PETTING WITH AN ALLIGATOR

First the video:


Petting with an Alligator from Gašper Bratina on Vimeo.

Now a few words...ok maybe more than just a few :)

My first real long term project is done. It's been quite journey. I first tried it in the spring 2010. And I kind of believed that I could do this thing one day. But it wasn't till a few weeks ago when I knew that it was just a matter of time. Luckily there was no snow in Maltatal yesterday so it was possible to top out this huge bloc.

The story begins in spring 2010 when I first tried it. But it felt hard on my fingers so I didn't try it again 'till fall. That's when I first did all the moves. I remember I was pretty psyched but I didn't realize that this is just the beginning. The crux is to put it all together. It's a pretty long climb with 12 moves to the jug. For me it was the hardest to move my feet twice. I was pretty confident that I could do it then but if I think about it now I was still so far away. Next time I tried it was this spring. I think that was when I first did all the foot transitions but I didn't feel that I could just do it then. The first crux was so random. I did it and then it felt impossible for the next I don't know how many tries.

This fall was different. There were many ups and downs and I got to the point where I was so fed up with this problem that I told Gašper that I needed I new project and that there was no point in trying this thing and blablabla... But he encouraged me to try some different beta on the beginning and gave me a power spot just to see if it could work, and it did! So I forgot about everything I said 5 min ago and did my best try by far. That was 3 weeks ago. From that moment on I knew I was going to do it soon. I was just hoping that it wasn't going to snow and I would have to wait next spring.

And so it started. The fallowing weekend bad weather all around. Next weekend: snow on the top outs, impossible to climb out. That day really made me sad. I wanted this so bad. All I could do was climb to the jug and jump down...arghhh. But there was one more thing I haven't done before. The last move on the jug. Not because it was hard but I was allways scared to do it. It gets pretty high and the landing goes downhill from a huge step. I always had some excuse not to do it and thought I'll manage when I come there from the bottom . So every time I was full of excuses. It was not enough pads or I'll do it next time or something. Anyway, I finally did it and it was not that scary. So we drove back home and I was pretty convinced that this is it 'till next year.

During the week I kind of forgot about going there again. And then this Saturday evening Boško, our friend who's allways driving us there, he checked out the weather cameras in Gmund and there was no snow, which was hard to believe cause there was snow 250km to the south where we live. So we decided to give it a try. You don't know maybe it's gonna be perfect there. And it was! Really cold and dry. I was pretty nerveus the night before. I couldn't sleep tight. I don't know what made me more nerveus. The fact that maybe there's still snow up there or that it's all good and that I can really do it tomorrow.

The warm up started pretty shakey. Maybe it was the cold or my nervs, probably both. My climbing was far from perfect and I didn't feel any special power in my hands. Then I thought about how many times I felt like this and a lot worse before some competition in the isolation zone and then I climbed really good. So I took a rest, tried to calm down and focus. I was just putting on my shoes when all this people came with many pads and started to put it down. Perfect! I started climbing. Everything went great but when I came to the pinch where the hardest part is over I didn't feel my fingers anymore. It was a little below zero and the problem has like 12 moves. So I had to fight hard. And I would of jumped down if I didn't want it so much. I still don't know how I did it. 

This was the best christmas present ever. And probably the sweetest moment of my climbing life. I'm really really happy I did it. It got pretty epic in the end and all that makes it even more special.

PDK - national comp

I decided to compete on the last competition of this season in Kranj. The weather sucked so there was nothing to do outside and I thought it could be fun. All the strong slovenian girls were there and that made it challenging. It's been like 6 months since my last comp and everybody was like: hey, you came to compete or what? The problems in the finals were long and pumpy on this huge overhang wall. So it was not the question of power but more endurance thing. Doesn't matter. I was happy with my 3rd place after Mina and Maja who are crushing the lead world cup scene and are also strong in bouldering. It was also nice to see everyone. But now I have enough of comps for a while again and I wanna go out. It's just this rain that has to stop!
You can see some photos from the finals here.

