As usual we conduct a team training on Tuesday afternoon at Monk Bouldergym.

Nothing out the ordinary right? I push the doorbell with my right thumb and 2 seconds later Capsle opens the door for me. I enter the gym and it feels cool. On the competition wall I see Wally, Capsle and Vera setting new boulders. Awesome! Besides the usual nice circuits, there are new projects on the wall.

Capsle & Vera at work

After I shot a picture of the wall, Tim Reuser and Michiel Nieuwenhuijsen enters the gym. We warm up proper for half an hour and then make up boulders for each other between 6b and 7c.

We also give a few shots on the new boulders in the competition wall. Tim and I are going for a lead training on the training wall while the rest conduct a boulder training. I focus on short resistance today: 30 movements, 3 times in a row.

That went quite well and the training is finished for today. Thursday afternoon we’ll have another training session. I’m already looking forward to it!

My post about Chamonix is a tad late, but I promised to publish qualification footages from Elko Q2, Nikki Q1, Q2 and from Adam Ondra Q1. There you go.

After the qualifications I went to explore Chamonix by myself. I had enough of this competition so I needed some distraction and sightseeing.

In the evening we had dinner in our apartment. Sous-chef Wally was in the kitchen, wrapped himself with a huge towel. I don’t know what he was up to but eventually the result has been captured on photo.

I was starving. All I ate for today was an apple and drank lots of water in the afternoon. It was a good meal, thanks Wally.

After dinner we didn’t do anything out the ordinary. It was raining outdoors. From within our hotel room we could hear the competition speaker. Meanwhile everyone was busy catching up on the internet.

I guess I digested my food well and slept good that night.

The next morning we slept late. Today it was the day of the semis and the finals. I was taking it easy until the semis because I didn’t fully recover yet. On the other hand, Wally is showing that he can do some pull ups on anything in the apartment. The view of the hotel is great. Nearly every 15 minutes you can see a paraglider landing on the grass.

After some news reading on our computers, Wally decided to leave us. He is going to the isolation area to check up on Jorg. Jorg is the only dutch guy who made it to the semis by climbing both qualification routes.

In the afternoon we went to see the semis. It was kinda hot, about 32 degrees with some cool wind.

During the semis Jorg managed to advance to the finals. He made it to the top 8, super! We got so bored between the semis and the finals. I enjoyed my time on a slackline. That didn’t went well because I didn’t feel good just yet.

Right after that we went out for dinner downtown in Chamonix and returned back at our hotel to freshen up. The finals is about to start! Just 15 minutes to go and we are on our way to the venue. At 20.30h we were sitting in front of the competition wall. It was major crowded.

The coaches have their own VIP area and Nikki and I were sitting close to it. So close that a fence got in my way for my camera and I had to climb over the fence to support Jorg even more. Luckily I manage to record his actions and also from Jakob, Adam and Patxi but their footages will follow later. First they introduced the female finalists followed by the male finalists.

The men’s finals was great to witness whereas the women’s finals was less interesting because the route was too easy. Jorg manage to end up third! That’s really awesome.

The Worldcup ended with a nice show.

Jorg treated me a coke and coach Wally bought us a delicious crêpe, thanks for that.

I’d like to be here again next year, because Chamonix has a really nice environment. Hopefully I’ll feel well and climb in healthy conditions! For now I’ll recover from my stomache…Chamonix a bientôt.

I heard Wally’s alarm going off at 6.30 AM in the morning. I tried to sleep some more.

After 20 minutes, I felt better. Today I have to climb at my best. Considering my situation I don’t know if I’m able to pull this off. My breakfast for today is muesli with yogurt and I drank lots of water from the tap.

Wally mentions that Elko’s bag has arrived. It is already at the hotel, just in time! Wally and Elko are leaving to the venue because Elko has to climb early. I’m leaving with Nikki half an hour later.

The isolation area is huge. Again I see lots of familiar international climbers, but I try to focus on myself. Wouter and Elko are present as well and somewhat later Jorg is in the isolation area too. Furthermore there is a television with all demonstrations of the qualification routes. This time I don’t have any pictures of the isolation, because I gave up my camera to coach Wally. I’m trying to eat another banana and a muesli bar. Then it’s time for me to warm up on the wall.

When I sit down, I feel my food getting up to my throat. This is a bad sign! A few minutes later I threw up, what a bad feeling. Oh well, I hope this was the worst part.

At 9.30h I’m walking towards the competition wall to support Elko. Wally is ready to record his attempt. It feels very hot so I’m trying to stay out of the sun.

After Elko’s attempt, I’m returning to the isolation area. I just try to stay calm to save up my energy. Nikki is also climbing her first qualification route, which is inside the isolation area.

