Water-Cum-Jolly and Cheedale

On Friday Sabby, Kathi, Mart and myself visited Water-Cum-Jolly. The conditions were perfect with a light breeze cooling the rock. We warmed up at Rubicon and went across to the Cornice. It was totally dry. We climbed some fantastic routes including Brachiation Dance (7b+), The Free Monster (8a) and Monsterosity (8b). I think Monsterosity is the best route I have ever climbed at that grade.

People were talking about how dry Cheedale's Cornice is and that one route was crying out to be climbed: Monumental Armblaster (8a+). I never saw the route in its previous condition but can imagine just how dirty it was. Thanks to the team who cleaned the route up and have made it a pleasure to climb, again one of the best.

Back in Austria now getting ready for the European Championships in Innsbruck, should be a mega event with the wall located in the central market square.

Niederthai Weekend

The weather in Tirol has been atrocious over the past 3 weeks. Literally raining everyday. There was a short break in the bad weather over the weekend and the only place that seemed to be dry was Niederthai. My brother, Mart, is out in Austria at the moment and I pointed him towards the classic test piece "Glückshormon" Fr8b+. On Sunday he climbed the route after a good fight with bad skin, his first of the grade. The photo is of Mart setting up for the crux.

On Sunday I was able to climb the project to the left of Glückshormon. The line was originally bolted by the climbing legend Markus Haid sometime back. I tried the line last year with Sir Ennemoser and it was going well before we ripped a crucial crimp off leaving a big gap in the middle of the crux. The only way this section is now possible is with a really powerful dyno off two bad pinches. The dyno didn't feel possible last year and we declared the section impossible. I attempted the route on Saturday with Heiko and the move went. The route is named "7UP" and graded Fr8c.

Boulder Worldcup Munich (D)

The final round of the 2010 bouldering worldcup was held at the Olympic Stadium in Munich. The location of the event was incredible with a huge glass roof sheltering the blocs and crowd from the thunderstorms. The qualification round went well and I was able to climb in the next round. I was really focused in the semi-final and wanted to secure a Top-10 overall position. I was very pleased with my 9th place but like in previous events the final felt close.



My overall position for the 2010 Boulder Worldcup is 6th- a result I could of never predicted.

(Heiko Wilhelm)