By Kath Fourie & Neil Margetts
After a slightly slow start, the competitors made their way to the gorge, and were awestruck by the impressive, smooth sided walls of the sector. Andrew Pedley described it as “Fern Kloof on Steroids!”. Right on. 25 – 30m of blank rock, with the first move off the ground hard, and sustained all the way.
After warming up, the fun began! The girls were shown to two routes that they were given three chances to climb, with the idea that on each climb they could beat their highest last point. The first of these routes was New Year Saga (26), which Miss Brouard flashed first go! Rachelle De Charmoy and Candice Bagley came second and third on route one. The second route was an Open Project (27), which was long, sustained, steep and run out. It included a crack section that the trad climbers (Gosia and Julia) were amped to jam, and it’s no surprise that they did rather well. Young Brouard stepped up to the plate and shared first with Gosia, while Julia took third.
The men were shown to Smooth Vicious (27) and an Open Project (29), which proved to be seriously tough with no full sends going down. Smooth Vicious lives up to its name, a smooth scoop that at first looks impossible; peering into the gloom of the gorge a few holds become apparent. Each climber used their three attempts well, unlocking the complex puzzles to inch further up the routes. The Open Project proved long, sustained and pumpy meaning that the endurance climbers were at an advantage.
Andrew Pedley showed his class on Smooth Vicious by reaching the highest points on both routes, followed by a tie on route one between Ben De Charmoy and Flex. The Open Project saw Simon Lowe nab second place, with Ben nipping at his heels in 3rd.
Soooo…the finalists are as follows:
Women:
1. Faye Brouard (KZN)
2. Rachelle De Charmoy (KZN)
3. Gosia Lipinska (WC)
Men:
1. Andrew Pedley
2. Ben De Charmoy & Marc Efune (tie)
Well done to the climbers who made it this far and it should be an excellent show up in the Baviaans Kloof tomorrow (if the weather holds…).
PS We have moved from side-of-road HDSPA Cell Phone connection to dial-up borrowed from a sheep farmer…respect dawg! I didn’t even know dial-up still existed…
Inside the hidden Water Kloof...
Ilse Labuschagne (GP) climbing out of the scoop on the Open Project.
No SA Sporting Event is complete without the Vuvuzela!
Rachelle De Charmoy (KZN) working the crack through the scoop on the Open Project.
Steve Bretherick (GP) looking smooth on the Men's Open Project.
Ben De Charmoy sussing out where the holds actually are on the Men's Open Project.
Andrew Pedley getting all angry-like...argh...Men's Open Project.
