Winter Bouldering Flash Comp: Over 30s
Mar. 29th, 2015 02:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sawylThe first of a handful of posts on Saturday's flash bouldering competition at the Quay, starting with the over 30s finals.
Following the Under 16s finals, Mikey takes a moment to brush the chalk off the holds ready for the adults.
The first competitor sending the first problem. Although he makes it look easy, the start was impressively precarious with no holds until the large fluro half-moon sloper he has his foot on.
Someone else uses the arete on to crank up to the finish.
The second problem, tucked in the corner, was a relatively straight-forward and everyone finished it with very little trouble...
The third problem was very tough and I don't think anyone sent it. I think this is the only competitor who managed to make this move stick — everyone else peeled off at the previous pinch.
The final problem, in comparison, responded well to a range of different approaches...
...including a particularly nice heel hook.
Laura, E, and Maggie as they prepare for the finals. At this point, E still thinks she's not going to be climbing...
Laura, the first of the women to try, finishing the first problem without too much trouble.
E making easy work of the second problem
By the third problem, things have become a little trickier...
Maggie working on the third problem.
A radical new approach to the problem in the dying seconds of the round. The competitors have four minutes in which to attempt the problem, but as long as they've started an attempt before the timer runs out, they're allowed to try and finish it, at which point it makes sense to start thinking outside the box.
By using the top hold as a combination pinch and sloper, one person finally manages to make the move stick...
Prior to each attempt every competitor gets a briefing from a judge, telling them which holds are in. Here E is being given a run-down on the third problem by Gav.
The final problem was a mixture of volumes and crimps. The next move involves a dynamic attempt to reach an oval volume directly above.
There wasn't a great deal of concensus on how to tackle this move: some people spanned out straight for the hold with others, as here, going for a press first to stablise themslves.
A dyno for the finish on the oval orange volume...
Maggie on the mid stages of the final problem
A side-on view of the same problem, making the overhang more obvious. Note the nice little toe hook to aid stability while spanning out to the crimp on the light blue...
...followed by a pull up on the next crimp — notice how tiny and fingery those handholds are!
Due to a scheduling glitch, E managed to miss her final problem — I was starting to wonder where she'd gone and a couple of the others asked whether she'd left for home — only to have to do the thing as a final testimonial once the men's open finals were complete:
Following the Under 16s finals, Mikey takes a moment to brush the chalk off the holds ready for the adults.
The first competitor sending the first problem. Although he makes it look easy, the start was impressively precarious with no holds until the large fluro half-moon sloper he has his foot on.
Someone else uses the arete on to crank up to the finish.
The second problem, tucked in the corner, was a relatively straight-forward and everyone finished it with very little trouble...
The third problem was very tough and I don't think anyone sent it. I think this is the only competitor who managed to make this move stick — everyone else peeled off at the previous pinch.
The final problem, in comparison, responded well to a range of different approaches...
...including a particularly nice heel hook.
Laura, E, and Maggie as they prepare for the finals. At this point, E still thinks she's not going to be climbing...
Laura, the first of the women to try, finishing the first problem without too much trouble.
E making easy work of the second problem
By the third problem, things have become a little trickier...
Maggie working on the third problem.
A radical new approach to the problem in the dying seconds of the round. The competitors have four minutes in which to attempt the problem, but as long as they've started an attempt before the timer runs out, they're allowed to try and finish it, at which point it makes sense to start thinking outside the box.
By using the top hold as a combination pinch and sloper, one person finally manages to make the move stick...
Prior to each attempt every competitor gets a briefing from a judge, telling them which holds are in. Here E is being given a run-down on the third problem by Gav.
The final problem was a mixture of volumes and crimps. The next move involves a dynamic attempt to reach an oval volume directly above.
There wasn't a great deal of concensus on how to tackle this move: some people spanned out straight for the hold with others, as here, going for a press first to stablise themslves.
A dyno for the finish on the oval orange volume...
Maggie on the mid stages of the final problem
A side-on view of the same problem, making the overhang more obvious. Note the nice little toe hook to aid stability while spanning out to the crimp on the light blue...
...followed by a pull up on the next crimp — notice how tiny and fingery those handholds are!
Due to a scheduling glitch, E managed to miss her final problem — I was starting to wonder where she'd gone and a couple of the others asked whether she'd left for home — only to have to do the thing as a final testimonial once the men's open finals were complete:
