Friday 12 October 2012


Sherpa ‘On the hill’ event>>>>

First up were a couple of days spent in the Lakes District with the Sherpa team and 25 other shop staff from around the country. It was a chance for everybody to get together and test out some of the new Sherpa gear. We all set off early wearing plenty of warm kit as we were told it could be -3 on the tops. It pretty much rained solidly for 4 hours while walking, which was brilliant as the kit got seriously tested! Haha! It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to the next…..

BLCC 2012 Senior Win>>>>

After returning from the Gorges du Loup, I got the motivation to get on with some training and take part in the BLCC’s 2012. I decided at the end of 2011 I would step back from the comp scene a bit and try and get outdoors more. I did so and had some great trips to Turkey, Spain and France. 10 months on and I was psyched again to get back into the lead comps. First hit was the BLCC’s. I felt in good shape and was super excited to be competing. The whole day went very well for me, I managed to top the first route and just missed out on the topping the second as I timed out (to slow) clipping the chains. I made it to the final along with Barrans, Tilley, White, Parsons and Phillips. The final route was super cool at around 8b. I came out and climbed until I had nothing left in the tank. After all of the finalists had climbed, I found out that I had gained first place by the skin of my teeth. I think I held a hold that Robbie touched?!?! It was a lot of fun seeing everybody again and I am buzzing for the Slovenia WC in just over 1 month.

LEEDS>>>>

Once back from Ratho I had arranged to meet up with Luke Tilley over in Leeds to have a couple of hard core training sessions. It started with a sweet day out at Caley (15 mins away from the crib).  We both managed to make quick sends of Block Buster (7B+) and JuJu club (7B+/7C). I also luckily managed to climb Zoo York (8A) in a session, a fantastic problem with great moves. We then finished the day with a late night board session with the rest of Luke’s house mates. Psyche was high. The next day we were up and out at 9am and ready to hit up the Leeds Wall. We both had a sick session on the routes and boulders. A great couple of training days, thanks to Luke.


                 Senior Podium: Robbie Phillips/Ed Hamer/Dave Barrans                    

                                                           Final Route

                                                          Sherpa Adventure gear testing day
Here are a couple petit training video's innit,
Rest is calling!!!!!! Onwards and upwards!!!!!
 

Friday 5 October 2012

Frankenjura!

I've just got home from a lightling fast trip to the amazing Frankenjura in Germany! I was only there week but we managed to fit quite a lot of stuff into such a short time, with some climbing, a bit of sight seeing and even went back to school for a day! It was an amazing week in a very special place with a very special person, Tanja.
She kindly invited me over and gave me a tour of some of the best crags in Northern Frankenjura. Just down the road from her house!! It was great to have someone local show me around the place and I got a much better feel for the area!
Weather wise it was perfect climbing conditions being cool and sunny.
I dont know why we hadnt gone back, since we went there 4 years ago as its just such an incredible place to go climbing. So yeh it was awesome fun! Cant wait for the next trip there. Check out the shots to see what we got up to!

Here were a few of the amazing routes I did:-
Nikita 8a+, Infiziert 7c+, Lochverstarker 7c+, Down Under 7c+, Marathon Man 7b+, Dumbo 7b, Die Vollerdung 7a+, Salsa 7a.
Celebrating the onsight of Down Under 7c+
Classic 8 (7a) of the Jura- Salsa
Drinking in Bamberg-Gasmos!!
Huge pizza in Bamberg

Aaamazing Bavarian food!
Stick clip or is that a Clip stick?
Heeeeey!
Coburg
Spot the lady with the four breasts!
Nikita 10- (8a+)

Nikita



Then apart from that, we've been out abit back home, mainly just ticking off a few things down at the Tor. The Prow and Cruxifiction (both 8a) were super cool lines all the way to the top of the crag! Also ticked a couple of Ted's cool links, The Green Rooster 8a and Lets get Green 7c+. Ed did The Toilet 8a

Then we checked out a little crag down at WCJ with a route called The Vision on it. It was pretty dirty and hadnt been climbed for a good while and we found it quite tricky to figure out which route was which. But we spent a bit of time cleaning and it turned out to be quite a decent and pretty desperate route!! Not quite the 7c/+ it says in the guide! More like tough 8a we thought!
Then up the road at Bigginers wall I did Fossil wall 7c and a couple of new 7c's down at Rubicon, Slapin and The Wimp.

Then last but not least I had a great day down at the Tor this week with Ethan. It was amazing to have the crag pretty much to our selves considering its been so horribly busy the last few times I've been there. Anyway I did the awesome extention to Chimes, which goes all the way to the top of the crag called Waddage 8b. Its a pretty rad route with a full on jump move right near the top after a lot of climbing!
Then after that I did a neat little route tucked around the corner called Tomb Raider 8a. Only short but packs in the moves!! Ethan then dispatched a cool problem called Lets get ready to rumbleweed V11 and I did Tumbleweed V10 

So thats all folks for now, Cheers ya'll
over and out