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Ever wanted to go to World Cup?

climbingjac

29-Oct-2005
7:51:02 PM

It didn't take long for the wall to spit people off. Gulp. When girl # 3 was on the wall, I was seated on a chair behind the wall where I tied in. My belayer and spotter were there. They did some polite nodding... ok, no English then. No problem. The commentator said my name, "Australie" and a bunch of other words I didn't understand. Very intimidating. I sat there with my hands behind my back in my chalkbag and breathed slowly. I could see the shadow of girl # 3 being lowered to the ground. Looks like she got a few clips up, which is encouraging, or intimidating as the case may be. Then my belayer raised his eyebrows and nodded at me and it was time to go. I started shaking....

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter which will be posted in 5 or 6 hours.

jac


mousey

29-Oct-2005
9:10:49 PM

aooooooohhhh thats soo not fair!! mypalms were sweating and everything!

climbingjac

30-Oct-2005
3:12:09 AM

Sorry about the delay! Siesta gets in the way when shops close.

OK so I headed out to the wall and was grateful to observe the stadium was not yet packed out (it was only about 9.20am). I nodded at my belayer to confirm he was ready, had another look at the moves en-route to the roof, and I was "ready" to begin. Two hands on the wall on the upside down pinches, one foot on the wall, and I pulled off the ground. OK here we go, this is my attempt on the route. I squeezed the pinches really hard, got some body tension going and snatched onto the large undercling. Adjusted my feet, and right hand up to the long crimp. Adjust the body position, I think I clipped here; and then match. I took a look at the crappy hold - even touched it to check it wasn't a jug, but no; it is a tiny sloper. I'm not using it. OK; darn. Nasty crossthru to the small chunky sidecling. Feet up; hold your breath; pull in hard; launch and yes! It worked. I'm on the largeish slopeyish pointy hold. Hmm. It is awkward to match, given where the feet are. Darn. I think I clipped the second draw here. Some chalking up to calm myself down, but I am now shaking so much I'm almost shaking myself right off the wall. So I push my hips a little farther forward than usual to get a little more weight on my feet. Man am I grateful I'm wearing long pants now - it is hopefully less obvious how much I am shaking. OK I make the match, but I have to be super careful not to slide right off the hold. Place the feet on some tinies, lock, and reach up to a pocket which is facing in a slightly inconvenient manner. I look up and realise the next hold is the one with heaps of ridges on it. Not totally sure how good it will be. Oh my goodness, it is also a long way across (horizontally). The feet are in a bad spot, and this will require a serious shoulder lock. Panic sets in, and I am thinking "#####, this is where I'm going to fall off. It's so early! Argh!!!! Panic!!!!" and then I say to myself "stop it! this panicking rubbish is not what you came here to do! Now get on with it and show the world what the Aussies can do! So I lock down hard, squish my face up for some extra body tension, chin up so I can gat closer to the wall, and over I go. I grab the hold, reset on it, and quickly reshuffle my feet into a layback position so the sidecling is more positive. Phew! Whoah, can't stop here. Clip and go. Right hand up to a pocket. There are some small holds around with chalk on them, but it could be dicey to use them. I think I'll go without. I'll go the long power move instead. More shaking. Not a good time for shaking. How am I going to reach that high? It's so far! Oh for goodness sake Jacqui, it's not rocket science. Need to make a long move, get the feet up. High. OK, feet up, twistlock, GO! Excellent. I've landed it. Careful, it's slopey. Feet up, stay under the sloper. Clip. Chalk up, calm down. Hang on a minute; I'm in the roof. Woo hoo!!!! Big holds here we come! I finally start to relax and enjoy myself. The commentator is geeing up the crowd, and he is saying "Allez Jacqui! Allez!"

climbingjac

30-Oct-2005
3:15:58 AM

I use the slopey undercling on the underside of the sloper I am holding to gain some height. Left hand crosses up into the roof. Feet up. Feet not great; BODY TENSION. Waist up nice and high now. Reach through the lip, grab the massive doublehander jug. Take the feet off carefully. Dead hang. Match. Knees up to the chest. Feet onto the ceiling. Heels onto the hold my hands are on. Woo hoo! This is fun. The commentator sounds impressed I am not shaking anymore. I rest upside down here for a while. OK now for the cool bit. Heels off. Toes onto the roof. Wrap the left leg through; and FIGURE 4!! Force those legs down, grab the crimp, unravel the figure 4, and feet onto the jug. Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!