Less Intensive video

Less Intensive from 8house production on Vimeo.

INTENSIVE

Yesterday I made a second ascent of Intensive 8A in Črnotiče, (FA Boštjan Weingerl). I didn't really expect it to happen. It all started in Maltatal the day before. I did really good in my project which gave me a confidence that I can really do it now. The next day we went to Črnotiče cave to get some sun after the cold day in Maltatal. I wanted to climb the stand start of Intensive: Less Intensive 7C and I did it in first try that day. I knew the moves of the sit start so I started trying it from the bottom. It's a 12 move problem with constant hard moves. After climbing slow and all tensed you need to explode and do a big dynamic move to stick the last slopy jug. This move can really make you crazy. Before, I was trying a lot the stand start and kept falling on the last move. I even managed to fall once I already had it. But that really helped me yesterday. I knew those moves really well and when I did the start I was able to fight all the way. And the last hold didn't seem so far yesterday. It was one of those days when everything goes just as it should. I felt strong, the conditions were good and in my head I was ready to send. I really missed that in my climbing lately but now it's all changed and I'm psyched about everything that's about to come...

Unfortunately we don't have a video of the climb. We only filmed the 7C and then SD card was full and it all happened to fast.

Good times

Better later than never, a few words about my last trip to Font on MOONBLOG.

Tomorrow I will be gone

Nice video from Rocklands. Makes me wonna go there...


Tomorrow I Will Be Gone from Outcrop Films on Vimeo.

The video is here...

3 from Font with Katja Vidmar from Gašper Bratina on Vimeo.

FONTAINEBLEAU

A few photos from our last trip to Font. The whole report and the video, coming soon!

Trying to stand on the smallest footholds in Duel 8A

Lady Big Claques 7A+, Buthiers BEAUTIFUL!!!

Noir Desir 7C, Couvier Rempart, still a project.

G in l'appartenance, Buthiers, next time!?

G in Deux Faux Plis en Plats Reels 7C, Hautes Plaines, HARD!

Nexus in The Bloc, St. Germaine, so close!!!

 All the photos were taken by me or G!

Črnotiče sessions

Lately, we ended up going to Črnotiče quite a few times. The cave became some kind of a training gym for us. Everybody has some projects and there are endless possibilities for linking the problems together.

I did Leo Martin 7C, a little roof in the middle of the cave. Here below is a video from Šeli's FA. When I did it the battery just died and didn't film the end. Bummer!


Črnotiče sessions from 8house production on Vimeo.

I also did some FA links for training:
-Route 66, 7A+ (starting on the jug from Gnojna bula and going all the way to the left finishing in Časovni stroj)
-Bloody cheater 7B (like Bloody flapper but going to the left and also finishing in Časovni stroj) This one was originally G's idea and he also found a new knee bar beta for the start. Very cool moves and pumpy at the end.

Other vise, I spent most of the time climbing stand start from Intensive (Boško's problem, also in the video) and I always fell on the last move. I even got to hold the last jug once but didn't manage to finish with the other hand. Now it all got pretty mental. I don't wanna keep on falling there, it makes me crazy!

Now we're going to Font in a few days!!! Can't wait!!! Two weeks of worlds best bouldering. When I come back Intensive should be easy :) Here are some pictures (not very good ones) from the night session a week or two ago. Try to guess who's the climber on the photo?

THE BEACH

The Beach 7B+, Trnovo ob Soči (photo: Gašper Bratina)

MAGIC WOOD

Magic wood from 8house production on Vimeo.

TRAINING

At the moment I'm not doing anything serious but climbing. Life is good this way. Wake up in the morning, take it easy and then go climbing. We also started with some yoga exercise and it's really good. After only three sessions the difference is amazing. I don't remember the last time I was this flexible. Sometimes the positions in yoga are strange and hard like in bouldering. And with training it gets less uncomfortable and everything looks effortless and smooth. And that's how I want my climbing to feel like.

