the Trois Dents du Pevloux. Not sure if we'll make it though :)

Trad climbing in Ailefroide is harden then we thought. Most lines which are listed as trad in the topo are actually

fully bolted. Frustrating, getting prepared, being enthusiastic for a new line... get to the route and realise

we actually don't need all our cams and nuts...Even more when you climb and see it's just not necessary to bolt

the line, prefect placements all the way... Though, with a heavy backpack on trad 6a, I can still get quite scared...

The pictures: Tout a Blocs bouldering competition and trad-climbing training with a backpack :)

Ailefroide pt. 1

Finally, some internet to write about my adventures.

I'm eating McFlurry and enjoy the free internet of the MacDonalds in Brinacon.

Just went shopping. We have a rest day to spend some money on climbing stuff.

I have a new backpack, really small and still big (45L Grivel)

I really needed one, after my tour this last days. My 30L backback can't hold a tent, all trad gear, axe, food, sleeping bag and more...

I made a little movie of the first days on the road to Ailefroide, more video's soon :)

After the adventures in the video we climbed some more stuff close to the Glacier Blanc, attempted to open a new trad line and failed (as we found some really ancient gear all the way) did some bouldering, and we've been reading the guidebooks like a bible. Figured we want to do a really long line on the Pelvoux, 20 pitches, 2 bivouacs, 2 glacier to cross more then 6 6a's and all trad of course :)

Can't wait!

Just a day or two to go...and then...I'll be on the road. Heading for the Alps to climb! Finally climbing on real rock!

I've been sitting at home, not knowing what to do here any longer. Loads of things to do though, but just can't concentrate any longer :)

Climbing research

On the site Pimpin and Crimpin I found this brilliant research.

...I guess, think and worry...cause it's so true :)

Pink Moon Run 2010

Haha! Surprises are fun!

Yesterday evening I joined the 'Pink Moon Run' in Muiden.

Thanks to: Hans, Alie, Diederik, Dennis, Gertrude en Johan, Erik, ...

I was able to get even €60,- together! I ran for breast cancer together with more then 150

other runners and walkers.

The run was nice: after one kilometre I was all alone, with three male runners in front of me and all female runners far behind. I had no music because my iPod doesn't work. So I was listening to the silence and my own running pace. On the second part over the dike I saw the sunset. A huge orange bowl going down behind the dike.

It all did make me think of breast cancer. One on eight females gets breast cancer. And thats a high number... I know two people myself, who luckily survived the cancer. But I heard many stories of young people dying on breast cancer... One grabbed me, my dad told me about a teacher who got the w

rong cancer medicines for years and died in her struggle to survive. That is hard, painful.

I hope, with the run, to help people fight against cancer!

I didn't run to win, I just ran to enjoy and do something good. But afterwards, when I finished, I heard they had prices for the first place in the 5 and 8 kilometre run! With my 48 minutes I landed in first place! Just two minutes behind the fastest male.

Not bad for a climber :)

Before we ran we had a speech form the Major of Muiden and a warm-up.

Ilse, the one who did the warm-up was a bit weird though. Stretching when being completely cold and she made, after many other remarks about my body and fitness, this funny remark: you've got a nice ass (lekker kontje) my dad was standing next to me and found it almost necessary to protect me for the lesbian sounding insult ;)

The big winner in the end was the fund 'A Sister's hope'. All runners and walkers together raised over €12.000 for the fund! Over €4000 more compared to last years Run&Walk!

Pictures: Hans van der Steen

Running for breast cancer

The temperatures here in Holland are raising sky-high: over 30˚C. And somehow I like to run: bad combination. So, most of the times I take a swim after running.

This evening I'll join a special run, a run against Breast Cancer: Pink Moon Run. 'A Sister's Hope' organises every year a run starting and ending at the Muiderslot Castle in Muiden (where my parents live). The run I'll join is 8km long and is actually just my normal running round to Muiderberg and back.

I join the run, because I've got tits and I love to keep them :) And it would be good if we can help all these women (and men) who get Breast Cancer!

Worldwide, breast cancer comprises 10.4% of all cancer incidence among women, making it the second most common type of non-skin cancer (after lung cancer) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. In 2004, breast cancer caused 519,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths). Breast cancer is about 100 times more common in women than in men, although males tend to have poorer outcomes due to delays in diagnosis.

I'm a bit late wit announcing the event...Late, because I need to raise money for the breast cancer fund. The minimum amount for joining the run is €50,- (which is a lot of money for me!)

Please e-mail or call me to put in some money TODAY :)

der.steen@gmail.com

My home/van

On Sunday I made all kinds of plans of how to improve the interior of my van. Making more shelfs, decorating the seats, putting a top window in the roof, painting the roof... I had the feeling I could make it a real home now. Ready for the Summer in the Alps!

On Monday I brought my van to the garage because it made a bit a weird sound.

That midday I heard it would cost me €900 just to get a new axle, not to mention all the costs to get the car through the next MOT in September.

All together to get it through MOT it would cost me around €3000. As much as a whole new van. The mechanic showed me the axle, shock absorbers, the rust, the oil leaking out and all other things. I was surprised that the thing was still driving at all.

