WC Moscow

On Thursday I went with the Austrian Team (SIS Babsy, Anna, Katha, Killi and Coach Heiko) to the Boulder Worldcup in Moscow. On Friday we had the qualification round. I climbed all five problems in 8 tries and finished 12th on the day. The rest of our team climbed also well and we all made it through to the semi. On Saturday morning the semi-final took place. Unfortunatly the girls problems were to easy and to get through to the final all 4 problems had to be flashed. I climbed all 4 blocs in 5 goes and finished 8th. Katha was the only girl from our team to get through to the final and won it. Kili also made it into the final and finished 2 and won the overall Worldcup. Anna come 7th on the day and won the overall Worldcup too. Babsy finished 13th and was pleased about doing all the blocs in unbelieveable 11 tries. Following these good results the rest of the saturday was used for teammatters (party, party) ......

Qualified Climbing Instruktor...

The last few days I had the end exams from the Climbing Instructor Course. It was a marathon of exams but I passed them all and can call me now a "Qualified Climbing Instructor". Congratulations also goes to my friends from the course that made the time of learining and sitting around on beautiful weekend days bareable especially thanks goes to Fabi, Ivan, Leo and Ursu.

Fontainebleau

After the European Chanmpionship Babsy, Heiko, Anna, Jakob, Kili, Jorg, Stew and I went climbing to Fontainebleau. That was my first time in Font and I had the best time ever. Everyday we went to a different areas and just climbed all the problems that looked good to us. A game of football was also not missing on the big, sandy playgounds (that felt harder than climbing!). We had so much fun all the time and I enjoyed every second of the trip. Unfortunatly Stew and I had to leave on Thursday morning, a few days earlier than the rest, because I had to be back in Innsbruck to take the final exams of the climbing instructor course.

PARIS

On Tuesday we finally set off for our trip to Paris. On Wednesday it was time for the qualification rounds of male and female bouldering. Tue do the high number of competitors the groups were split into two. All the girls from the austrian team were in the same group ecept my sister Babsy, she had to start in the other group. The problems felt quite basic and I climbed all blocs (5) in 6 tries and finished 2nd in my group. For the girls the semi-final continued on Saturday therefore we had a two days rest, what I used for sight-seeing around Paris. I felt less nervous for the semis and was psyched to do well, but somehow I not seemed to get into the usuall fighting mode. I just managed to top one problem and fall of two other problems on the last move. The probelms were not mega hard but I just could not give everything on them. I finished 19 th and was dissapointed but on the other hand I also felt pleased to know that this was not my best effort and I could to better.

11 days in England

From the 18 th to the 29 th of September Stew and I went back to England to do some training for the European Championship. Saturday we went to the British Team Training. It felt strange to be put back into a Comp situatuion, but on the other side it was very useful. On Sunday we decided to have a easy cimbing day and we went to Stanage Trad climbing-the first time ever in my life. I totally enjoyed it and I was less scared than I expected.Monday we went to Manchester wall and did a competition based training, were we tried to flash as many prblems as possible. Tuesday was a rest day with a light run. On Wednesday we went route climbing to Rubicon. I tried lots of different hard routes and come really close to an 8a but my tips gone really bad and I had to leave the decent. On Thursday we went for an other competition training to the Climbing works in Sheffield where we met lots of friends and had a massive session. Friday was another rest day with a relaxing Yoga session. Than on Satuday I was ready for an other training day but this time without Stew because he had a cold. I went to Stockport climbing wall a ferly new place in Manchester where i upsolved another competition training. Sunday was a beautiful day and we went route climbing to cheedale. I warmed up on some classics and then got stuck on a 8a that which felt very powerful on tiny crimps and small foothold. On my 4 th try I was so close, climbed already the hard sequences but then messed up the last harder move.

I really enjoyed the trip and it felt nice to switch off from working life back home. i especially liked the compination of having a indoor training session followed by an outdoor climbing day. I think i feel ready for Paris now.

