Deep Water Soloing 2014: Finals

[sawyl]

After break of a couple of hours, during which I went for Moroccan mint tea and a hippy nut bar at a cafe in town, the wall was stripped down and the final three problems were put up ready for the last part of the competition.

This isn't a brilliant photo, but it shows just how bare the final configuration was: the male finals problem is the blue running from left to right, the female and U16 male problem is red running from right to left, and the U16 female is green running from the middle up to the top left corner.



The evening event started with the U16 competitors, all of whom were absolutely amazing. They may have been shorter than most — some of them were tiny! — but they more than made up for it with solid technique and astonishing power-to-weight ratios. They were followed by the eight female finalists, including a few competitors who'd come all the way from the open sessions on Saturday.

Unsurprisingly the big three dominated the final round, but even they obviously found it hard going.

Emma Twyford came third, making it as far as the first bowl-shaped volume in the middle. She managed to get her foot on it a couple of times, but couldn't quite get the move to stick.

Sierra Blair-Coyle came second, sticking the move to the first bowl but failing to make it off the volume on to the next set of handholds.

Michaela Tracy, made it to the next set of handholds, getting a huge cheer from the crowd when they realised she'd just made the winning move.

But because none of the competitors had seen each other's attempts, she obvious couldn't be sure she'd won — although she must have suspected something from the crowd's reaction! — so she carried on and made it to the next volume...

... before peeling off trying to get up on the second bowl volume, a mere comple of moves from the last hold. It was a seriously, seriously impressive performance.

Following the end of the female final, there was a short break during which the competitors inspected the wall and Neil Gresham talked a little bit about the competition, mentioning the quality of the setting and how well the problems tested the different weaknesses of the climbers, with people falling off at a range of different places on the wall — rather than everyone simply struggling with the same crux move.



While this was going on the weather changed for the better, with the late summer sun breaking through the clouds at just the right angle to catch the wall in all its glory. As a result, instead of having to shoot into the sun, I finally got an opportunity to take some glorious pictures of the finalists lit by a beautiful orange, late summer sun. Pure perfection.

I'm not entirely sure of all the names, so I've had to crib them from their numbers — I hope I've got them right!


Hamish Potokar, who performed very strongly throughout the competition.



Adrian Baxter, from early in the problem to the last couple of moves

Liam Halsey, the winner, close to the finish and sporting a very practical transparent plastic chalk bag!

Matt Cousins, who came second, balancing very neatly on almost nothing.



Ed Hamer, up to and just after the end of his attempt on the problem!

Nathan Phillips, placed third, who has suffered slightly in comparison to the others because the awesome light had started to fade by the time of his climb...


All in all, it was an awesome weekend, a great event, and a real inspiration. Let's hope it gets more people climbing and let's hope it happens again next year!