Fuck! €3000 is way too much for me. I really can’t afford fixing the van. €3000 is enough for half a year of full-time climbing, a plane ticket to South Korea and all additional Iceclimbing competitions, €3000 is a lot of money.

Even if I’d do most of the things myself, like fixing the rusty parts, get parts from some scrapheap...It’d still cost me more then €2000 and a lot of time. And time is something I don’t have these days...sort of. It’s actually a matter of priorities: if I want to climb something in the Alps I have to go there now, and not next month. So, I need a working car now...

Hopefully Dennis’ van will do the job!

So, if you know a good car mechanic who can weld some new plates on my car, get an extra long Ford Transit axle and knows how to deal with oil leaking out on some places...

I’m thinking of selling the car in parts. The engine is pretty good with just 120.000k on the counter and the rest just works fine as well.

Any ideas of what to do now??? (Please mail me:)

Next week we planned to go to the Alps. Take Dennis’ van and climb, on real rock. Join the Tout a Bloc competition, try to climb Far West (8a) and get into real multipitch climbing! Dennis wants to climb on Dibona (just Google it) and I, eh, well, I want to climb all routes, just as much as possible, as long as it’s trad and difficult ;)

The pictures are taken on the Worldcup in Eindhoven. Was this the last trip of my good van and home...?

Worldcup Boulder Eindhoven

Sometimes I’m not so motivated to write anything on my blog.

When things don’t go the way I want them to go.

But yesterday somebody gave me the insight, that people like to read ‘bad news’ they love to see ones emotions and sorrows. So, as my blog is here to share my life, I should write about the World Cup and my car.

Last weekend I joined the World Cup Boulder in Eindhoven (Holland). I’d been training for weeks. Not months because months ago I was still covered in plaster: I had a broken wrist.

So recovering and training for the competition in once. Not the best combination, but it went quite well. I was (and still am) making such fast progress. From climbing just 6a routes on toprope in April to onsighting 6c boulder and flashing 7a boulders in June.

Though I feel my wrist when I climb. Not a lot, not that it really hurts, but I feel it. Just like I’m not strong enough on my wrist or get tired fast on my right hand and then in stings a bit. Very annoying...

So, finally there on the worldcup. I guess I was strong enough in my fingers and not too nervous. I met some friends who also joined the Iceclimbing competitions and was already less nervous.

On Friday in the isolation I was already getting a bit insecure. Gosh, I thought, those girls are light and skinny. Gosh, they’re doing hard stuff as warm-up. Gosh, what if I get nervous? Oh, shit, I think I am nervous...

Then around 11 it was finally my turn.

The first problem was ok, as I reached the zone in my first go. And then I though, oh, well if this is the level I can expect for the rest of the boulders, I’d be fine and maybe even top out some. So to save some energy and stay relaxed, I quit and waited for the next boulder.

This second boulder wasn’t as easy. It was weird, balancy, girly. Definately not my style. As I couldn’t reach the Zone, I got a bit more nervous and my concentration level dropped.

After quite some tries I decided to stop and maybe go for the next boulder.

Number three was a dyno, at least, I guess it was a dyno. I wanted to use the sides, skip the dyno, but my confidence dropped to minus temperatures. Dynoing is not my thing and so try after try...I just couldn’t fix the holds. The speaker started talking about me and I didn’t agree to what he said. More listening to the audience, the people watching me and all the noise then getting focussed on my job: sicking the boulder.

Time was up, next boulder, number four.

Completely out of focus, loosing all my strength and confidence I couldn’t even get to the first hold after the starting holds! And I knew this kind of boulders is my thing. Bit tricky, toehook, bit dynamic, positive holes in an overhaninging wall. And I guessed I had to heelhook. I love doing heelhooks. But, I couldn’t even get to the hols after the starting holds! A ridge like a crack in a green hold. So annoying! I got angry, not understanding why I couldn’t just grab the thing. It wasn’t even a long move! I tried and tried and lost all my confidence and strength in my climbing...

The last problem to stick and just f

ive minutes. I knew I was too bad to ever reach the semifinals and was disappointed in myself.

Boulder number five. Funny start, easy to reach for the zone and weird to get on after it. Rock over my leg and get the crimper. But my energy, confidence, concent

ration and mood were too low to even climb anything. I knew it wasn’t such a hard thing to climb, but I just couldn’t make it to the top. What a bummer!

And there I stood, climbing like a bad of potatoes and was ashamed. Ashamed of myself, was I really that bad of a climber? Was I on my place between these climbers? Why do I never do well on comps?

To make it even worse I watched the screen and noticed I landed in last place. Great.

On such a moment I’d rather quit climbing, hide for all people who want to ask me how I did on the comp and just become window-washer, hairdresser or supermarket employee and do some easy sports like fitness or soccer.

The next day I watched the semi finals and the finals.

So good to see those men (and women) climbing. Rachel, another Dutch climber did really good. I made a lot of videos of the climbers, maybe I can learn something of it. Placed them all on YouTube. (Click the link).

Photo's: Hans van der Steen