Dynamischer Exorxist 8a+

Today I climbed "Dynamischer Exorcist 8a+" in Astlehn (Oetztal). It felt quite hard for me to do it because their is no flow in the route. There are always hard sequences, where a lot of body tension and control is needed, separated by semi good rests. The first bit is quite pumpy than comes a goodish rest followed by a boulder problem and to finish it off it goes into technical-vertical climbing on the end and that all on 18 meter. I was pleased that i climbed it after just a few goes.

Zillertal

On the weekend Stew and I were in Zillertal- finally getting on some boulders again. First stop was Magic places. Conditions were quite bad (way too hot) so we were just warming up on some easy blocs. I climbed Big Spender 7b and then we moved on to an area called Weer. There the boulders were hard with a high quality rock. I managed to climb a boulder called Dr. Green Dump 7c (very technical) and a 7b. On the second day we went to Zillergrund. Conditions were even worse than on Saturday and I just climbed a few easier problems and did not climb anything hard but on the end of the day the skin was still trashed.

Last week....

This week was quite a good week. On wed. I climbed “Nix fuer schwache 7c” in Noesslach und on Saturday we went to Piburg and I climbed “Nostalgie 8a” 2nd go. I was well pleased because this route is very pumpy. After I tried “Klettersteig 7c+” but that was defiantly too pumpy after Nostalgie. On Sunday Stew and I had an easy start and climbed good warm up routes in Noesslach. After that we went to Astlehn and I had a few goes on “Dynamischer Exorcist 8a+” but that was not my day. I had troubles to concentrate and finally just had one useful try… but not long and I will climb it.

Oetztal Climbing Team in Arco

Last weekend the Oetztal climbing team (Babsy, Heiko, Lu, Elli, Tai, Stew and I) went to Arco. It was warm but not boiling. On Friday after work (my last working day in the Aqua Dome) we drove down and climbed a few easy routes in Massone. On Saturday after a nice breakfast in Arco and a bit of shopping we went to Massone. It was an awesome day I did some good warm ups and then spent a few goes on Red Rocks 8a but I did not climb it this day. Next morning we went to a new crag in Arco. We had no topo and just went on the things that looked good to us. I was so often pumped and on the end of the day I was felt really tired on my forearms.

Last weeks update

Time is going fast and my last update is already some time ago. In the last few weeks I was climbing lots and was already able to onsight a 7c in Nassereith called “Venus”. I also found a new project to try in Niederthai, it’s a ~20m long, power endurance, 8b on a steep wall with round holds and a few bouldery moves. On the weekend we planned a trip to Zillertal, hopefully the weather is not letting us down….

Hello Paris.....

I am well pleased to report that this week I have been selected to compete in the European Bouldering Championships in Paris mid October this year. I was unable to climb properly in this years comps due to sustaining a finger injury early in the season. However, the sad days are over and my drive to get back to my original fitness is very high.

Let´s ROCK....again

My last update was already some time ago. However, after the Austrian Championship in Innsbruck my finger was hurting so badly that I decided to rested for 4 weeks (I banned myself from climbing--hard work). I started to climb very easy mid June and went on the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of June to Magic Woods to potter a bit around and just to have fun. Now I am climbing nearly a month again and my finger is recovering well. Hopefully I am soon able to start training again and to report about some good ascents because I have enough projects waiting for me….

BWC Hall

The first World Cup this year was on Friday in Hall. I was really exited to meet all the climbers again, to see all the problems and just taking part again. This year the number of competitors was the biggest ever around 50 females and over 80 males! I was a bit unlucky with my starting number because I had to climb 2nd to last. The qualification problems were not too hard but sometimes a bit awkward. I managed to climb 3 problems in 5 goes, but there was another problem I kept falling of the top, I just could not find the right way to do the move. I knew that I was not in my best shape because my finger injury troubled my training a bit , but I was very disappointed with my end position and I could not qualify for the semi final the first time in my world cup carrier.

