Climbing in Catalunya, Oliana

This year I've decided, to spend part of my after competition break and training rest a bit different way. It's been quite a long time ago, that I've spent a proper amount of time with still some after-comp shape on rocks. 

Just after finishing with last national comp (PDK), I depart to Catalunya. The plan was, to stay for about  good 2 weeks, mostly in Oliana or places near it. The weather was not always really generous with us, but surrounded with good company, nice rocks and very good routes, it was possible to get motivated and climb even in those conditions.

The trip was definitely very successful and will stay in my memory for a long time. Quality days spend outdoors with people, who you love the most and things, which you like the most to do. Relaxing and inspiring.

All foto: Luka Fonda,
Mind control 8c+, Oliana

In those days I did 10 rotes 8b or harder, including Mind control 8c+ (3rd go), Fish eye 8c, Full equip 8c, El gran blau 8b+/8c, Gorillas en la niebla 8b+, 3 rotes 8b (2nd go), onsighted Humildes pa casa 8b+ and 3 other 8a+'s ... For none of those rotes I didn't need more than 5 tries, so all the 'projects' and 'hard stuff' still staid untuchable and will wait there for me for another trip :)

But, as everything, also this trip came to an end. Unfortunately. Time to go home and give your body and soul some proper rest. Also time, to spend with family and friends ... Very nice and value things too ...

But still, can't wait for new season & trainigs to start! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

After season

Foto: Luka Fonda

Season has passed by and I had time to sit down, relax, think and look back trough the year. I decied to share some highlits in pictures, followed by few words with you. I've been posting them also for few consequence days on facebook and instagram, but if you've missed it, here's an other chance to read them all together again!

Foto: Luka Fonda

#1: When you really want something, you think you do everything 'right' and as you should. Put in lots of energy, commitment and trying hard. But sometimes, what you get out, is not what you have expected. You're dissapointed and tired. You realize, that you need a change ...

#2: And than you decide to let your goals a bit behind, start to 'care' a bit less and 'free' yourself. You decide, your primar goal is to feel good, enjoy your life and things you do. You decide, to go back to your starts, when and why you've started climbing. Because you like it! <3

Foto: Roman Krajnik

#3: Soon, after I made a change in my head, I got the comfirmation from outside. I got a medal. Silver, my first in lead on worldchampionship ever and it meant tomeasa gold whenI got it. But, what is more important, I enjoy(ed) my ife, my climbing. I knew, I am on the right way and I want to do this ..

Foto: Worldcup Kranj - Stanko Gruden

#4: And at the end... When you come from the wall with smile like this, you know, this is what you really want to do.

Foto: the circuite climbing

#5: When competition season was over, I feet like I just don't wanna rest of climbing. I regred a bit, year has already almost passed away. But I didn't regred what was happening trought the year. I loved it, because I've learned a lot. I see, what all I can experience and just can't wait for an new start! :)

After all, I have took some days 'off' and went on a climbing trip to spain with super company and friends. It was - great!

PDK - National lead&boulder cup weekend

As every year, also this time last competition stage in year were nationals in lead and boulder. Even, that all the 'main' events at that time are behind me, I enjoy this weekend of climbing and competing very much! It was also nice to met all climbers at one place for probbably last time in this year ...

All happening started already at friday's evening with boulder qualifications, followed by saturday's lead qualifications and finals, finished by spectacular boulder finals at sunday evening.

In lead, I managed to clipped the top of final route and it was really nice feeling to close up saeson that way. Alltogether, with 4 first places I got the national lead title again. All congradulations also to all younger climbers, who had shown great effort and climbing trought all year!

Also in bouldering I won this stage, with company of Julija Kruder and Katja Kadič on podium.

Thanks to AO Kranj for organized, once again, this great event ans show. More pictures, details, results and fotos, you can find on ther web-page here.
See you next yeat!

WC in Kranj - perfect end of season!

I won't lose too much words. 

Foto: Luka Fonda

My biggest wish came true - I enjoyed climbing of every single route on this comp. Did my best at last comp and in front of my home crowd. It is almost undescribable feeling and just a perfect end of another good year.

foto: worldcupkranj

It was perfect, it was great! :)

Thanks everyone for support ...

