Tommy Matthews – The Depot Youth Boulder Cup 2016 – Manchester
Hi, I’m Tommy Matthews. These are my thoughts about The Depot Youth Boulder Cup 2016 which was held a few weeks ago in Manchester. The competition was divided up into male and female and then into 5 age categories. With 20 blocs for the qualifiers; 17 self-scoring and 3 being judged and then 3 hard blocs for the final; the time allowance for the qualifiers was two and a half hours.
The competition proved very popular and the venue was crowded with competitors, officials and a great audience. My plan was to warm up on the easy problems, but queues quickly formed. I amended my plan and started on midrange problems, attacking these while still fresh. The setting was varied and made for an interesting days climbing.
I finished the qualifiers in 1st place, meaning I climbed last in the final, not my favourite position as it brings more pressure! Although you are in isolation it is easy to hear how the other competitors are getting on and the discussions once they return help you to gage how you have to climb. The qualifiers were so closely contested that the organizers were forced to amend the original plan of 3 finalists in each category to 5!
The blocs in the final were really interesting. Our first problem was a technical volume groove which felt simple but could have proved easy to slip off. Our second problem involved a lot of heel hooks and compression moves through the lip of an overhang. Finally our third problem was a very inventive climb involving volumes and crimps. The third problem was by far my favourite for the style and difficulty of the moves. Although it was my favourite, the third climb made me feel the most nervous before climbing as I knew that I had to flash it to win. I also knew how hard it was as not many people before me had completed it. However, I relaxed and powered through the moves!
I feel that I climbed smoothly and confidently. Feeling my body position before I made a move and then moved fluently and efficiently. I managed to flash all three of my final blocs to take the win!
After a few unsuccessful competition results, due to injury, illness and some just plain bad climbing days, it felt good to win and made up for everything that had happened previously. I am now in training for upcoming competitions and my four years of hard graft for the 2020 Olympics have started.
Time to become the climbing god that I know I really am!!
