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The Battle, Lillehammer.
11 September 2012, 3:37 pm

What a weekend! My trip to Norway has been great. Most of the competitors arrived on Thursday, coming from as far as South Africa and as close as Trondheim. It was a good mix of people; on the girls side there was Alex Puccio, Hannah Midtbo, Maria Davies Sandbu…. and me and for the men; Daniel Woods, Dave Graham, Carlo Traversi, Magnus Midtbo and Nalle Hukkataival. We all headed to Lillehammer where the competition was to be held.

On Friday morning we were given numerous holds, plenty of assistance and four hours to set a boulder problem. This was the bit I was nervous about. I haven’t got a lot of setting experience and it is quite hard to get the balance right in this kind of situation. You want your problem to be hard of course, but not too hard. I wanted to be sure I could climb it, but I also wanted it to challenge the other competitors. In addition, I was very keen for it to be interesting for the crowd; an exciting problem to watch, combining different styles. The key, of course, is to play to one’s strengths. I looked around for the smallest holds I could find. I played around for hours with my problem but when I finished I was actually pretty pleased with what I had created. And I knew I could climb it.

We had some lunch and chilled out for a bit before returning to the boulders to test each other’s problems. We started with Hannah’s; a steep problem, fairly long, with big moves between good holds. Maria’s problem was next; again very steep and long, good crimps and ending on a high heel hook move that felt a bit insecure. Then Alex’s problem…..unbelievable! Her problem was her style in its purest form; steep, big moves between bad, slopey pinches, very basic and very hard.

Having tried them all I knew I was capable of climbing three (mine, Hannah’s and Maria’s). However, they were all hard so anything could happen. That evening we were taken to dinner where we tried a Norwegian special: Moose stew. It was delicious!

The next day we all felt pretty sore from the setting and the climbing session. We headed to the local wall for two Boulder Jam sessions. These were informal competitions for people who had travelled from all over to watch The Battle. We spent the day talking to people, helping with beta and generally being a part of the event.

That evening we put our aches and pains aside and got ready to climb in the competition. Hannah’s problem was first. This was the one I was most worried about; it had been the hardest for me (apart from Alex’s) in the testing session. My first go was the best but a combination of tiredness and slippy holds (we had had some rain earlier in the day) meant I didn’t make the crux move. Each go after that I got worse, my tiredness was starting to show already. Only Alex managed to top the problem, flashing it with ease. Maria’s problem was next and we all managed to climb it. Then we moved on to Alex’s…. Hannah, Maria and I all had a good go but we couldn’t do the moves. Alex flashed it, wowing the crowd with her incredible power. Finally it was time for my problem.



The start of Hannah’s problem, Photo Lars Verket.



Further along on Hannah’s problem, Photo Lars Verket.



At the top of Maria’s problem, Photo Lars Verket.

I was last to climb so I could watch everyone climb first. Hannah did well but wasn’t able to manage some of the crimpy moves, Maria was the same. Alex flashed right up to the end before falling. I had put very poor footholds at the end of the climb which required very careful foot placements and tension. She tried again and managed it second go. Now it was down to me and I was nervous! I pulled on to begin the climb with a jump. When I got to the crimps I went onto automatic and just pushed through the moves to the top. I was really happy, I had done my problem and it had put me in 2nd place .

A big well done to Alex for coming in first, she was clearly the strongest and she deserved it.

We then settled in to watch the men. Their problems were really mixed in style, and very exciting to watch. They all climbed brilliantly, with some amazing shows of strength and skill. It was Daniel that stuck out as the most impressive, topping all five blocs to win. This kind of competition was really fun and a nice change from the usual format. It allowed for more creativity on the climber’s part and means harder blocs.

Some partying and celebrating (it was also Nalle’s birthday) meant we had slightly sore heads the next day. What better to do with a hangover than downhill mountain biking! Thanks to Rune and his colleagues we were able to have a two hour session hurtling down the hillside. This was one of the scariest things I have done but it was brilliant. A key part for me was relinquishing control and just committing to the rocky, steep terrain. A few falls, but no major injuries were sustained and we all had a great day.



Now I am home again, preparing to go to London for my sister’s wedding. Best of luck to all those going to Paris this weekend for the World Championships, I will be there in spirit!

A big thank you to Rune and Kristian for all their help and support this weekend, we all had a great time and you were brilliant!

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

[Fultonius]

Dave and Daniel look well funny in the end picture...

[El Mocho]

Dave and Daniel look well funny in the end picture...

Shitting hell is that He-Man on the right?

[SA Chris]

I suspect they have body armour on - makes DG look like a pinhead.

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Hello America!
21 September 2012, 1:32 pm

We arrived in the US on Wednesday, landing in Philidelphia before catching a connecting flight on to Denver. Our welcome in Philly had something to be desired…we were grilled at US customs. They politely took us to one side and searched our bags before interviewing us in seperate rooms. We are here for 90 days and I think there was suspicion over whether we were trying to illegally work  in the US. Having reassured them that all we wanted to do was climb around on rocks and that it is possible to survive on very little money if you just lower your standards, our passports were returned to us and we were free to go. Phew! I know it sounds silly but  I can’t help but feel like I’m guilty when being interrogated, I’m just relieved I handled the pressure and didn’t admit to anything I haven’t done!