CAC event

After national comp in Škofja Loka and before wc in Kranj there was an amazing event. It was organized by Slovenia climbing team with cooperation with CAC, organization, which donate and put his work into researches for cancer healing. The main person in this story is definitely it's founder, John Elison, an amazing and unbeliviable inspiring person. I was glad, to met him again.

Event was placed at national team gym and opened for all climbers. There were set around 35 boulders of differenr kinds, suitable for kids (started climbing earlier in afternoon) and older climbers (afternoon). It was followed with speach of John Elison and special show climbing of longer hard pre-set 'final' boulder of an invited climbers (5girls, 5 man).

Event was really nice visited and also the note, that special event t-shirts were tottaly sold out before finish of an event, talk for itself.
All day of climbing, music, talking and sharing positive energy made big impresion to me. Feelings and thoughts, collected trought this day will stay in my head for a while.

I was really happy, that I had an oportunity to be part of this event and support CAC!!!

National comp in Škofja Loka

Already for couple of years, weekend before Kranj is 'reserved' for national cup at Škofja Loka. Event is always great too! Similar hight wall, covered with lot of volumens is also good preparation for last lead world cup next week.

I was happy, that in both, qualifiction and final, I climbed well and reached the top. Well, or I just thought so :).

Hmmmm ... observation? ...

Inzai

Last stage of 3 world cups in Asia was placed in nice town near Tokyo, Inzai. As on many stages here on east, I had also very nice memories on this one from 2 years ago. Also good atmosphere and feelings from previous two events gave me flow and some self confidence for this one...

But, it was also a bit of 'tricky'. I admit, I have started to expect a bit more ... Even, that I wanted just to climb and enjoy how good I felt during climbing competition routes, I didn't manage it into final.

This time I finished both qualifications routes and easily come the highest in semifinal. I also enjoyed routes very much. But, during the most important route, in final, I did many mistakes and at the most important moment, at the end, felt from the top. I missed the 3rd gold in a row. Bitter feeling and a bit of regred because I know, I have climbed very well and showed strong performance during all comp. But still, comps are comps, it's a game and that's why it is always so interesting. Congratulations to JaIn Kim for perfectly finished route and gold medal ;)

I was also very happy about our team success, Maja Vidmar again joined on podium with really nice climbing and Domen Škofic showed onced again how strong he is.

All foto by: Roman Krajnik

Looking back, Asia trip was one of my best! It definitely wouldn't be like this without 'the best coach ever' - Roman Krajnik, company of Spanish team, Italian and others. Thanks to Slovenia climbing team and other supporters made this trip possible for us!

Wujiang

After a really pleasant stay at Seoul, we arrived at Wujiang. I had already good memories of this location, where I won the master event in 2012 and WC stage in 2013. But honestly, I didn't feel  any expectations or pressure to repeat this. I really just wanted to climb and enjoy as I do in the moment.

Qualifications went quite well. I fell (again) from the top on the first route and finished the second. In the semifinal I finished 2nd, by reaching the upper part still fresh, but missed a good part of big hold. Maja Vidmar definitely showed in this route, what it means to climb well and went with the lead going into the finals.

After observation of final, I was quite worried about the route. This is not  really common to me. Usually I feel excitement and just want to climb. Well, I tried to be relaxed, because last week I had a bit similar expectations, but it turned, that I was wrong. 

Foto: Roman Krajnik

Well, this time, I wasn't wrong. From start, I had to try hard and fight on almost every move. The beginning was technical, slabby and cruxy, but (for me) it also offered a solid rest point(s) where I could  took a deep breath, recover properly and continue into next hard section(s).  

I regret that more than above 1/3 of route was still left untouched and I couldn't enjoy it. But even so, I was satisfied with my climbing and happy about the 2nd gold in a row.

The next comp is coming up next weekend in Inzai, Japan. Honestly,  all I want is to keep those good feelings in me and rnjoy climbing, no matter of what happens there. For another couple of days, we are staying in China, train, rest, relax, explore and have good time with my team and the other teams.