climbingjac

30-Oct-2005
3:30:02 AM

Hmmm it is not as restful here as I thought it would be. Go. Long snatch to a juggy sidecling. Adjust the feet. I've neglected to mention clips along the way. Sorry. Snatch the other side of the juggy hold in a match. Woah! That one threw my head back a bit. Adjust the feet. Get the waist up. Huge long move around the corner to a hold which might be crap. Nope; it is ok. Cool. Woah, hangon, the feet are crap. Oh well. Get a heelhook happening quickly. Quick shake. Wow I am through the second roof. Here comes the final approach wall. It is steep and the holds are suddenly smaller. Right; it is not restful here any more. Go! Grab a crimpy pinch on the lip. Yes! Dig that heel in. Pull the waist in. Hold still!!! Moves around the corner are always dicey! Hold still! Cross up snatch; fingers on the hold........ OFF!!!!!!!! No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Darn it! Had I made that move I was sure I could do 4 or 5 more. Not to worry.... I did much better than I though. I got off the ground and did not fall at the second clip. This is a 10 clip route (clip 10 is the anchor) and I was above clip 7. I am very happy nomatter what.

I watched some more climbers and a couple got spat off earlier than me; in one case because the girl had not seen some holds around the corner and tried to do a long move thru the lip onto a crimp. No good at all. Quite a shame as she was a really good climber.

I knew before I arrived in Europe I would not make the semi final (only 26 people go thru) and that is totally ok with me. In a way I am also happy with the fact I fell off due to not clenching myself up ready for a snatch onto a pinch. I think that as a climber I was good enough to make another 4 or 5 moves or so, though in this case I allowed the nerves to control me, and when I finally relaxed, I relaxed too much. But what this means to me is that I know I can climb harder, which is exciting because it implies I am possibly good enough to make the semi next time. Had I fallen off at a point where under no circumstances I could ever have gotten further, then that would be horrible because it would mean to be getting higher on these routes I must do some serious improvement in strength etc. But as it stands I think I am in theory strong enough. I need to word on controlling my nerves.

I have heaps more to tell you, but I have to rush off now and watch the finals. We'll talk again soon!!!!!

jac


mousey

30-Oct-2005
6:36:06 AM

awesome, well done jac!!!


Peacey

30-Oct-2005
8:28:23 AM

You have done us proud jac, you should feel great about what you have acheived.

gfdonc

30-Oct-2005
10:02:47 AM

Abserlutley gripping trip report, thanks. My palms are sweaty .. where's my chalk bag?

Big Arms

30-Oct-2005
11:06:13 AM

what about the other aussie ? sarah? didi she make the semi.


Sabu

30-Oct-2005
4:07:25 PM

nice work Jac.


Tel

30-Oct-2005
8:09:15 PM

excellent stuff, well done Jacqui

climbingjac

30-Oct-2005
8:15:10 PM

On 30/10/2005 Big Arms wrote:
>what about the other aussie ? sarah? didi she make the semi.

Sadly neither of us made the semi. The official results are not out yet, but they should appear soon here:
http://www.icc-info.org/?page_name=result

climbingjac

30-Oct-2005
8:17:40 PM

A few things I have learned over here:

It is necessary to memorize the World Cup rules on the UIAA website, as they are in English. At the event, you are not guaranteed to get a clear explanation of the rules in your native language. A Korean girl was cruising in the final, but moved past a handhold it was compulsory to clip from, and she was disqualified.

You must have your country code/name and flag on the BACK of your shirt. One guy had the flag on the front and this was not allowed.

Forget about downclimbing to the most recent good hold. The moves are all long and designed to keep you from downclimbing. The aim is to pump the competitors out.

More news soon!

Onsight

30-Oct-2005
10:39:57 PM

Results are up here:
http://www.escalade-competition.com/valence/index.php

Jac finished 30th and Sarah 34th.


jono

30-Oct-2005
11:00:29 PM

what an awesome read and well bloody done jac! i don't think i was breathing while i was reading it.


Megan

30-Oct-2005
11:23:16 PM

argh, the sweaty palms! Nice work guys :)


Ben

31-Oct-2005
1:36:05 AM

Jacqui,
Great write up, really interesting to see how a world class event feels from the competitors point of view. Wonderful to see you're over there competing - sounds like your doing pretty well.

Thanks for taking the time to send the letters back, I certainly enjoy reading them.

And I agree on the chocolate - probably what I'd be buying if I was over there.

(you should try some of the Koko black stuff in carlton when you get back - expensive, but lovely)


manacubus

31-Oct-2005
10:54:57 AM

That was a nail biter! Well done Jac.


Mikey

31-Oct-2005
10:40:25 PM

Well done Jac! You have done something most of us mere mortals will never. Great trip report.


neats

2-Nov-2005
7:45:00 AM

A great read Jac!! Great work!

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