British Lead Climbing Championships

On the 6/10/2012 I travelled up to Edinburgh for the British Lead Climbing Championships or BLCC'S,  the competition was to be held at Ratho's EICA and before I continue I would like to thank all of the event sponsors for the T-shirts and all of the volunteers for their assistance as they are the people who really make the competitions happen. 

So I wake up at about 7:15 with the noise of my alarm and I fall out of the bed into the shower . I venture down the stairs to welcome the lovely smell of sausage and bacon. I was still totally perplexed at why 3 of the competitors were walking to the competition from the hotel for a warm up. So I have my breakfast to set me up for the day.

My First Route

It was a blue reachy style climb with some real brutal sloppers on it although this wasn't any excuse, so I warmed up by doing 3 big wall leads this meant my fingers where even warmer than they already where because my mam had put 1 hand warmer in each of my winter gloves.

I go up to the wall and I take all of my warm clothing off and i am left with my GB vest and shorts and not forgeting La Sportiva Solution shoes provided by Lyon Outdoor.

I leave the ground feeling very confident although I always keep a cool head or it usally goes wrong for me. I start climbing and then my fingers start to go numb and I climb through it and I try then start to feel my fingers peeling I go to rock over for a fairly big jug but half way through reaching for the next hold for some reason I fall of I dont know if it was a foot slip or a hand pop but either way it was due to not being warm enough.

pic of first route

My Second Route

Its was a completly different orange route that was better if you had smaller fingers because there was a lot of small finger pockets and higher feet, my hands are getting colder as I climb higher and higher but I keep trying and trying, I thought I was coming off but I was not falling off  I had to get to the top to guarentee a place in the final so I pushed on and I pushed on and topped it out. 

Isolation

I went into isolation behind William Bosi we chucked our stuff down and sat around like I usally do occasionally going for a climb around the bouldering wall. So any way I still had the hand warmers in my pockets because they actually last forever.

Final

I left to come out and I was phycsed after finding out that my routes where on the old competiton wall. So I have slow jog over to the bottom after seeing the last lips clip swing I thought that the other competitor out before the had topped so the pressure was on. I cranked and cranked through serveral technical sections and then I fell of 3 holds from the top. I was guttered I thought I had just missed out on first place by 3 holds although when I came down everyone was congratulating me although there was still 2 climbers to go who had a really good chance of winning although for some reason both couldn't find a way to get over one of the techinical bits falling of quite low down at what you could call a mini crux.

pic of final route 

The Podium

I was now un officially BLCC winner of the youth C catorgory as people have 30 minutes to appeal although i dont think any appeals where neccesary. 

30 minutes later I was then told that appeal time had closed then I was officially BLCC youth C champion *YAY*

podium :)

Thanks and any comments please ask and follow me on twitter @Jacktheclimber1

British Bouldering Championships

On 7/7/12 I travelled to Sheffield to compete in the British Bouldering championships. I had been training for a long time making my training revolve around bouldering. All I had did the night before was stretch as I like to ride my bike a lot and if you are a cyclist or cycle a lot your self you will know how much you hamstrings tighten.
Any way I turn up at the comp with my Wellington's and my great prana black shorts and my comp vest. I warm up by jogging around looking like a complete and utter idiot but I didn't mind. So 10-15 minutes I go onto the mats and my  2 hours begin  I flashed 4 of my problems but made a small very important error on my fifth problem I had a go of I just jumped of the wall as I knew I mimed to the camera "I will get that next time". As you have probably's guessed I did it with ease so that was that. 
As I was in the junior male category I didn't stand any chance at all of getting in the final and I didn't think I did so I set my goal for that day to podium in Youth C which is my category so after the time had finished I put my outdoor shoes on my Wellington's. I started to get bored and called on my trusty friend Roy Watson to come and discuss mountain bikes on our camping chairs near the end of the over sized tent. 
So I go and look at the results list and it says I have not came third or second but yes it said first. 
I was then British Bouldering Champion for youth C category. 
I then went and cheered on the Female and male finalist's including Molly Thompson-smith a fellow Lyon Outdoor sponsor.

Thanks and any comments please ask and follow me on twitter @jacktheclimber1 

Scottish Bouldering Championships

On the 25/5/12 I travelled up to Glasgow to compete the next day at the climbing academy. I had to complete 15 qualifying problems. I   qualified second for the final due to being a bit to tall and inflexible to get one of the cramped up moves on it although this shouldn't be any kind of excuse. 

So I go to the back of the wall to stay in isolation where I made balls of finger tape and played pass to pass the time with Robert McKenzie the apparent appropriate adult. 

So about half an hour goes past and I go out for viewing with of my stuff including my pretty much brand new la sportiva solutions(from Lyon outdoor,thanks,) which to be honest hadn't even been worn in that much. I look at the problems and then look again I had them read and stored in my mind I knew I could flash at least one as it looked like a jug ladder just with little blades for feet. So i get my shoes on and then stand up im called up to do the easiest problem I chalk up and look at it once more and then walk up it making great use of the big toilet seat hold for my heal totally missing out the smaller holds. so I sit back down, 3-4 minutes later im called up again and then I look again at the climb and get on and flash it I was amazed I was in the lead but I knew I still had to pull it out of the bag I still had to do the next one. It was time I was finally called for the last I got on and then flashed it, I turned around and looked at the crowd over joyed I had won I was then unofficially Scottish Bouldering Champion. 

After watching the older peoples finals the Awards where given out they said my name "Youth C male champion Jack Graham" I casually strolled up took the award and totally made the other kids look even smaller as I am really tall.

Thanks and any comments please ask and follow me on twitter @jacktheclimber1