So we are here, a great reception from Kevin, Jackie and Chris made us feel right at home . Our first day was a bit of a blur of tiredness but we still ventured out in the evening to Boulder Canyon for a potter about. We climbed a historical John Gill problem called Standard Bulge before spending some time on the dyno, Cage Free. I haven’t really tried many dynos outside but I thoroughly enjoyed this one and wasn’t that far off! David managed to do it, a nice positive start to his climbing on this trip. Kevin got ridiculously close, next time for sure!

And so now it is day two. I am up really early due to jet lag but feeling much more human today. An interview with Rock and Ice for their Spotlight page this morning, and then we’ll head out to Wild Basin. Can’t wait!

Just before leaving the UK, I did a photoshoot with Alex Messenger. He wanted to try out some new lights and I was happy to oblige. Here is Yogurt Hypnotist at Rowtor as you have never seen it before!



Yogurt Hypnotist, Rowtor, Photo Alex Messenger.

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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A little chapter from my mind….
9 October 2012, 2:07 am

So, we have been in Colorado for two and a half weeks and it had been a mixed bag. We have had good weather, bad weather, sending days, failing days, frustration, elation and of course friends and fun.

I have been thinking a lot these past weeks and I have come to the conclusion that climbing is a very odd, complex sport. It baffles me sometimes. As climbers we want to have our cake and eat it; we want to train hard with no substantial rest period in our calender, we want to go on climbing trips and climb our best every day. We put our bodies through the mill and just expect them to perform day after day. In what other sport would an athlete attempt a PB every session? We do it, not only outside but in training too.

In theory, the last month has been one of my best; I have climbed my hardest ever sport route (Mecca) and have bouldered my hardest ever problem (Tetris). However, as we prepare to leave Colorado to head to Joe’s Valley I am left with a slightly sour taste, a feeling of slight emptiness and unfulfilment. “Really?!” I hear you say. I know, it sounds awfully ungrateful and pessimistic but that is not the whole picture. It is not often that I put all my eggs in one basket but that is what I did to achieve those two aformentioned goals and, don’t get me wrong, it was totally worth it. What I am getting at is that sometimes it takes a certain mindset to climb your hardest, one that I am still adjusting to. It means sacrifice; not always climbing other things on your mental ticklist, not topping out very often. I love those trips, those days, when I climb multiple problems. They don’t have to be at my limit but I still get that feeling of acheiving something, of overcoming a challenge. I guess it comes down to positive reinforcement; something I have realised that I need quite a bit of! Being told doesn’t do it, telling myself doesn’t either – I need rock solid (excuse the pun) evidence in the form of a summit! Those two ascents, of course, gave me poisitive reinforcement but it is the frequency of achievment that is lacking. I know that two substantial ascents in a month is good frequency but taken in the context of climbing most days it feels scarce. I guess it depends also on personality. My climbing confidence will probably always have a slight frailty to it, just because that is how I am wired. Good days and bad days like everyone, always seemingly regardless of how yesterday went.

Realising these things has been quite liberating, it has given me a more rational perspective from which to consider and manage myself. I am extremely lucky to be doing what I am doing and I am eternally grateful for my daily experiences but there are always times of frustration, just as there is always a place for analysis of those emotions. As it stands, although I am immensely pleased with my recent acheivements, I am aware that I need a period of time now in which I can lower my grade; lower the general effort level required on individual climbs and increase the frequency of positive reinforcement. In simpler terms, I am ready to do some milieage.

This is where Joe’s Valley comes in! Short walk ins, short drives and tons of amazing looking problems in the V7-V10 range. I’m ready for some brim-filled climbing days and some topping out!

In terms of inspiration, David has been climbing fantastically. He is on some kind of sending spree and it is a real joy to be a part of. Nothing beats seeing a cheshire cat grin on the face of someone you care about as they top out. Those moments have been highlights and I hope to see more of them.

Here is the video of my success on Tetris:

 

And one of David’s successes:

 

And some pictures:

 

Autumn aspens, Photo David Mason

Warming up on the portable fingerboard, Photo David Mason

My hands after climbing Tetris, Photo David Mason

Sunset at Lower Chaos, Photo David Mason

Golden Aspens, Photo David Mason

The Fuzz (aka Royal), Photo David Mason

Marys Lake, Estes Park, Photo David Mason

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Joe’s Valley
16 October 2012, 8:44 pm

Joe’s Valley has not disappointed. It was a long (by English standards) drive from Boulder, Colorado to Utah; a drive that showed us great scenery but also huge expanses of nothing, something we don’t experience in Europe. Joe’s Valley is about 2.5 hours from Salt Lake City and the nearest town is Orangeville. It is a small town but it has enough to keep us going – a place to shower, a place to check emails, a food shop and a laundrette. What more could one need? The people are also really friendly and welcoming, they seem to be positive about the influx of climbers in their area. The climbing is out of town in the Valley leading to Joe’s Resevoir. It is desert; dry, hot and seemingly limitless.

