Princesses, Comps, Biners and the Rostrum

It has been a super busy week at the Westway with plenty of new routes being set and competitions being planned.  You guys have been busy too, with lots of intense training and tea drinking going on in the wall.  The new routes on our fresh featured wall have been taking a pounding with loads of you perfecting that foot work by using only features for feet.  

Add a plus to that grade you people.  Check this guy out with that cross arm clipping.  Such a cool new wall.

It has been getting chilly in the wall which can only mean one thing. Competition time is on its way. On the 3rd of November The London University Bouldering Event comes to the Westway.  This multi round bouldering comp affectionately named LUBE will be holding its first round on our front bouldering wall, or to those in the know, the Oven.  We will be setting some killer problems to try shut down the best student climbers in the land.  So be sure to come down and try and send a few yourseves.  If you’re a student and want to take part, click on the link below.

                                                                      

                  http://www.kclmc.org/lube

We are also busy organising this season’s Super League.  Last year was a massive success with climbers of all abilities throwing down on, undoubtedly the sickest comp problems ever set at the Westway.  The atmosphere was great and we are so excited to be putting it on again.  So excited in fact, we are making it even bigger, better and way more super.  

This season’s Super League will be four rounds instead of three and will have some amazing prizes, as well as the usual tasty doughnuts.  You guys had better get training, I saw this one guy last night doing one arm pull ups on the Beastmaker.  But don’t freak out just yet, there is still plenty of time.  The Super League has been moved and the first round will now start on 15^th January 2013.

Over the pond Team Westway are continuing to climb the famous climbs of the Yosemite Valley.  Andre has been tussling with the mega steep crack line, Separate Reality.  Check out the pictures for tickets to the gun show.

           

After their characteristic epic on Royal Arches, Shan and San had retired to Lake Tahoe for some five star routes, mountain biking jet ski debauchery and general beach action. This ‘chilling out’ had to end though, as Liam Halsey, the Walkers Crisp speed lead champion had arrived in the valley and had warmed up by soloing Royal Arches, fresh from the plane, POW!  With the team assembled and ready for action it was time for something big..... only for disaster to strike straight out the blocks.  While leaving a car Shan closed the door behind her but left her thumb behind.  This could have spelled an end for her climbing adventures for this trip.  Being a hardened South African, drastic measures were considered but full amputation was ruled out.  Instead she popped a couple of Nurofen, taped up and went jamming.

The group of Westway’s finest made a team ascent of the Rostrum.  The Rostrum is considered to be the best climb in the Valley.  Although saying that any climb in the valley is ‘the best’ climb will be met by many other alternative suggestions.  Nevertheless the Rostrum is an amazing 8 pitch crack system that offers consistently fantastic hand and finger jamming action. The route is 240 meters long and takes most parties around 7 hours to ascend.

Seeing these pics makes me angry, I just want to be climbing crack too! I guess in the mean time I will just have to keep training.  There are lots of cool routes up in the wall at the moment to keep us fit until we jump on that plane to the states. 

Back in the wall more excitement this week came in the form of a royal visit.  Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice is back from a trip to the Alps where she and a team climbed Mont Blonc to raise funds for the Big Change Charitable Trust.  They have been paying the Westway a number of visits to work on those important rope skills before undertaking their big adventure.  This week they were in to talk to the BBC for a live broadcast on breakfast news.  Follow the link to check out the video. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19646425

While climbing in the wall lots of people have been asking us about the new quickdraws we have been putting up all over the place.  Well, they are the new DMM Alpha Sport Gates and they are the smoothest gates I have ever clipped.  You just have to put the rope near the draw and KAPOW the things clipped.  DMM claim that it's the most ‘clip friendly’ biner they have ever made.

We have had some great feedback from all you guys that have been using them.  Compare them to the other biners around the wall next time you're in for a climb.  Just don’t take too long because soon we will be going full Alpha gate. They are available at  Urban Rock.

We are eagerly awaiting the new steel versions that will be longer lasting.  You guys and your crazy whippers really wear out our quickdraws.

Now get on that Beastmaker and try those one arm pull ups. The Super League is coming!

September is here and there are still some nice sunny days left to squeeze in some last minute cragging.  In between those scary trips to Boulder Ruckle head down to Westway to get in that much needed training.  During September climbing at Westway means you are automatically entered into a prize draw to win tickets to the Reel Rock Tour showing in London.  There is a special screening happening at Conway Hall, Holborn on the 16^th of October and a lucky few will be winning free tickets.  For those who aren’t so lucky get yourself some tickets using the conventional method.  It’s going to be an amazing showing with over 500 seats up for sale.

Don’t take my word for it check out the trailer!

That looks amazing don’t ya think? The Westway team will be in attendance running some fun climbing themed competitions on the day.  So find these guys and show them your climbing knowledge to win prizes.

A long long way from the wall, in a country far far away, our Westway staff continue their exploits on the Yosemite granite.  And in true Westway style these are exploits with much drama and impending doom.

Shan and San, the dynamic climbing couple completed a successful ascent of the super classic Royal Arches. 

‘Successful, where’s the drama and doom we were promised?’ I hear you ask. 

Well wait for it you sickos.

This 500 meter route normally takes 8 hours and involves a pendulum to miss out a hard traverse.  Held up by a team ahead of them Shan and San’s progress up the 16 pitches was slow, meaning they only managed to top out at 20:00.  With the light all but gone they were faced with a massive descent via multiple abseils by head torch.  In true San fashion, faced with such a problem he began chatting away to the nearest strangers, who in this case happened to be the other party of climbers.  Luck would have it, that despite their slow progress up the climb this group of climbers were familiar with the descent and were more than happy to lead the way down through the blackness.  After an epic amount of descending, Shan and San finally made the valley floor at 05:00am.  

 

Shan and San back down cool as cucumbers



Over the other side of the valley farther and son team, Andre and Andre John Hedger had a go at the Nose.  When I say ‘had a go’ I mean tried climb 1000 meters of sheer granite, over 4 days, hauling all their food, water and equipment, whilst sleeping each night on a piece of nylon suspended from a crack in the wall.  

Ledge life, alright for some

 The team with the load

After a couple of days on the wall, some difficult pitches slowed progress and with their supplies carefully calculated, like hundreds before them had to back off. 

Andre on The Nose of El Capitan

 But fear not, Andre gets a second bite of this 1 Km high cherry.  Yesterday Liam (the hammer dropper) Halsey left us for the States where he is going to team up with Andre for some major routes and of course, pancakes.  The nose is high on the agenda with the team planning a lightning quick one day ascent. 

We will post news when we get it.  You can follow Liam’s wave of sends as his tweets will be posted on the Haglofs web site.   

So watch the trailer one more time, check the photos, get psyched and get down to the wall for some training.  That cooler weather is coming and the friction on that grit stone is only going to get better. You had better be ready.

Welcome to the first post on Wesway’s new super sweet climbing blog.  The Westway has always been blessed by fantastic staff and wonderful customers.  These great people are at the beating heart of London’s climbing scene.  This blog will post news of this scene, adventures of these people and keep you in the know about great events.

For now you can look forward to updates on the Yosemite adventures of most of our staff.  That’s right it would seem that a group of our staff have up (clip) sticks and headed off to the big US of A.  One manager, two route setters and an instructor/route setter and now sky diver, for the next couple of months will be having the time of their life swinging around the granite walls of the valley.  These guys have all been in the valley before and have plentiful skills to get them up the Yosemite’s walls.  But surely we want tales of epic adventure by crazy first timers who don’t know a sky hook from a birdbeak.  Well fear not, regular customers and big wall virgins Antoine and Alvar are heading stateside for some granite action.  They have been busy in the Westway honing their hauling and poop shooting skills ready for life on a big wall.  We will write up some tales of their epics as they send us the details of each jam, crimp and blueberry pancake.

Sandeep’s view from his tent, try not to hate him too much.

In the wall its business as usual and before he leaves for the sates Liam The Hit Man (crisp champ) Halsey left us with a little leaving gift.  Our comp wall is now sporting a freekin awesome tufa route. 

Liam testing his new creation

Liam spent a day setting this super steep pump fest of a F7b right up the middle line.

 

So stop reading this and get your ass down here for some training.