Crumbly - Black Magic v8 (7b+)

Crumbly - Sushi Train v8 (7b+)

Fontainebleau in June

With Fred we went to Bois Rond to send some of the best problems of the forest. The place is pretty small comparing to the other crags, but is amazingly beautiful and peaceful.




Another day I woke up early in the morning, caught a train and stopped to Bois-le-Roi. Then I walked for about 30 min, and arrived at Rocher Canon. One of the famous crags with some classic problems. Tonyo met me at the crag and we worked out some othe problems.

This is a short film of my journey:

Championnats de France à Massy

Les championnats de France d'escalade se tiennent ce week-end à Massy. Le dossier de presse est disponible ici avec tous les renseignements.

Voici rapidement le programme:

• Samedi 11 juin - Difficulté

13:00 Accueil des compétiteurs
14:00 Fin de l’accueil des compétiteurs
14:15 Affichage des poules et ordre de passage des qualifications
15:00 Début des qualifications
19:00 Fin des qualifications
19:15 Affichage des résultats et ordre de passage des demi-finales
19:30 Fin de pose de réclamations

• Dimanche 12 juin - Difficulté

12:00 Accueil des qualifiés pour les 1/2 finales / Ouverture de la salle d’isolement
13:00 Fermeture de la salle d’isolement
13:30 Observation de la voie “1/2 finale” par les femmes
13:40 Observation de la voie “1/2 finale” par les hommes
14:00 Début des 1/2 finales
17:00 Fin des 1/2 finales
17:15 Affichage des résultats et ordre de passage des finales
17:30 Fin de pose de réclamations
17:30 Ouverture de la salle d’isolement pour les finalistes
17:45 Fermeture de la salle d’isolement
19:30 Présentation des finalistes Femmes et observation de la voie
19:40 Présentation des finalistes Hommes et observation de la voie
20:00 Début des Finales
22:45 Podiums, remise des prix

• Lundi 13 juin - Vitesse

09:00 Accueil et confirmation de participation des compétitrices et compétiteurs /Echauffement
11:00 Démonstrations des voies
11:15 Début des qualifications Hommes et Femmes
14:00 Fin des qualifications Hommes et Femmes
15:00 Début des Finales Hommes et Femmes
17:00 Fin des Finales Hommes et Femmes
17:15 Podiums

Des moustachus devraient traîner dans le coin.
A ce week-end !

Swiss Cheese Mind V7 - Frontline

I had a quick but good bouldering session early in the morning at Frontline. I had a project in my mind: Swiss Cheese Mind V7 (7a+ Font). It is a link up starting from Crewcut (V4) and finishing up Dog tags (V5). It took me few tries before sending this cool problem. There are few cruxes in this sequence, but the hard move remained at the end when catching this undercling.

Still climbing - Summer at Sandy Bay

2 weeks after the birth of Mr Evan, I had the opportunity to go back to Sandy Bay for a bouldering session. I have worked out the moves of the classic problem The Sandy Bay Roof (v6 / 7a). This day was pretty warm though, but I managed to send it after 3 tries.

New hard bouldering problems sent

It's been a long time I haven't posted something. Here we are. This post is about the new bouldering problems I've been working on with some mates here in Sydney. Unfortunately the following problems haven't been sent by me.

- Sam sending Silent Bob v10/7c+ (Sissy Crag)



- Ben sending Paul's Roof v9/7c (Queens Park)

Bonnet Bay - Good place for climbing!

First time I've been to this place. There is actually 1 crag for Sport Climbing and 1 for Bouldering.

With Joe and Victor we sent some easy sport climbing routes for warm up, and then worked out the classic Lean Beef - 7a (24). Great moves in a 15m high vertical route (see video). Then I tried a 27 (7c) route, but the moves were too far apart.

After that we went to check out the bouldering crag. It seems that there is a good potential with great problems. We sent the classic K2 - 6c (V5), and then worked on Lucky 7 - 7a+ (V7). Cool moves in a nice orange cave (see video).

Great day at Frontline (2 x V5, 1 x V7, 2 x V8)

What a superb day at Frontline. Funny because it was supposed to be a simple bouldering "day tour" for 2 guys who just arrived in Sydney. Victor and Joe did not expect such a beautiful crag. This day was planned to be pretty hot (around 27 degrees) and we just wanted to play around with the classics problems of Frontline. I warmed up in few V3 (6a) problems, then the classic Pincer Movement V5 (6c) and then jumped on Paratroopin V8 (7b) to use the shade as it started to get hot. The problem starts with a traverse feet off and then mantle using crappy side pull. I was so sighted that I onsighted my first V8. I also sent Pockets Of Resistance V7 (7a+), which starts holding 2 pockets from a roof (see video below). Then we worked on the Sloper-Dan Milosevic problems. I sent the direct problem graded V5 (6c), and after few attempts I sent my second V8 (7b), Boogie Knights.

Getting stronger!