Seoul

Between comps in Mokpo and Wujiang with our and some other teams we staid together in Seul.

foto: Domen Škofic

This place made big impression to me and I really liked it. Big city, coverd by many people, rush and shining lights at the evening. Unique one.

I was also very happy and plesed, that we could climb at The Ja's. Thanks! ;) It was perfect and those days will stay in my memmories for a while.

Lucky Korea

The first step of our journey is now behind us. I just loved it from the moment I arrived to Korea, took a long bus from Inchon to Mokpo, settled down at International football training center and went on to the comp the next day. Everything felt so good and nostalgic, filling me with good memories from the previous year(s). 

I couldn't wait for qualifications to start. I did the first route and fell in second, going to the top. But, even though I didn't top out both routes, I was happy about  how good I felt on the wall.

Next day, in semifinal, I climbed the highest, but ran out of the time. That was a mistake,that almost never happens to me. But, it was good go for the final.

Routes this time were very interesting, quite a bit different than usual. Wall was coverd nicely with many volumens and trought the route you  had to 'work' something  all the time, swing  your feet from left to right, cross, match, help, bump one more, ... Definitely very good work by routesetters and fun stuff to climb! :)

The final route looked pretty hard, but nice. It turned out that the beginning was truly a bit tricky and harder, but the higher you were, more fluid it become. I climbed well all the way up to the top, but (again!) fell from the last hold. I touched the ground with really mixed feelings, satisfied with my climbing, but pretty angry and regretting that I couldn't finish this nice line. Well, I sat on the 'leader chair' and waited till the end of the comp... After a mistake made by JaIn Kim, I took the gold.

What is even more important to me is that I had enjoyed every single route and moment on this comp. And this is the feeling that I want to keep for the next events.

Also big congratulations go to young teammate Domen Škofic, who got his first silver medal and is already second this year!

All foto: Roman Krajnik

In next days, we will stay with other teams in Seoul and I am sure we will have a good time training, sightseeing and spending time together till our next stop in Wujiang (China).

3, 2, 1 ... Asia! :)

Before going to Asia, I took about two weeks (international) competition break and time to rest and preapre for next 3 lead world cup steps.

Comming home from last of 4 stages rush of championship, masters and other comps, I admit, what is not often, I felt a bit tired. Not physically, but overloaded with all the fellings, emotions and impressions collected during the last month. *

*There was Munich bouldering worldchampionship, when I missed the final for 1 attempt, falling from top in flash try. I countinued way with some training in Innsbruck, went straight to Arco rockmaster, almost won it (finishing 2nd), climbed well on most important comp of the year - lead worldchampionship in Gijon, get silver and bronze around my neck and just a werk later did the best bouldering master ever, finishing 2nd at adidas rockstars ...

Luckly, all very positive emotions, so I have nothing to complain about! :)

Foto: Roman Krajnik

After this, a few days team trip of rock climbing in Swiss and days spent outdoor were more than welcome. I was very excited about the idea and it turned out, it was just decision on the place, something what I needed at this time! **

**and also staying by our host Urs Stoekler is always great experience ;) ...

foto: Roman Krajnik

Comming home, I felt relaxed and refreshed, ready and motivated for next steps.

Invetween I did 2 stages of national championship (lead and boulder), did some team trainings at home and aboard (I think, it is no need to mention, that training at Mitterdorf is always very welcome). Well, something is hapeening all the time and I just love it! :)

Overall, for me it was month of important comps and peaks of the season, time of travelling, training and competing. But not just that, it was also enjoyabe month and month of good and value confirmations. I felt better from comp to comp and now, all I want is, to prospone this feeling into the next 3 weeks of 'Asia world cup tour' adventure. Wish me luck! ;)

adidas rockstars

It is very hard to choose the words to describe this comp ... It was truly unbeatable, amazing, outstanding and unforgettable event. Just such a pleasure to be an athlete there!

I enjoyed every second, hold and  move in this comp very much. I am sure that all those feelings and sharing positive energy with other athletes and the audience was reflected in my climbing.

All fotos by: Luka Fonda

You can also check the highlits here.

Thank you adidas outdoor for all your support!!!