Anak in Gold
After many years of painstakingly hard work and several titles of vice world champion, my friend Anak Verhoeven gloriously rounded off her youth years with the much-coveted gold medal at the youth climbing world championships in Arco from 28 August to 6 September 2015 in the discipline of lead climbing. My family cut and pasted a special poster to celebrate the world champion.
Worldcup Puurs Poster 2015
Anak Verhoeven is the eye-catcher of this year’s poster announcing the upcoming lead climbing world cup that will be organised by BVKB at the Klimax climbing gym in Breendonk-Puurs on 26 and 27 September. Anak belongs to the top eight best climbers in the world, ranking fourth at the end of last season. My dad, Peter Cuypers, shot the pictures, made the drawings and created all the artwork for the Worldcup.
Rodellar Summer 2015
In the summer of 2015, I on-sighted my first 8a, Detectives in Rodellar’s sector of La Piscineta, Spain. Half an hour later, I tried Cosi fan tutte, 8a+, on sight, but I noticed the hold next to the tufa too late, so I sent it in the second attempt. I also had my mind set on Pata Negra, a 35 meter long 8c in the sector of Las Ventanas C and managed to climb it in two parts. I must thank my climbing partner Yashin for his encouraging company, inspiring motivation and irrepressible enthusiasm.
European Youth Competitions, 2015
The dates of the first two Euopean Youth Cups in Dornbirn and Imst, both in Austria, were inconveniently set too close before the exams and the European Championship in Edinburgh, Scotland, even fell right in the middle of them. This handicapped our team that had to do without some of our best climbers.
Geyikbayiri in Turkey
Turkey is a huge country with a surface area of 302.535 square miles and I’ve only been at Geyikbayiri, which is a mere mile long, but great crag.
Anak Verhoeven klimt 9a
Tijdens de Paasvakantie klom Anak Verhoeven haar eerste 9a. Als uitdaging koos ze Era Vella, een 50 meter lange route in het Spaanse Margalef.
Woelige wedstrijd in Blueberry Hill
Once upon a time, in the far west of Belgium was er ene wedstrijd. Dat zaaltje in Kortrijk heette Blueberry Hill. Dit verhaal is misschien al een bekend sprookje en als ik het nog moet zeggen, al oud ook. Het is al meer dan een maand geleden en ondertussen is er een nieuw verhaal over een andere wedstrijd dat in België rondgaat.
Arlon
The competition in Arlon was a long comp lasting the entire day. It actually started on Friday night. At 5 o’clock we had our car ready and our sleeping bags too. Then, the long drive to Arlon started with a little detour to pick up another climber. Well let me explain to you, Arlon is the southernmost city from Flanders in Belgium.
Go Go Pro
Saturday 17 January, Open Vlaams. I was really excited and I wanted to compete. I was so happy to be there and it was such a long time ago since I did a comp. I was in good shape. I was totally ready, both mentally and physically.