We have been living in our much loved GMC van and really enjoying it. We have systems for everything and life is simple and fun. We get up, we climb all day, we sleep. Oh, and we watch Downton Abbey in the evenings. Totally addicted.

Joe’s lends itself to exactly what I described needing in my previous blog: short walk ins, lots of great climbs in the V6 -10 range and a low pressure feel. I feel like I have found a flow again, climbing lots of days on, trying many different problems in a day, topping out!

I have done some climbs I am really happy with- some easy, some hard. There are also still plenty of things to try and work at. David is climbing really well, doing lots of climbs first go and quickly diminishing his extensive tick list.

So, a short blog for now but I will write again soon

 Joe’s Valley Main Street, Photo David Mason

 

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Climbing, American chocolate and some seriously bad skin.
25 October 2012, 6:23 pm

We have been in Joe’s Valley for just over 2 weeks now and the weather is starting to get cold…good conditions are on their way. However, some bad luck has forced our combined hand to change plans. Many of you who know David will know that he suffers from bad climbing-related thin skin on his fingertips and consequently split skin a great deal. This episode, however, tops anything in the past and he didn’t even do it climbing! When abseiling to brush up a line his finger got caught between the rope and the rock and he somehow ripped off the pad of his finger tip. Eek. Pretty gory. Really annoying for him, especially as he was falling off the last move of Black Lung, one of his life-time climbing ambitions.



So, with David realistically unable to climb for at least a week and then with tape for probably the next two, we have had to reconsider our options. Our original plan was to go to Yosemite (via Ibex) and then perhaps Bishop in December if we had time before heading home. The Bishop leg was for my benefit mostly, David was happy to go but more keen for Yosemite. I will admit that my desire to go to Bishop is partly because of one climb: The Mandala. I remember watching Dosage 1 as a teenager and seeing Chris Sharma climb this inspiring line in 2001. Ever since, I wanted to go to Bishop but it was only when Lisa Rands climbed the line that I thought (somewhere in the back of my mind) “hmmm…maybe one day I could do that”. So with David temporarily indisposed, it seemed a good idea to follow this dream now. Bishop sounds like a nice place to be if you’re not climbing and then when he is able to start again we can head to Yosemite. Mandala or no Mandala it will be great to visit this famous venue and a change of scene is what we need at the moment.

 

Before we go I have a bit of unfinished business here. I have done lots of classics, a handful of V10s and a V11 (Ghost of War) and am very happy with my climbing. To date my most satisfying ascent is Beyond Life (V10); a wide, powerful climb which I found very hard! My favourite climbs have been Lumbar Jack (the V8 next to Beyond Life), Feels Like Grit (V8) and the climb that I am hoping to finish before we leave: Gentlemen’s Project (V11). Fingers crossed. One that I will be sad not to finish is Jitterbug Perfume (V10), a beautiful wall but definitely a test of pain tolerance. I have done all the moves but haven’t quite pieced it together. Maybe I’ll have one more go…maybe I won’t….

 

On a different note we have been sampling American chocolate. It started when we saw some fabulously named products and felt compelled to see what they offered. Now it has become a rest day event to select and try the best- named chocolate bars on offer at the local grocery store. We have tried an “Oh Henry” bar, a “Baby Ruth” bar, a “100 grand” bar and the well known “Butterfinger” bar. They are all a combination of peanuts, chocolate and caramel it seems but despite the lack of originality it is a very enjoyable process!

 



Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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From Bishop to Yosemite
2 November 2012, 12:29 am

Since my last blog we have changed our tune once again. To pick up where I left off, I was trying to finish off Gentleman’s Project,  a great line with a very shouldery crux followed by a deadpoint to a good hold. After writing my last blog I had a very frustrating day where I climbed through the crux first go and then fell at the lip when I got my hand position wrong, and not realising why, couldn’t do the final move! So annoying! I then fell time after time on the crux until I was too tired to keep going. Disappointed to make it so close, but also encouraged that I could climb it, I took a rest day. Invigorated by a shower (and some bakery delights from the Food Ranch), two days later I returned and, despite some nerves, did it first go. I was so happy, this was my favourite climb in Joe’s Valley and we left for Bishop that night. Video to come!

Reaching up into the shoulder move on Gentlemen’s Project (V11), Photo David Mason.