La sportiva climbing festival

On Friday there was a big La sportive climbing Festival in Tivoli. There were 60 problems in total all around the walls from very easy to extremely hard. The festival was a big success with a lot of peoples entering and I really enjoyed climbing with good climbers. I manage to climb 40 problems.

Unfortunately I rested the rest of the weekend because a few weeks ago I injured one of my fingers and it those not seem to get any better and the three hours of intense bouldering did not help either. However I was really proud at Stew because on Sunday he managed to climb Brandy Tarte 8c+ in Niederthai. He is super strong in the moment.

First Boulder Comp this year.

On Friday we had the first round of the Austrian Boulder Cups this year. The Competition took place in Kitzbuehl. It felt strange to do a Comp after such a long Comp break. The Qualification round went good, I made a few silly mistakes and felt a bit out of practice. On Saturday was the semi-final and final. In the semi I climbed well but I messed up the final and ended in position 6. This Comp was very helpful to find my major mistakes I have to work on to improve my Comp results

Easter weekend in Swiss

On Easter Sunday morning Stew and I went to Chironico. The first stop was “Teamwork 8a”, a crimpy wall with a fairly high top-out. I was just my kind of problem and I climbed in a few attempts. Then it was off to “The great shark hunt 8a+” for Stew. We were unstoppable and after just 5 goes Stew climbed it and we went to Doctor Crimp 7c for me because some people told me that it would be flash able with good crimp strength and so I did. It went dark and our first day was over. On Easter Monday we went to the high part of Chironico where I had quite a long warm up and just bouldered around on some easier stuff. Finally I started to try “Les doigts verts 7c+”. Frustrated I had to leave empty handed but I managed to wire the start, just the last hard move did not want to happen. My skin said “Game Over”.

Birthday Party in Tumpen

First time back at Tumpen bloc this year on my birthday on Tuesday. Was shocked to see all the lines chalked up with big ticks all over the place. Stew and I went to check out some new lines. Found one line just under the path I have never noticed before. It was already cleaned and possibly climbed. The first move felt really hard and I needed quite a few attempts to get it wired but the rest was not too hard, so we graded it approx.7b+ and named it Mr. Undercover for the new topo. At the end of the day, I tried Stick it extension 8a and it felt good but long and very high! It feels good to have another nice personal project at Tumpen.

Brad Pitt 7c+

The few days in England have been really nice, the weather was brilliant and I had a good time. On Thursday Stew, Kathi (my little sister) and I flew from Innsbruck to Liverpool. We went shopping, cinema, had a Chinese meal and a lot of climbing. I particularly enjoyed our time in Stanage. On Friday the conditions were cold and sticky and we messed around the Plantation sector. I climbed Zippy’s Traverse 7b 4th go and Stew climbed the Joker 8a. Monday Stew wanted to go back to Stanage to try the Ace 8b but it was too hot for it, so I decided to have a play on Brad Pitt 7c+. I tried it once a few years ago but I could not make out how to do the first move, I remember that I always tried the move with my right had and just could not share the hold, so I left it. However, on Monday Dave Barrans, a friend of ours, told me how he climbs it and it seemed to work for me. After a few tries I sorted the first move perfectly than each go I got higher and higher and after a short break everything went really smooth and I just climbed it. It was unbelievable and I was pleased to have climbed this classic!!! Sadly, today we had to leave and went back to Austria. I hope to be back to the UK soon.

Update from the last month...

Well I was a busy girl the last month and had no real time to do some hard boulders or routes outside. Beside my job I am also taking part in a course to become a “Pilates Master Trainer” what takes up some time in the moment. Additionally I often go skiing or snowboarding whenever I have a day off because the snow is just awesome in the moment. However my training goes well too and I finished recently my first part of the specific strengthening training and will soon move onto the specific campus and explosive power training what is well needed at the moment because from the other training I feel strong but not fast and bouncy but for every bit there is the right time to train…. I am really looking forward to go back to England mid February for a short trip to catch up on friends and to see how things are and hopefully to climb on the grit.