This time again I went to Sissy Crag for a short morning session with my mate Ben. It appeared that the message has been communicated to others. Sam, Phil, Ben (bis), and 3 other guys turned up at the same time. That was an awesome session with great climbing mates. I have also sent few hard problems:
- Our Man In Havana / v7 (7a+)
- Heavens Gate / v7 (7a+)
- I've Got My Tie On / v6 (7a)
- Millie / v6 (7a)

Me sending Mr Smiley / v6 (7a)

Vitamin C - 7a (Sissy classic)

I've already presented few times Sissy Crag as the best bouldering crag in Sydney. There are so many super classic problems. This time I present you Vitamin C - 7a. This is a very cool problem. The direct is call Foam - 6c, and goes straight up. Vitamin C takes the same start and then goes on the right with a nasty pinch you have to match, and before the dyno to a slopy sloper. Used to be pretty hard for me to get the last big move. Since that I figured out that I can bring up my right foot and then the dyno becomes much closer and easier to me.

Full Tilt - 7b+ (26)

With Laurent we've realised that we've always been sending new routes onsight, and never really worked on routes for redpointing. This time we changed the rules. We had a project called Full Tilt and graded 7b+ (26). We've never sent any route harder than 7b (25) and even the ones we sent were not that clean.
After some sessions at the gym (The Ledge), working on staminar and campus board, we decided to come back to the crag with more determination. We warmed up in a the super classic Septic Penguins 6b (20) and then abseiled down Full Tilt to clip all the quick draws.
Then I started to lead the route ... passed the 2 big moves ... and getting close to the last hard move I missed a key hold and I fell off. Laurent tried as well and it seems that the psychology factor had forced him to fall as well. Then we had 20min rest, some food, and we sent this beautiful route cruising on the 3 crux moves with no major issue.

Des fois, y'a des jours...

Où l'on a envie de pleurer... de joie. Pas de produits dopants à la Floyd Landis, pas d’entrainement spécifique pour tel ou tel bloc. Non, juste la passion.

Bon, dès ce soir tout devrait rentrer dans l’ordre, à savoir me retrouver 10 ou 15ème et blessé de surcroit mais, juste pour ce petit moment, c’était beau.

Unnamed v7 (7a+) - A Dream Come True

Tonight I've sent my first v7 (7a+) at Forty Basket Beach (The Black Cave near Manly). I came last week end on my own to work the sequences (see video). Tonight with Laurent we came after work with 3 crash pads, head lamps, gas lamp ... and strong motivation to send this awesome problem. I was so psyched that I sent it during the warm up. Then I repeated the same problem 3 more times. So solid!

Fontainebleau - Rocher Canon / DAY 2

Second time to Rocher Canon. This one I came on my own with Tony's pad. I had selected the "Must do" problems, which I wanted absolutely to give a go.

Tick List:
- Beaux Mouvements / 6c+
- Calins de Kim / 7a
- Chasseur de Prises / 7a
- La Levitation / 7a+

I was motivated but (as a good excuse) I did not have any spotter at all. So I just managed to send my first 7a and one of the best problems of the forest "Chasseur de Prises".

Laurenzoboulderfels / Bouldering in Alsace

I spent few days with Aurelie at my parents' place in Alsace, at Melsheim nearby Saverne. The last day before we left we went to the famous Red Sandstone of the Laurenzobouldefels crag (LBF). There are about 108 problems with a range of grades from 3 to 8a. I sent few problems from 5b to 6b and failed in some 6c and 7a. Pretty tough problems.



Here a little compilation of some very nice problems:

Australian Bouldering Competitions - 2009

Back from my elbow injuries, I feel recovered and strong now. I want a new motivation for my personal progression/performances. So I had a look to the Australian Climbing competitions calendar, and it appears that they got some dates for bouldering competition. I convinced Laurent that will be good to give a go, just to try. The next date is pretty close now, so we already started some specific training sessions to improve climbing technics and strength. That is gonna be awesome! ALLEZ LES BLEUS!

Bouldering Competitions / Sydney - NSW :

Calendar of competitions 2009: Info
NSW Boulder Series : Info

PS: good luck guys for the TAB 2009

Results : (link)

• NSW Boulder Series Round 1 (St Peters) - Open A:

Laurent : 9th (391 pts) / Jerome : 7th (412 pts)

• NSW Boulder Series Round 2 (St Leonards) - Open B:

Jerome : 1st (415 pts)
Laurent : 2nd (409 pts)

• NSW State Bouldering Championship:

This competition has been canceled.

• NSW Boulder Series Round 3 (North Paramatta) - Open B:

Laurent : 4th (393 pts) / Jerome : 1st (403 pts)

• NSW Boulder Series Round 4 (The Pitch) - Open B:

Laurent : 1st (401 pts)
Jerome : 3rd (399 pts)

• NSW Boulder Series Overall - Open B:

Jerome : 1st
Laurent : 2nd

• Australian National Bouldering 2009 - Open B:

Jerome : 2nd

L'Académicienne est pliée

Merci au supporter de l'équipe de France pour son touché de crash pad.