 

Driving to Bishop was an experience in itself; Nevada is HUGE. Hundreds of miles of nothing but landscape; paradise for an agraphobic. We arrived in Bishop and went to look at the Buttermilks area. We had heard very mixed reports of Bishop; it seems to be the ‘marmite’ of climbing areas. Some friends have loved it for the awe inspiring lines while others have disliked it for the lower rock quality. I have to say we veered into the second group. There is no denying the impressive sight of the Buttermilks; the tall, majestic granite boulders against the beautiful setting of the Sierra Nevadas. However, the rock quality leaves a lot to be desired and the climbing, although good looking, didn’t inspire us physically.This may have been influenced by the temperature, it was incredibly hot. I suspect that the holds and climbing feels a great deal more conducive to enjoyment in colder temps. Perhaps we have been spoiled by Fontainbleau, Switzerland and trips to amazing places like Rocklands, but Bishop fell short of our expectations. I still wanted to check out the line that I have swooned over for years and at 7:30am I went to try the Mandala. A complete non-starter. Discussing the problem in Boulder with Alex Johnson, she had said to me: “If you can make the first big move you will do the problem”. This now made perfect sense, the first move is massive. The problem was originally done a different way, a shorter but apparently harder move, before a crucial hold broke. This break lowered the grade but, as far as I can tell, increased the span required. I could just reach between the holds but the power required to make the move is something I doubt I will ever possess. So, within 15 minutes, a lifelong ambition had been crossed off my mental list; I will admit I was pretty disappointed. With David not psyched for the rock in Bishop and both of us excited for what Yosemite Valley had to offer, we dicided to cut our losses and make the 3 hour trip across Tioga Pass.

So now we are in Yosemite. We have been running around looking at boulders and we are both inspired and psyched by the beautiful granite lines that Yosemite Valley contains. A rest day and a shower today, I can’t wait to get started! A great LT11 film here shows some of the classics and I think it showcases the bouldering scene well:

from Louder Than Eleven on Vimeo.

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

[Three Nine]

That is one closely shaved armpit.

[tim palmer]

people still do it (the mandala) with dave graham sequence just using the broken hold, it looks properly grim; matt birch has done the sit using it and seemed very enthausiastic about it but he by his own admission loves a rat crimp.

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Yosemite
20 November 2012, 12:55 am

Yosemite Valley is awesome. Full stop. The tall granite boulders make for great lines; interesting climbing, impressive features and often a bit scary! There is also plenty of history surrounding the boulders here from Ron Kauk’s Midnight Lightning to Jerry Moffatt’s Dominator. Suffice to say there has been plenty to do and we arrived psyched with long wish lists and ready bodies. We have been here for just over two weeks and I am not sure where to start! The classics, I suppose. Camp 4 is full to the brim of them, from problems like Initial Friction (V1) and Cocaine Corner (V5) to Midnight Lightning (V8) and Thriller (V10), there is something truly fantastic for any climber. The three notorious V8′s at Camp 4 (Midnight, King Cobra and Bruce Lee) are all brilliant, all hard and all totally different styles from one another. One block holds Thriller and the Force – I was ecstatic to climb both test pieces. And then there is Dominator, right there slap bang in the middle of the camp ground yet still has had few ascents. On the other side of the Valley there are more treasures to be found; the LeConte area holds some gems such as Conan (a crimpy V9), Flatline (a highball, scary V8) and Panic Room (a burly and high V9) while Candyland boasts The Diamond (V8), Once Upon A Time (V3) and Shadow Warrior (V12). The latter is a hard compression problem that I was very psyched by. I put some time in and can do all the moves and some good links but we have decided to leave the valley for pastures new. Next time on that one! One of my favourite problems here was Cindy, a highball V10 that required compression, technique and a good head. This climb really made me think about the ability some climbers have to “switch off” their brains when they need to and just go through the motions. I experienced this on Flatline, the aformentioned highball V8. Flatline’s crux is low down but the top section has some hard moves on small holds and is at a height I would not wish to fall from. For some reason that day I was able to “switch off” and I flashed it. Cindy was different. For a start, I tried the top section a rope first so one may liken the process to headpointing rather than ground up highballing. This felt necessary and sensible for me on this particular boulder. When I tried to boulder it from the ground, I got to the high section twice and backed off, too scared to commit to the moves. The third time I “switched off” and did it – now what was different on that attempt? And how did it differ to Flatline? I have come to the conclusion that some people are naturally very good at controlling their fear and some are not, and some (like me) are in the middle. Sometimes I can do it and sometimes I can’t and I haven’t quite worked out the difference. One thing I have realised is that I have a certain capacity for it; if I try a highball in the morning I want to try something normal sized in the afternoon. My mental strength can’t deal with too much in a short space of time!

So, we are moving on. Partly due to wet weather and partly due to that itchiness that comes with staying in one place for a bit. Motivation dipped a bit and we decided it was time for a change. Ibex is next on the list, followed by a return to Joe’s Valley for David to unleash his newly healed skin on some unfinished business and then perhaps Moab on our way back to Boulder.

Worth a mention is San Fransisco; a beautiful and vibrant city that was home for three days while Yosemite was awash with rain. We escaped the tumultuous weather in the Valley and went to visit friends in the city. It was great, we ate good food, had laughs and saw the city – perhaps just what you need half way through a trip! Thanks again Si and Jackie for your hospitality and for showing us the best food in town



 

San Francisco



Midnight Lighting, Photo David Mason



Half Dome in the Snow, Photo David Mason

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Return to Sandstone and some Lisa Rands Inspiration
4 December 2012, 9:46 pm

Sometimes things just come together at the right time and fall into place. I feel like that happened for me this weekend.

But I’ll retrace my steps a bit…we left Yosemite in the rain, disappointed not to climb there more. Psyche was a bit low.

