Final boulder @ NK Boulder Photographer: Paul Lahaye

24 hours in advance I got an email that I could participate at the Dutch Bouldering Championships if I wanted, because someone had unsubscribed. Of course I said yes!

I had to start as first in the semi-finals. We had four boulder problems, 5 minutes each. Jérôme de Boeck was the headsetter. The problems were hard! I think it surprised all of us. At first I thought I had difficulty with the boulders because I had a cold and was shaking/sweating like crazy. In the end I think it might have been the combination, because there were very few tops in the women semi-finals. Vera Zijlstra and Nikki van Bergen were the only two topping more than one problem and showed their mastery.

Semi-Finals
We started with a slab climb. A few shouldery moves into a tricky sequence on a volume. I managed to climb this problem 2nd go. I didn’t feel confident after that one though, because I was so shaky… It turned out that this was quite a good performance, but I didn’t know yet by then.
The second problem had some easy moves followed by some difficult holds on a volume. I couldn’t find the right position and body tension to move further after the bonus hold.
I got more confidence when I saw the third problem with bigger holds. It started with a powerful move under a roof, moving to the right. It came totally unexpected to me that the move towards the volume was hard! I tried different methods to move further, but couldn’t make it to the bonus hold. The problem was also quite hard in the end I think after watching Vera and Nikki finishing this problem.
The last problem looked awesome. Three big volume holds in different colors. In my first try I came to the last hold but didn’t trust my heel and couldn’t match it. All my other tries were pretty bad and I couldn’t get to the last hold any more.

With my one top and some bonus holds I qualified in third place for the finals.
I wasn’t really looking forward to the finals because I didn’t feel very excited after the semi-finals. Probably because the problems kicked my ass, but in my head I thought I was just not fit because of the cold.
Just before finals I could get it right in my head. If I was placed third for finals, I must have done something good. So I got my mind right and was really psyched for the finals.

Last semi-final boulder @ NK Boulder Photographer: Paul Lahaye

Finals
Four problems, four minutes each, eight minutes observation time.
The first problem was a nice straight forward problem starting with a heel hook, cross-over move followed by a pinch for the right hand to move to a big sloper just before the last hold. Holding the pinch I was doubting what to do: left foot high on a slippery foothold or not? I choose to do it, but with a lack of conviction. My second try I skipped the foot and just jumped for it and finished it.
Second we got a problem where we had to use the arête and top out with a mantle move. Unfortunately I didn’t even get to the bonus hold.
Our third problem went through a roof on big jugs, moving into a nice sequence with a heel hook where I used the beta that Vera and I figured out during observation time. My heel slipped of in my first go, but sticked my second go. The problem finished with a tricky, balancy move to the end hold. Very nice.
I was really focused for the last boulder. I was almost sure I had to finish this problem in order to maintain my third place. I blew up my first go, but managed to climb it my 2nd go. An pretty easy, fun problem with an undercling into a semi-sloper.

With my three tops out of four I got the third place. Vera got the first place with four tops, Nikki got second with three tops. I was pretty happy, because this was my first podium place at a National Championship.
I guess sweet training and plenty of meat are paying off 🙂

I cannot say much about the men’s finals, except that Nicky got first, Timo second and Elko third!