Australian Bouldering Nationals

The weather has been crap crap crap crap, nthing but rain (Good for the dams)
The Australian bouldering nationals were held on the weekend 24th and 25th of November. The comp was due to be held in Katoomba on an amazing outside scaffold wall but due to the rain had to be moved to the pitch climbing gym at the last minute.
The pitch has the best walls in Australia for bouldering so the venue was a good choice.
The field in the mens open was very strong so I was very keen to climb my best. We had 5 boulders in the heats and I managed to top them all qualifying through to the finals in first place. Then came the finals, 4 boulder problems and each one had a style of its own I stuffed up on the first problem and only got the bonus hold, so I knew if I was going to win I had to pull my finger out and top out on the remaining 3 boulders. So I did just that becoming the Australian National bouldering Champion for 2007.
A big thanks to all those involved in this great event.
FOLLOW THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=vMjBR5w7i7Y

A REALLY GOOD FEELING

What a week nothing but rain rain rain but it finally stopped for one day of climbing. so on Sunday I went to the Frontline in Sydney for a quick morning session. I arrived and I was keen just to do lots of boulders as the conditions were terrible but after a quick warm up I felt pretty good and decided to try Siege from down under V11 after falling off the last move a few times I finally stuck it and climbed to the top “A REALLY GOOD FEELING” then it was off to the gym for more training.

Fast Gramps Trip

What a weekend!! Me Alan Pryce and Mark Withers Jumped in a car and hit the road headed for the Grampians. We left early on Friday morning with a breakfast and lunch to go made by the lovely Christina Bedard. We arrived in the Grampians and met up with some good friends. The next day we woke up to RAIN RAIN and more RAIN but our spirits were high and we were all keen to see each other succeed on or climbs. First stop was project wall MANA V13 I had one quick shot on Mana but fell with the last hold in my hand I treid again but the rock was getting wetter and wetter from all the rain so we decided to call it a day and go to The Cave. The Goals for the cave was For Mark to do Sleepy Hollow V12 and Allan wanted to try The Wheel Of Life V16.
Mark Warmed up and went for his first shot he pulled onto the first holds and looked really confident and before we knew it he was hanging on the last hold with a smile on his face “Well done Mark”. Alan was next. Alby warmed up and was looking really smooth and strong (as usual). He sat down at the start of the cave and went for it. He was half way out the Wheel when his Knee made a nasty crack, he treid to keep climbing but it was to sore to keep on going so he had to step off but hopefully he will be back to crush The Wheel in the future.

The next day we woke to more RAIN AAAARRRHHHH…. So we went to the kindergarten to try two problems one of the problems had been done a day before by a friend Christian Core from Italy. Christian called the new problem Gaida. Gaida is to the left of nevin Rule and its an amazing boulder. The other problem was still a project and is also to the left of the Nevin Rule.
Alby was out for the rest of the trip with his knee injury so that left Me, James Kassey and Mark to try and come away with another send for the trip. James had tried the project before and was Quick to send it Calling it So You Think You Can Dance and graded it V12. Me and Mark tried the problem a few more times and I had some success on the problem (i also think its about V12) and i think its one of the best problems in the Grampians.
We headed back to camp and made a decision to pack up early and head back to Sydney as the weather was also not looking so good for the next day.So the trip was good but wetwetwet

Going To The Grampians Again

Im of to the Grampians again this friday for the weekend, so check back here soon for an update

Another Week Gone By

Toping out on Lovers tiff V10 FA
The new Cliff

Another week gone by and its getting hotter and hotter. I went to crumbly and wanted to try a new line that I thought would be cool, The line goes from Mushi brain V8/9 and into the start hold of Abacus V12. Instead of figuring out the moves going into Abacus I sat down at the start and had a shot I fell of near the end of Abacus but new I could do it pretty soon so I had a quick rest and went for another shot,I got to Abacus and felt good and went for it I nailed it perfectly and sent the new problem packing. I called the problem SUGOI apparently it means excellent in Japanese and I have graded it V13.

Also this week I went to a new bouldering area at Balmoral. This cliff is little but it has a few cool problems I did the first accent of a new problem on the far left of the cave that i flashed I called the problem Lovers Tiff. I think its about V10 There is a left exit to the same problem that i think is about V8

Wheel Of Life Video

To see my send of The Wheel Of Life click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ZnfqPVJlc
Thanks to Mark Withers for the footage

THE WHEEL OF LIFE

THE WHEEL OF LIFE
I have climbed the cave! after many years of dreaming about climbing this amazing piece of rock I have Finally done it. its so crazy 68 moves long and every move is a classic.
I went down to the grampians for a short 4 and a half day trip with mark and Tilly.
We went up to the cave on our first day. I warmed up a little walked to the back of the cave sat down looked to the skyline where the finishing holds where and went for it.

I had fallen 13 times right at the end moves on the wheel, but this time I hit everything perfect and I was standing on top of the cave. I could not believe it, it was an amazing feeling and ill never forget that feeling.
Mark got the actuall send on video so check back here for a link to the video soon.