I’ve been asked before in interviews:

“How do you deal with times of low motivation for climbing?”

and I have honestly answered:

“I don’t really experience those”.

Well now I have, and it was strange! A kind of disinterested feeling overcame me and I started to wonder what I was going to do about it and how long it would last. I was sad to leave the Valley and we were heading back to Joe’s so David could try some more on Black Lung (now that his finger has healed). Having already spent some time there I was happy to go for him but for my climbing I felt a bit like I’d done my time there for this trip. We stopped off for a few days in Ibex and, having been trying to understand this new feeling of  “meh”, I watched some Dosage 1 (the Ibex bit) to regain some enthusiasm. What can I say? I owe my renewed psyche and hunger for climbing completely to Lisa Rands! Something about her climbing in Ibex helped me find my motivation and so far it has stayed with me!

Ibex is awesome. There is not loads there but what is there is really high quality and fun. We had a great few days enjoying the open space, driving the van around the salt plains and climbing some classics. The first two days were spent climbing White Arete, Big Gulp, Blue Flowers, Ju, Meat and Potatoes and Bruce Lee – all brilliant. On the third day I was pretty tired (from my sudden, overwhelming, Lisa-induced motivation) but David was still looking strong and managed to climb Wing Chun V13 – a short basic James Litz problem.

We left Ibex and headed back to Joe’s Valley. Despite my worrying, there was plenty for me to be psyched for. Some in the guide that I had overlooked, some newer things that I didn’t know about before. Having done a lot of the easier classics that I was interested in, my list was predominantely hard stuff.

“Oh well”, I thought. “Think of it as training. Even if they are too difficult for me to finish I will have fun trying hard and can only get stronger“.

To my surprise, it all came together this weekend and I managed to send Jigsaw (V11) and Milkman Sit (V10/11) on Friday, Man of the Past (V11) on Sunday night and then Dark Matter (V12) on Monday.



Man of the Past (V11), Photo David Mason.

Video to come soon!

I’m going to have to reorganise my list of things to try!  Thanks Lisa!

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Back to training….
14 January 2013, 3:35 pm

Since my last blog we have returned from the USA, Christmas and New Years Eve have gone past in a flurry and now it is nearly half way through January! How time flies when you aren’t watching.

Since we arrived back the weather in Sheffield has been pretty rubbish; not conducive to a good day out climbing. Until this week, I have just focussed on training. When we first arrived back I was feeling pretty strong only to discover that climbing inside or any kind of training felt alien and extremely difficult. I felt so weak which was strange because outside on rock I felt strong. I think on long trips you do get weaker but you also learn to climb in a different style that befits rock better.  I am now beginning to think of them as different things altogether. So, going back to training and indoor climbing felt like retraining after three months off!

After the first week, I was feeling a lot stronger so perhaps the key is learning and remembering a different style and also recruiting old strength back. In training exercises I am not where I was before we left but I am not far off now. I enjoy training so, although I miss climbing outside everyday, it is also nice to try hard and see progress in a different way. I am training for the World Cups this year; psyched to try to improve on my performance in the past and to have a good time.

Now the weather is changing and I am having a rest day after three days in a row on the Peak District gritstone – lucky lady! – combined with training in the evenings too. I have travelled a lot for climbing, but I am always amazed by the beauty of the Peak and the quality climbing it has to offer. Coming home is never too hard, so long as the weather holds out….

So now I will keep up the training, get on the grit when I can and try to keep my psyche levels high. First though, I am off to Spain next week to do some route climbing in Siurana….

On another note, since returning to the UK, I have been inspired by the work of John Ellison on his CAC (Climbers Against Cancer) movement. Its a fantastic effort and a great cause, if you don’t already have a T-shirt get one ordered!



Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Siurana – A boulderer on a rope…
29 January 2013, 8:19 pm

Siurana boasts a beautiful landscape; a tiny village situated on a hill top, surrounded by magnificent cliffs of orange and grey. We were a group of five (Caff, Cal, Ryan, Ray and myself) squeezed into a little cabin on the main campsite, all psyched and ready to climb.

The climbing in Siurana is quite old school; lots of crimps and some fairly bold climbing. When I was younger I was more of a route climber and that was my chosen discipline in my teens. I only really began to focus more on bouldering in my twenties. Having said that I am now 25 and, having not done a lot of route climbing lately, I seem to have regressed to feeling out of sorts above my clip; nervously overgripping on moves that are fairly steady. In contrast, I was super impressed with Calum (Muskett) in particular. Calum is an experienced climber, albeit he is only 19. His ability to onsight was fantastic and his confident style was something I can but aspire to. I am out of practice and a complete wuss in comparison! A boulderer at heart, although I love sport climbing, I am definitely more into redpointing than onsighting. I feel a lot more relaxed when I am trying things nearer to my limit; perhaps the acceptance of the often inevitable fall is somehow liberating? Onisghting fills me with a fear of the unknown, getting further away from my last clip, unsure if I will be able to clip the next one that seems unreasonably far above. I suppose when redpointing, one knows what is to come so there is a more calculable fear factor. From this perspective, the experience was an interesting one in which I re-learnt to trust myself and reconnect with my head in a way that I don’t above pads. I suppose when it somes down to it, different disciplines have different skill sets. It was good to get out of my comfort zone.