Anyway, in the afternoon it's time to go climbing. Usually, we go bouldering to one of the small local spots around here. Right now I'm not focusing on any projects I just want to climb as many different things as possible. New boulders, boulders that I already did, hard ones, easy ones, everything, even routes. Sometimes easy boulders seem pretty hard in this tropic weather (+30° and 85% humidity). But this is all training and preparing for the fall, when conditions will be good and we'll go crush some hard stuff. Here are some photos from climbing around our beautiful valley:

Beautiful 6C on Kovk

New line in Črnotiče: Leo Martin 7C+ (G working the moves, Šeli made the FA later)

Roxy climbing with us on Col

Trnovo: Šeli & Vrabec

 

 

Grilc & the legendary sloper on Vitovlje

8HOUSE

It's been almost two weeks since I moved from my sister's apartment in Škofja Loka to our new house in Vrhpolje with my new roommates and 8HOUSE members: G and Šeli. And even though the famous gym Poden is pretty far now, I think I'll be fine here :)

It's a perfect place to live if you're a climber in Slovenia. Vipavska Bela is just up the hill offering some nice sport climbing. I guess I'll use my harness more often now. All the local bouldering places are a few minutes drive away and when it's raining we have a new gym in Šempeter. Even Swiss boulders are an hour closer than they were before!

I had a summer break from climbing for a few weeks. It was really hot and I didn't rest for a year so I thought it was a smart thing to do. And now I feel fresh and psyched for climbng again! Here are some recent random pictures. More to come....from 8HOUSE!

Reachy move on Orlovca (photo: Gašper Bratina)

Krk in the morning sun (photo: Gašper Bratina)

Not my catch. Miha did all the hard work, I'm just posing (photo: Gašper Bratina)

Climbing in Zminec (photo: Katja)

Awesome problem in Dovžanova soteska, Mininova 6C (photo: Gašper Bratina)

Roxy and her big eyes (photo: Katja)

Climbing Camp - ARCO

Crazy week in Arco with 22 kids from our local club and 3 coaches (me, Andrej and Grega) trying to handle everything. We had a great time climbing in some of the best crags around Arco: Massone, Nago, La Gola and San Siro. It was all about having lots and lots of fun. Unforgettable!!!

Everybody here?

Taking a walk.

Blaž in Massone

Underground

 

Rest day: Lago di Garda

Robi playing ''drums''.

Nataša in Massone

 

A lizard with no tail was our pet for a day in La Gola.

Luka climbing in Nago

What's for dinner? Mmmmm :)

Summer is here

I didn't write anything for a while now. It's summer and it's hot, not a good time for bouldering at the moment, so everything is pretty calm and there's no real action.

So I was thinking that some sport climbing wouldn't hurt. And I went to try it a few times. It was really hard at first and then it was getting fun and it was cool to do something else. I still couldn't climb anything harder than 7c and longer than 15 meters which is really bad so I think I should do it more! It's not so cool falling on the last moves before the jug or even falling from the jugs... too much bouldering and just bouldering... not good!

So this was a nice shock for my body and my forearms. Lately, I'm also studying for my exams, one more think that I haven't been doing for a while now and I really should. And to turn everthing upside down I even went jogging the other day :) ?!

All this is quite a strange behavior for me so this week we went bouldering again to rebalance everything :) Ahhhh it was soooo gooood!!! We drove all the way to eastern part of the country for the weekend to visit our friend Bric. He showed us some fine granite blocs. Good hard bouldering! And yesterday we visited Col and I did Dead man in a few tries. A nice pretty high 7C arete with really small holds in the beginning and then it climbs up beautifully. I loved it and it was nice to send something after a long time.

Here are some photos:

Macola 7C, Ožbalt, no realization...have to come back! (photo: Gašper Bratina)

Dead Man 7C, Col, good limestone bouldering! (photo: Gašper Bratina)

Enjoy...

To nedeljo vsi v Ostrigo na...

Moonblog

 

My report about the World Cup in Log and what else was going on since I came back from The States on MOONBLOG!

World Cup - Log

This weekend we had a great home competition. For the first time Slovenia hosted a bouldering World Cup and the organizers did a great job.

Fighting in my last problem in the finals (photo: Maja Vidmar)

It's been almost a year since my last World Cup competition. So I didn't know what to expect and that was really good because I had no pressure and I just wanted to climb my best.

I guess it was my lucky day yesterday. The route setters made interesting, really hard but possible boulder problems. I climbed good in the semi-finals and just made it to the top 6 girls that competed in the evening finals. Natalija also made it which was good for our team success.

Climbing in the finals, with that nothing-to-lose feeling and with the crazy crowd cheering for you was super cool. The problems were really hard. I had to fight the whole time just to get to the bonus hold.

First problem in the finals: How to get around this slippery edge?! (photo: Maja Vidmar)

At the end no tops for me and 4th place. I just missed the podium where Anna Stoehr took the first place, Akiyo Noguchi was 2nd and Alex Puccio 3rd. I'm really happy with my 4th place. I did my best and I enjoyed it so much!.

The podium (photo: Maja Vidmar)

Since I came back from The States I kind of focused on this competition. I climbed a lot outside but I also trained indoor with the whole team. And I think that the balance that I found between training and rock climbing was perfect for me.

Like I said, the competition was great but now I want to go back to Magic Wood as soon as possible :)

Magic Wooooooood

From Strongfinger productions:

Short but magic holidays with G, Boško, other Slovenians, Americans, Swiss,...many cool and strong people to climb with! The conditions were perfect but I didn't send anything hard this time, couldn't really focus on one thing. I just wanted to climb as much as possible. There's too many good problems for such a short trip.

Next time I have to do Du côté de Seshuan. I kept falling on the last move, jumping for the jug. Arrrrgggghhh :) 

G&I, we were also trying Octopussy and it went pretty good. I almost sticked the sloper a few times...it's a big move, but I think I could do it one day. Seeing Alex Puccio in Jack's broken heart was impressive. Boško also did it the next day. Very cool problem!

Octopussy...almost there :)

G trying Unendliche Geschichte 2

We'll be back soon...

Easter in Maltatal

On Friday before the holidays confusing weather forecasts finally brought us to the decision to spend Easter in Maltatal. First time this year back to my project Petting with an alligator. I was pretty nerveus to try it again. But it went suprisingly well and now it's time to stop just trying and send it! I hope the conditions will stay good enough, because I don't know if I could wait 'till fall.

I usually go to Maltatal just for a day to try my project. But this time we climbed everything. Easy stuff for everybody, new problems, old ones we've tried before...everything!

Here are some pictures...

Outside 7C (photo: Marko Bratina)

G and some slopers (photo: Marko Bratina)

Workin on my project (photo: Marko Bratina)

Petting with an alligator (photo: Marko Bratina)

...and a video from Ouside. Like all the photos, from Marko Bratina (Pussyfinger productions):

Hubelj

On Sunday I went to Hubelj for the first time this year and it's really different like G told me before. The river changed it's channel and new problems were found and some old ones are gone. I'm glad that Srce teme 7B stayed like it was because it's such a good line and I couldn't do it last summer. So I did this one and two new problems: Long Jackson 7B and Vajkl Jackson 7A.

It was a really cool day because I also did my first FA: Black Swan 6C. G found it but then I climbed it first. Here is the video of Srce teme and Black Swan:

Robanov kot & Dovžanova soteska

Training hard on plastic lately made last two days in rock really special. Last Thursday I joined Slovenia climbing team in Robanov kot. Small spot with some good lines in eastern part of our little country where I don't go very often. But this time we all came and Kruder who is a local there showed us around.

Slovenia climbing team (photo: Roman Krajnik)

Samurai Jack 7B+, Robanov kot (photo: Roman Krajnik)

Yesterday I went to Dovžanova soteska with G, where David Stepanjan found new blocs in the river channel. Very cool and unique slopy problems. Here are some pictures:

G in Black Ball 7B+, Dovžanova soteska (hard one!!!)

Unikat 6A, Dovžanova soteska (photo: Gašper Bratina)