On the 30th April, Warwick University Climbing Club held a Bouldering Competition in the Bouldering Room at Bear Rock Climbing Centre on campus. The competition was for everyone fresh to climbing this academic year, and so the one time I have worn the Fresher badge, as calling myself a Fresher at 24 has always felt a bit off to me.
There were 20 new routes set for the competition, and the grades weren't listed so you didn't know whether you were on a VB or a V4. The good thing about this is that you might climb a V3 and not realise it, the bad thing is that there's a chance you could fall of a V0 without knowing.
I arrived promptly at 4 o'clock to begin. I was handed a score sheet and was informed that a member of the exec would have to watch me climb and fill in the score sheet. Panic sets in.
It was busy right from the beginning, so a lot of added pressure with a queue of people waiting to try the routes, and someone literally judging you.
With the unknown grades its very easy to get in your own head too much and overthink what could be a very easy route. There were eye level holds I just didn't see, I didn't give myself enough time to plan the routes, and I found myself making the routes a lot harder that necessary.
When going for a regular climbing session, a mere dab as you start, or a foot slip, an accidental foot on the wrong hand, are all not. big. deals. Pick yourself up and start again, no harm, no foul. But the amount of points you can achieve goes down with each attempt in a competition, which makes you about 27 times more frustrated with yourself for a tiny mistake.
At the end of the competition a list of the grades of the routes go up and you peek through your fingers at them - 'That cannot have been a V1!!' and then 'Oh look didn't take me too many attempts for that V2!'. A real rollercoaster.
Then the results go up. And I did ok. Because I turned up. And I gave it a real good go.