I tried some harder routes on this trip, managing an ascent of the classic Anabolica (8a) – fantastic route – early on in the trip, as well as trying other classics such as Migranya (8b) and La Cara que no Miente (8a+). Migranya was really fun to try and pretty doable for me if I had a bit more time. It is a steep, burly route with big moves between good holds; not a favourite among the girls I am told, but I loved it. I surprised myself on my last day by flashing Memorias de una Sepia (8a), and then finishing off La Cara que no Miente (8a+) too. The first was a 32m (long for me!) route which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is low in the grade in my opinion but really good moves up beautiful line. The second route is the opposite; short, burly climbing on a tufa, the crux being a jump to a big hole. Great fun to climb! My last day also coincided with Ryan Pasquil’s ascent of Jungle Speed, his first 9a – very impressive start to his nine week trip!



 La Cara que no Miente, 8a+. Photo Calum Muskett.

 



Memorias de una Sepia, 8a. Photo Calum Muskett

My overall feeling about Siurana was positive; good climbing, great people and the odd bit of sunshine…I can’t exactly complain! The climbing was fun but a little sharp, I would probably plan to visit a new venue rather than return in a hurry but this is mainly because there are so many crags I have yet to visit. One of the best routes had to be Mandragora (7b+), a stunning 38m climb, glorious in the sunshine. I was very impressed by the other’s climbing on this trip and enjoyed improving my nerve above my clip – definitely more improving to be done there!

 

Oh and the coffee is fantastic



On an added note, I have recently reconnected with an old aquaintance from my teenage days at the WestWay climbing centre – a friend, Sol, who has started up his own range of healthy protein products called UpRaw. These little bundles of goodness are all pure and free of all those nasty extras that most of our foods contain nowadays to keep them on the shelf for longer. Sol mainly distributes in London because the production is a one man enterprise but keep an eye out for them as he gets more and more successful. It is great to support a small, up and coming business, especially one with such a strong and pure ethos, no compromises. Sol is psyched on sports nutrition and hopefully with enough support he will be able to expand into new ranges – he has already sent me a new dairy free, nut free prototype – watch this space. If you are in London, keep an eye out for UpRaw – if you live further away you can order direct from Sol on his website. Use MINARAW as a code and get 10% off. They definitely keep me climbing!

www.up-raw.com



Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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RocFest and GB Team Trials
15 February 2013, 4:04 pm

Competitions. What a world of trying hard, excitement, confidence, slips, mistakes, triumph and disappointment. Those are the feelings I associate with competitions; some good ones and some bad ones. Being a consistently good bouldering competitor is quite a challenge, given the nature of the sport. It is so multifaceted in it’s execution, there are so many variables. One has to be good at a lot of things or hope that the competition plays to one’s strengths. That is the essence of a consistently good competitor: skilled all round, not having to hope that the blocs suit them.

I feel like I’m getting there. In previous years I have needed the blocs to suit me, my performance has varied massively depending on how burly or steep the problems were or whether there were lovely crimp ladders that felt like gifts. I have really upped my training levels recently and it is definitely paying off. It is so hard to know how much to do, treading the line between injury and success is a tricky business. I feel like right now, I am confident on that tight-rope of a walk; I train hard but I also look after myself. I may do ten climbing-based sessions a week with cardio and core added in around them but I also see an amazing chiropractor (Matt Pigden) regularly, get nutrition advice through the GB team from Rebecca Dent, and I always get a good night’s sleep. All work and no play, except work is basically play…

In the last couple of weeks I have done two big competitions: RocFest and the GB Team Trials. Both went really well – I came 2nd at the RocFest (Alex Puccio came 1st) and I came 1st in the GB Team Trials. These were both big achievements for me, I do not have a history of winning competitions or even coming second. More importantly I have shown some consistency and that makes me feel confident not only about my future performance but also about the training I am doing. I am no longer put off when there is a burly problem, I no longer shy away from a dyno. I look at problems and think  ”I can climb that” rather than “oh god…”. For those of you that know me or compete yourselves, you will realise that that is a huge psychological step in itself.

So, next stop the Biscuit Factory comp on the 23rd Feb, then CWIF on the 2nd/3rd March…then the World Cups start…..

Thanks to everyone for your support: Rock Over Climbing and ArchClimbing for putting on great events, Matt Pigden for keeping me in one piece, Rebecca Dent for her unwavering nutritional support and encouragement, Tom Sugden for his managerial skills, UpRaw for keeping my hunger at bay and mostly David for a) all the training help and b) putting up with me!

Here are some piccies:



 Team Trials, Photo Matt Ralph



  Team Trials, Photo Matt Ralph



  Team Trials, Photo Matt Ralph



 Team Trials, Photo Matt Ralph



Rocfest, Photo Ismail Aya

Rocfest, Photo Ismail Aya



Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

[metal arms]

Mina on a stick!