I’m heading to the competition wall to look into the route and holds. At the same moment I see other climbers doing the movements, which is nice to remember. I still have half an hour and return back to the isolation. In the isolation I’m trying to stretch my muscles. I take another asperine for my headache. I’m not feeling well at all. I trained half a year towards this competition and now I’m sick. I try not to think of it.

It is my turn to climb my first route. Behind the wall, I receive a backnumber. I put my harness and my climbing shoes on. It’s nearly my moment, I shut my eyes and think back to all the training moments I’ve had this year. Then I climb the route once again in my head.

Okay, I can go on stage and look carefully at each hold. I focus purely on the holds once I place my foot. I want to climb fast however at the same time I want to control every single movement. It is going well, until I go to this strange hold. My position is bad and I lose my balance, no way this is going to happen to me right now! I should’ve put my right foot against the wall, I should’ve known this. I’m out, that’s a fact. When I’m on the ground, I’m not even pumped in my arms. I hate this moment.

Between my first and second qualification route, I try to remain calm. Yet I need to eat something and force myself to eat a cookie and drink lots of water. I need to eat, because I feel so empty. My headache is nearly gone. I’m sitting on a mat among other competitors. I’m staring in front of me and think of the route and try to make all the movements in my head. I spot Wally in the crowd, he was there to pick me up. Soon it is my turn for my second qualification. I totally forgot about the time. Wally is asking me if I’m alright but when I walk to the competition wall, I feel like throwing up again. I feel okay again after another session in the restroom. What a bad feeling, everything I try to eat simply comes back out of my mouth.

I’m walking to the competition wall with Wally and feel a bit better. Just before I’m about to start, Wally asks me if I feel tense. I don’t feel anything. Actually just little tense, my emotions is totally controlled by my organs. Just a few more minutes and I have to start. I’m sitting behind the wall and feel the heat rising to my head. I feel so empty, not strange though cause I just threw up. I’m trying to prepare myself mentally. Then it is my turn.

I walk on stage and look at the holds again. It is my moment, I have to go for it. Now or never. I’m trying to clip multiple quickdraws at the same position. I need to climb most efficient, because I can’t request more from my body. Just 5 meters above the ground, my body feels to give up on me yet I try to fight. I have to conduct all the movements just once. I need to place my feet well and crimp on to the holds and everything will be fine. I just have to hang on for a few minutes. In the background I hear the speaker calling my name and making jokes about it. I notice it very well but I’m putting all my energy in this route. It is just too much for my body. I’m empty. I fall out of the route and I’m back on the floor again. My legs feel weak, everything in my body feels weak and I walk away to drop my harness.

My first Worldcup went too fast. I haven’t been so sick in years. What did I do wrong? Why me? I just accept it, I can’t help it anymore. I know I can get more out of myself! Bummer, next time better.

Unfortunately I can’t upload more videos because I’ve reached my limit for today. The rest of the movies will follow soon (Nikki, Elko and 1 from Adam Ondra).

Twitter is useful for short updates. Last few days I updated my status when possible. For now I’ll update on my web.

Last Sunday I left to Schiphol airport. I got dropped off by car due to too many public transport delays. At 11.00 AM I met coach Wouter at the check-in. Everything went well. We only had to switch once in Paris.

In Paris I didn’t feel well. I was cold and hot, even though it was up to 29 degrees. I took some medicine to control my headache.

We arrived safely at Geneve. Then I spotted Elko, waiting in front a windows. His luggage didn’t arrive, pity! Luckily he put his climbingshoes in his rucksack.

Next we rented a car to drive to Chamonix. On our way we saw this awesome car.

Nikki arrived earlier at Chamonix. She checked in at the hotel and did groceries. Our hotel is only 5 minutes away from the competition wall, thanks for booking Vera. Luckily we were just on time for the technical meeting.

In the evening we watched soccer! The Netherlands – Spain, with french comments. Radio through the internet was no option, it got delayed by 1 minute. We followed the soccer match and it was exciting! Robben should have scored. Period. But no, after 90 minutes we decided to get some rest. I felt so tired, weak and cold. Obviously I caught a bad virus.

I hope tomorrow I’ll feel better. I’ll write more later.

Come weekend will be very excited.

If we talk about Worldcups, then soccer will be the main topic. Netherlands – Spain! Sunday they’ll start playing at 8.30 PM local time. Go Holland yeah! Unfortunately I can’t support our team from The Netherlands, however I will support them from France.

Sunday I’ll fly to Geneve to go to Chamonix. My first Lead Worldcup is about to start on Monday. Furthermore Nikki van Bergen (f), Elko Schellingerhout and Jorg Verhoeven are also on the startlist.

Monday I’ll climb the qualification routes between 8.30h and 14.00h. In addition there is livestream available so you’re able to follow all of us. I’m so looking forward to it. Just a few more days to go!!