Team Trials Domination

Last weekend EICA: Ratho hosted the British Team Trials (the event to pick the future youth climbers for the Edinburgh Europen Cup). The event was dominated largely by us Scots. In the Youth C Female category we had the top 3 positions! Eleanor Hopkins was the victor in the end with a very strong performance, showing us all just what hard work and determination can do. A super final seperated Eleanor and Nikki Addison (Scotland North) which Rachael "The Beast" Carr missed out ony by points. In the Youth C Boys, Dylan Mckenzie held a strong and very "different" performance to secure his 3rd place. It was different as he dsplayed his amazing use of the figure of four technique to complete his second route : P



Female Youth B saw the famous Jaime Davidson crush her way into 4th place, again missing out by points to secure a superfnal position. Male Yout B saw the young Ice Champion Stevie Addison fight his way to 6th place, a respectable position and i'm sure we will see a lot more to come from this promising young climber (especially towards the Ice!!!)



Female Youth A saw Ellen Mcaskill float her way to 4th position with some very nice climbing on the new wall while drifting in only one position behind was Edinburgh local and Alien Rock fanatic Jessica Mcaskey!!! Male Youth A as always was the strongest competition with 6 British Team Member fighting for 1st place and as usual, on top came Jonathan Stocking seemingly floating up the routes (what is this kid on?). Coming on a very close 2nd place was Ross Kirkland who on the final route looked like he simply could not fall off!!! In 4th we had Paul "Sharma" Williamson and in 6th place came Edinburgh local and fellow Watsonian Jonathan Field!!! Lets not forget though... everyones favourite, CALUM FORSYTH!!! The young ratho prodigy who will one day be ripping the place apart no doubt came a very respectable 9th place, especially considering the competition. I would just like to input that Calum onsighted his first 7b/+ the other day at Ratho showing us just what he's capable of if he remembers the sequence :P

In Female Junior we had no competitors but in Male Juniors "I" (Robbie Phillips) got 1st place followed by Connor Robertson (fellow watsonian and Alien Rock Freak) who undoubtedly could crush any moves on any of the routes single handedly... if only he had the stamina to do more than 3 moves :P "Get of the boulders Connor and onto the routes!!!"



Thats all from the Team Trials for now...

The BLCC's are the next British Competition Event and will be being held at EICA: Ratho on the 18th and 19th of July. Applications are on the BMC website,
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/Feature.aspx?id=2540
everyone should give it a go (even for a laugh, its great fun).

I will be competing in the Seniors so I look forward to seeing you all there!!!

ROBZ

P.s. I would just like to thank Will Carroll (fellow Ratho climber) for the fantastic photos.