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Careless Torque
28 February 2013, 10:48 am

I have to say, I thought doing Careless Torque was a bit of a pipe dream. I have bouldered 8A and 8A+ but gritstone always felt like a different ball game. Then there is the height of it: somewhere in the region of 7-8m. An intimidating prospect to say the least, but it still was always in the back of my mind.

It was first climbed by Ron Fawcett in 1987, the year I was born. Twenty-five years later and I was psyching myself up to have a go!

I decided to get stuck in and try it back in January and found that I was close to getting stood up on the arete – for those of you that do not know the climb, getting stood up is considered the hard part, the part that gets Careless Torque the grade it is assigned. The beginning section is burly and powerful whilst also being very technical and intuitive. This combination is probably what makes it feel so hard. However, I would add to the mix the word “knacky” (not sure that is actually a word…); once you have felt the correct position, it can become learnt. So, back in January, I got a glimpse of the feeling that it might work and the seed was sewn.

Then it rained. And rained. And rained some more. Last week there was a break in the abysmal weather  and I headed out with Will Atkinson and a young, budding film maker by the name of Nicholas Brown. It was about -2 degrees in the plantation car park, good conditions. I had warmed up at the Climbing Works and was ready to go. Three goes in, I found myself stood up on the arete of Careless Torque. I was surprised and, honestly, pretty scared! My first attempt at the top was slow and fumbling. I fell off but I knew what to do now and, having taken the fall that I was so frightened of, my nerves had settled. Psyche overtook fear and I rested up for another go. I shan’t bore you with all my attempts, I fell on the top section four times. It is certainly not over , the top is still hard and very committing. One time I fell with my hand touching the last hold, burnt by my own hesitation. That fall hurt a bit. Time was running out, we had to get going to get Nick to his hospital appointment, I had one more go. It’s funny how focus means you sometimes can’t remember things properly. The go I did it I was so “in the zone” that I can’t recall exactly what happened, except I didn’t fall off!

It meant a lot to me to climb this line. Not only was it a first female ascent but Careless is so many things; hard, scary, beautiful, historic, classic….I could go on.

My best achievement so far? Yes I think maybe it is.



Careless from a distance, Photo Pirie Forrest.



 Standing up precariously….Photo Pirie Forrest



Reaching for the top, Photo Pirie Forrest

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Fantasic!

[Luke Owens]

An awesome achievement. Great post, I know that feeling of "in the zone", feels so strange afterwards not being able to recall exactly what happend!

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CWIF 2013
5 March 2013, 11:12 am

The CWIF weekend was exhausting! The day after I felt like I was in some kind of trance, propped up by coffee and fresh air.

It was a weekend of mixed emotions for me if I am honest. I feel like I have upped my game recently, both physically and mentally. This took months and months of hard work but it has certainly paid off. I came 4th last year in the CWIF and 4th this year but it was different this time. Last year I was vying for 3rd/4th/5th or 6th; this year I was in it to win it. That may not have happened but it was on the cards and that is a huge difference.

The qualifiers were fun and I surprised myself by coming top in the female scores. I then flashed all the semi-finals to maintain 1st place going into the finals- it was all going so well…. The finals came round and they just didn’t go to plan. Win some, lose some I guess but I had a lot of fun in the process!

Two weeks until some of the GB team and I fly to China for the first IFSC Boulder World Cup of the season….wish me luck!



 CWIF 2013, Semi-Finals. Photo Alex Messenger.



 CWIF 2013, Finals. Photo Alex Messenger.

 

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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IFSC Boulder World Cup Chongqing
28 March 2013, 3:53 pm

I had debated whether or not to go to the World Cup in China this year and I had decided against it. I went last year due to some unexpected funding and, although it was quite an adventure, I had mixed feelings about the trip. With 24 hours travel in each direction and an 8 hour time difference, it makes for an exhausting week. Plus it is an expensive one to go to, so, decision made: not going. I invited my sister and her husband up for the weekend instead!

Then the situation changed; some funding appeared last minute. Yes it was going to be tiring, but could I really look this gift horse in the mouth?

Chongqing is HUGE; with a population of 30 million it is one of the biggest cities in the world. I found myself on my way there to compete in the first round of the IFSC Boulder World Cup.

The competition was good and bad for me. I came 10th which, looking at my history, is a good result. However, I felt disappointed with my climbing. I didn’t climb as well as I felt I was capable of, which as many of you know from any sport, is very frustrating. I struggled a lot with the time difference, spending a lot of time exhausted but unable to sleep. So taking all of that into account, I did okay. On the positive, to come 10th and feel I didn’t fulfil my potential is great; perhaps next time I can get an even better result! Who knows.

Climbing aside, we had a really fun time. Here are some pictures!

 Dancing in Chongqing city centre



Pretty flowers in town centre



Diane on her birthday!



Hot Pot meal out

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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From China to France to Sweden…with a little bit of home in-between!
15 April 2013, 1:03 pm

Since I last blogged I have been all over the place! If going to China wasn’t adventurous enough, the GB team then set off to Millau, France to compete in the next round of the 2013 IFSC Boulder World Cup.

