CLIMB X 2010

"It's a bee-a-you-ti-ful Saturday morning, here in Temasek Junior College

And if you've just joined us, this ruckus you're witnessing by the Climbing Wall

is CLIMB X twothousand and ten(:

Solely organised by Temasek Junior College Climbing Club

Sponsored by Climb Asia, Milo, Red Bull, Metro, PUB and Frolick"

Yes, i was DJ/emcee-ing at the event last weekend together with Calvin/Alistair/Jo/Jac

The whole competition was more or less flawless, i must say, if we ignored Nature's wrath...

I hope competitors enjoyed themselves, cos I sure did ;]

Agreeing to this competition was probably one of the best decisions I've made in my time in TJCCC

I know it might not be such a big deal to anyone else

But this comp served to remind me why I loved Climbing and competing in the first place.

Sure, i told myself, being organisers of the competition took precedence over being a competitor..so i did not expect any kind of achievement going into this (except for the competition to be AWESOME ;) )

Yet, from the minute we settled into isolation, and got seated at the transition area, my heart started pumping and butterflies were emerging.

For the first half of our competition season, I manage to let these feelings just flow through me.

In and out.

That Saturday though, 8th of May, it stayed inside.

However, it was different. Good in a way.

Adrenaline pumping, I stepped up as the 3rd JW to the baby roof.

I hadn't touched the baby since January.

YES JANUARY eonssss ago..!

And if you climbed enough with me, you'd know roofs were a certain psychological barrier to me

Anyhow, anywhat - I ascended reminding myself to breathe, clip and flow.

I was in LOVE with the route in no time ;)

Towards the middle of the roof route while holding the crack on the wall,

I remember having that nudge in my head

"quit now. you're tired. after all you've never been able to flash a competition route before...

much less now that you've NOT trained for highwalling"

And i punched that thought into oblivion and said

"No Ashley, you will NOT quit on me now"

I progressed another 4 moves to get to the penultimate hold

And then in sight, about a panel's length away, was the anchor.

And the last yellow jug.

I reached up, but it was out of my grasp.

Panicking, I felt around for inserts, features, nuts, ANYTHING

that i could use as an intermediate hold.

All i got was a semi flat insert - and i recall going "WHAAAA?"

Without hesitation, at that moment, i leaped for it, as though i was on a boulder problem

And hey, I topped the route (: