Magic Wood

Chickenhead 8A (Flash)

Riverbed 8B

Had 2 days in Averstal with Sabby. 1st day went to Chickenhead with Ned, Tom, Dave and Tony and managed to flash it. After played on Riverbed and got it wired. 2nd day woke up super early to avoid sun and climbed Riverbed 1st go...perfect.

Oetztal is wet!

The weather is so bad at the moment in Oetztal. I decided to leave Mordor today due to my back and poor conditions and have a look at a hidden sector in Niederthai. The sector is located in the woods behind the main areas of Niederthai and you end up going down this big hole type thing before reaching the routes...cool. The sector has three routes 6c, 8b, 7c and they were first climbed by Markus Haid sometime ago. I cleaned up the 8b and dried some holds and I was amazed. The holds are perfect consisting of crimps and slopers with perfect flowing moves between them. I was really pleased to climb the route today but would of been best to have rested my back.

Fierra Bouldering World Cup

Two years ago I injured my back in Fierra at the Wc and it happened again this year. I'd warmed up for the quali really well and felt ready. I flashed the 1st bloc and then messed up the 2nd bloc, sat down for the 5min rest period and when I put my shoes on I felt something go in my back. I sarted to panic because I couldn't breathe deep and rotate to the right without lots of pain. I decided to just carry on and see if it got better. It didn't and I was unable to give 100% on the remaining blocs. I finished 28th climbing just 2 problems. I was very dissapointed because the blocs were perfect for me-crimpy and basic. My back is still painful but starting to ease. I have had back problems for a long time now and I am really lazy when it comes to back exercises but this has shown me just how important it is to train your whole body. The next WC is in 3 weeks so hopefully I'll be ready for it.

Grindelwald Bouldering WC

The world cup in Grindelwald went well. On friday I qualified in 3rd place but dropped to 16th in the semi-final. Dave Barrans should of been in the semi too but another climber found a way around the hardest boulder (didn't get done the original way) using holds from the girl's bloc and so he ended up in 21st. I have something to work on before the next comp in Fierra; flexibility.

Tumpen Bloc Topo

There is a now a topo for Tumpen Bloc available at http://www.oetztalclimbing.com/

Map of Tumpen Bloc