Millau was a mixed bag in terms of performance for me. I qualified in 7th and but then dropped to 12th after the semi finals. The problems were hard! You needed one flash to make the finals. However three of the problems got climbed (with one problem receiving no tops) so I felt a bit disappointed not to have got further. I didn’t mess up which was nice, I just wasn’t strong enough for those problems. I have come away with things to work on which is always good and hopefully next time will be better! Amazing result from Shauna Coxsey as usual and fantastic climbing from Leah Crane too. We had a really fun weekend making some shapes too:



Home for two days and then it was time to head to Stockholm for the 2013 Tierra Boulder Battle. This event was great, I think it was the best one I have done so far! An all girl competition: Alex Puccio, Melissa Le Neve, Anja Hodan, Therese Johansson, Matilda Soderland and me. We set boulders, tested them, played around with fancy dress, did photo shoots, took saunas, saw the sights of Stockholm, drank copious amounts of coffee, competed and then partied! It was such a good weekend! I really enjoyed the climbing and was pleased to come in 3rd place in the competition.



Some fancy dress and make up!



 CAC had a good presence this weekend too!



 Melissa’s problem (my favourite one!)

Now a bit of time at home to top up the training, climb outside and take a deep breath or two before heading to Kitzbuhel next week!

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Kitzbuhel World Cup 2013
30 April 2013, 12:42 pm

Kitzbuhel by Team GB, Photo Victoria Newlands

Another World Cup over, another mixed bag of emotions. It was my best competition to date but also probably one of the most frustrating.

Kitzbuhel is a beautiful setting; we had a great weekend with a cohesive team, fantastic climbing and some excellent results. In the qualifying rounds, both men and women were in two groups. The GB men sadly didn’t qualify for semi finals, despite putting in great performances. In the girls Leah, Shauna and I made semi finals. I was a bit shocked to go out and flash all the qualifying problems but it was a great feeling! I have to admit that I thought perhaps we were going to have a repeat of the Chongqing round, where eleven women qualified in joint 1st place with a score of 5/5, so I was excited and surprised to discover it was just Alex Puccio and me!

Rest time, Photo Andreas Aufschnaiter

The next day it was strange being in the last group of athletes to leave isolation. I’m not used to it and I kept thinking I should have been warming up sooner. It was odd to see climbers that I admired  leaving before me in a semi final competition, and scary to think I would have to follow their performances! I was feeling confident though and was really excited. I felt like I was good enough to make finals and maybe this was my window of opportunity.

The semi final slab! Photo Eddie Fowkes

I ended up in 12th after the semis but I don’t feel that that fairly represents how I climbed. I did the first two problems and got to the last move of the 3rd problem three times, touching the final hold….if I had held that hold, I would have made finals. Putting it like that shows me how close I was and although it makes me frustrated it also gives me the confidence (along with my qualifying round) to pick myself back up and try again. Next round is in Slovenia in just under two weeks…

Problem 3 in semi finals, Photo Andreas Aufschnaiter

I may not have had the results I am after yet this year but they are within sight. I think I am capable of making a final and that in itself is progress. Last year I was participating, this year I am competing.

Photo Andreas Aufschnaiter

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk

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Pack and unpack, pack and unpack….
21 May 2013, 8:54 am

These last few weeks have been a manic series of packing and unpacking; travelling and waiting; climbing up and falling down; leaving excited and coming home tired. Doing a full season is exhausting! I haven’t done this many competitions back to back before and it is really fun. There is, of course, a trade off element to the whole thing: limited climbing outside, lots of time away and lots of travelling. Having said that, I would do it all again and probably will next year! I am lucky enough to have the time to focus on outside climbing at other times in the year so I don’t feel too bereft while I am focussing on competitions.

The World Cups are kind of addictive. This year I have made consistent semi-finals and have placed in the top 15 every time. That is a huge step up for me. Every competition I am excited, every competition I want to do better, at the end of every event I am glad I get another go in not too long. The finals are the finish line for me, that is where I want to be but there are some hard problems on the way and some seriously talented climbers to compete against. Maybe it will happen this year, maybe it won’t. Either way I am enjoying every competition and while that is still the case I will keep trying.

Log Dragomer and Innsbruck were both brilliant events. Innsbruck stuck out for me as one of the best this year; it is a really cool city, the crowd was great, the problems were great….the ice cream was great! I especially enjoyed watching the finals and seeing Jule Wurm and Jan Hojer win. Both climbers are really nice people and looked so happy and overwhelmed, it was quite emotional!  Anna, as always, put in a solid performance and only just missed out on the gold. It would have been impressive for her reign to continue but I am sure she was psyched for her friend too.

So, back to the training board. A week at home now before flying first to Toronto and then to Vail for the next two World Cups (and my last ones!).



Problem 4 in the Qualifiers, Photo Udo Neumann



Problem 1, Semi-finals, Photo Dominik Wujastyk



Women’s Podium, Photo Udo Neumann



Team GB, Log – Dragomer.

Source: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk