August | 2014 | Anak Verhoeven

After the worldcup in Imst I was looking forward to a 2-week rock climbing holiday! Together with my parents I discovered Gorges du Loup, a beautiful place in the the south of France. The first days I was longing to climb, but I was still tired and even a bit ill. So after some more restdays I could finally begin!

The first route I did was Hot Chili X, a nice 8c, which I knew was possible for girls. I really wanted to try the 9a which Muriel had done, Punt X. With the help of the locals I tried working it out. The second time I tried it, I was able to do all the moves, exept one. I was surprised and happy that it went that well. But the next day I woke up with painful fingers which hurted when opening a quickdraw. I think the guilty hold was a 2 finger pocked named ‘la fourchette’ (French for ‘the fork’) by the locals which tells quite precisely how it feels. 😉 I decided not to try the 9a anymore, in order not to get injured, and I took another restday.

In the following days I was able to sent ‘Last Soul Sacrifice’, an 8c which begins with an 8b. In my first attempt I fell very high. I had past the hardest sections and I had been so close. That afternoon, after the sun had gone, I did another attempt. This time I felt so much worse than the first time, but I knew exactly what to do and I did not want to give up. It was so hot and I was thirsty while climbing, because the sun had been warming up the rock. I had to fight really hard, but then I finally reached the chain! 🙂

The locals supported me to try Ultimate Sacrifice as well. This one begins with a very short bouldery 8b and then joins the 8c. I worked it out a few times and then I did an attempt. I managed to climb the start and arrived already quite exhausted in the route I knew. But because of what I had experienced the day I had done the 8c, I knew that even when I was tired I was able to do the moves. This helped me a lot and gave me the confidence to keep on going. It was the same kind of fight, but I knew I could make it and I did! My first 8c+, so great!

For me this is a very special name. It reminds me of the one who gave Himself as the Ultimate Sacrifice for me: Jesus.

A holiday is always too short and I really began loving the place, but we had to return home.
On the last morning and in the very last hours I climbed an 8c named ‘Qoussai, les Maux de la Fin’. I had worked it out a few times before and I wanted to give everything, because I knew that it was possible. I almost felt like a competition! I was so happy and relieved that it worked out well. 🙂

Thanks to my parents for the hours of patiently belaying and to the other climbers who gave me such useful beta! 🙂

: Soul Sacrifice

: Qoussai

: Qoussai, les maux de la fin (© Roman Bayon)

: Hot Chili X

: Gorges du Loup

: France…

A heavy start, a battle in between, but good in the end

A warming up like I have probably never experienced before. Once I started climbing I felt so dizzy and weak as if my body just protested with every effort I tried to make. But in the middle of a competition there is no way back. So I tried to keep on warming up and keep focusing on the first route. I had to stop watching the screen of the video demonstration because somehow it made me sick.
I was not warmed up as usual, but I felt quite calm, because all I could do was my best. I was trembling a bit while climbing, but it made me happy that I was able to move upwards. I finally fell doing the last move! 🙂

I think this bad physical feeling made me able to let go of my stress and the desire to have everything under control. It was at the same time an obstacle and a help.

After the qualifications I longed for a rest, as the semi-finals were already the same evening! Back in isolation I was getting more and more nervous as time passed by. Something I find really hard is sitting in the call-zone, waiting for your turn to climb, and then come out and stand before a whole new route. Everyone knows how far you have to climb to reach the finals … exept you. 😉 But it is not impossible and as you start climbing, fear is pushed away and you have to be confident.

The first vertical part of the wall was not too hard or risky. In the overhang it became harder and less logical. I was glad when I reached the last part of the wall, but there I decided to do it differently as I had read it, which was not good and I fell. I was not totally happy, because I knew I could have done more, but I was relieved that it was enough to be in the finals.

The finals would be the next evening, so there was some time to relax. Well… it is hard to relax when your head tries to be alert and focused on what is still to come. 😉

Enjoying Austria’s beautiful nature

As we read the final route it looked a bit confusing. No one was really sure about how the route was meant to be climbed. The first straight part was less hard than expected, but the roof was indeed confusing. I had no idea how to climb it. Suddenly I saw a little arrow on a volume. Turning? I was so relieved when I found a method and passed this point. Then I decided to clip a quickdraw, although the rope was behind my legs. While doing that I realised that I was loosing all my strength. Then I put the rope right again by moving my legs. I knew it had been the wrong decision. I couldn’t move anymore and I fell making a plus to the next hold.

It was a double feeling. I was happy about the first part, but I knew that I had made the wrong decision by clipping the quickdraw.

It had been a hard competition that felt like a real struggle, but I think that I have learned a lot in those days. In the days that followed I saw myself making that move over and over again. But I know nothing in my life happens accidentally and in the end I was happy with my 4th place. 🙂

Congrats to Maggi, who won her first worldcup! And to my age group-friend Jessi who became 3rd! 🙂