ponedeljek, 7. december 2015

The massacrate!!!

The whole story begins back in 2006, when I went to European youth cup in Bulgaria. There I met (not for the first time, but more personal) Izidor Zupan. Later we became very good friends, probably because of the same ambitions and craziness we were hiding inside. Climbing was developing fast by that time and I was always trying to find something new around my home town. I remember Izi was telling me about one secret spot near Laško. He said, he sent his hardest route there and that it is a very nice 7b crack. I got so excited about it, I barley wait for my first visit there. When I came there, I was surprised how nice that place is and that there is also some potential for bouldering as well. Izi didn't know so much about bouldering by that time, so he was happy when he realised that there is so much more than he imagined. Don't get too excited about the place while reading this, but for young, ambitious and for kids who come from Slovenia, that was one hell of thing. First we climbed the easiest ones and than year after year we always found something new. Maybe after a year later, we discovered this crazy long cliff, just 5 minutes walk from the other place. We started trying and climbing all the logical lines, but one made a huge impression on me. The upper part of the cliff was really steep and I couldn't believe that there are actually holds and I could actually do all the moves from the first jug to the end of a cliff. Of course for me, that looked quite impossible for that time, but I knew that some day I will do it. After a while, Urh Čehovin came around and didn't see the whole line, so he "only" climbed the crux of the roof and named it Cross my heart, which later became my first 7c+ boulder. Back to the story with Izi. We were growing and getting stronger together. In 2007, Izi did the first ascent of Herpes Zoster, which was the last part of the cliff and graded it 7b+. He named it after his very bad disease he had and I said, if I do the whole thing, I'll call it Meningitis (after disease I had when I was young). I was working on it a hard and in 2010, I succeeded! Quite soon after the FA, I cut the bush down and the whole cliff looked one. There we opened some new lines and according tho the parties we were attending to, we named a new line Inbox, after the best club we have ever gone to. I also opened Yes we can (very nice techno-minimal song), which started on a logical jug and ended up on the starting hold of Meningitis. It's graded as 7c+ boulder problem and it contains 17 moves (before changing beta it was 20). On the same year, I could do it in 2 parts, but I felt like an universe away of actually connecting all together. Years went by and I was still trying it when I had time, but no success. Even worse! Few years ago, the crucial foothold in crux broke. I need some time, just to reclimb "easy" lines that went thru that foothold. Cross my heart was upgraded to 8a and no one else could repeat it. But I didn't give up. In this season I was already kicked out in Xaxid hotel 9a/a+, by falling on the last move cause of the wet hold, so I changed my plans to this project. I've been trying it more often in last 2 moths and finally realised that this thing is actually possible. I was working on crux move a lot, so it would feel easier after the first part. But still the main problem for me was Yes we can. It felt easy, but still to long that I could come to the crux quite fresh. 2 weeks ago I finally reclimbed Meningitis after the brake and I also started to feel, that it's gonna happen sooner or later. In last week came there alone for few times and also the foggy weather made some unpleasant surprises. Crucial hold was luckily dry, but the next jug was completely wet and not even possible to dry out. I set my mind to come there on my 25 birthday and to make it finished. With a full support of the crew that were there with me, I felt like a ski jumper before his performance. Few of them were waiting for me with towels and chalk to come to some crucial holds to dry them out. On my first attempt I finally stick that hold, but unfortunately fell on the next move. Water got it's battle! But I didn't give up. I gave it another try and I sent it!!! Final scream out on the top of the cliff. The battle was over. And that battle wasn't a battle between the hardest climb in Slovenia and me, but it was only a battle between me and connecting all moves together. I also don't care about grade so much, but I would say it could be an 9a+ or if you prefer it- hard 8c boulder problem. Izi knows what Massacrate was and I can now tell you as well. It was one of the most hard core parties I've ever went to and it was so hard as this line is! Thank you everyone!!

Photos by Luka Tambača and archive



2009, tree in the back was blocking to find the whole line

last part (Herpes Zoster 7b+), 2010

1st part, Yes we can 7c+

last moves in Yes we can

last move into Meningitis 8b+

starting hold in Meningitis

moves before crux

old Cross my heart 7c+

Cross my heart 8a, May 2015

last hard move, November

crux move



it starts somewhere above white pad

torek, 1. december 2015

Nationals 2015

One of the best Nationals ended last weekend. I was super motivated to compete in lead and boulder from Friday till Sunday. I was really calm on Friday's qualifications in bouldering and made it to the finals with a nice lead. Saturday was a day for lead. I really wished to climb good and really wished to make it to the podium this time. I was so calm, I even surprised my self with making it to the finals on the 3rd place and climb to the same point as Domen and Urban in the finals. So I ended on 3rd place in lead.

I couldn't resist for the upcoming party in Kranj, so had to try partying before boulder finals. Turned out quite well I must say, even though I was pretty scared until last boulder. Urban was in the lead until last one, where I had last chance to win a title. For my luck, Urban couldn't do the last one and I only had few tries to finish it. I did one unnecessary try and put my self in even worse position. But I collected my self and sent it on my second go, which was enough for winning the comp.

















First time Bavona

One of the biggest dream came true last week. There are so many places I want to visit, but I don't think I had a bigger wish to go somewhere else but Valle Bavona before. So I made a deal with Rok Klančnik to go there for just 3 days. We came there around midnight on Sunday and we really had to take a look of first few boulders you can se from the road. We were so excited we barely sleep, so on the next morning we were just walking around to find every boulder we wanted to see. But before midday we couldn't resist anymore and we started climbing. We warmed up in very technical and very beautiful slab in the middle of this beautiful stone village called Village idiot 7b+. We both spent few tries to stand on the top of it. Next was classical Off the wagon, but just for few tries and soon we were off to Heritage 8b+. I gave it a super good flash go (didn't grab the gaetone correctly and fell, than did it to the top), than spent another 2 hours to finish it. Rok unfortunately fell from the very top and made a bad split under the finger nail. On day 2, we started with Budica and Trigonometry 8a. Again came so close to flash, but because of the sun, I couldn't see where the top hold is. On my second go it went down easily and also Rok was a bit lucky with this one. Off the wagon, on the wagon, on and off the wagon...no success again. At least Rok nailed it on Kings of Sonlerto 8b in just few tries. Day 3 was a bit shorter, but long enough to flash Milight 8a and to destroy skin on Off the wagon again.

This valley impressed me so much, I have to come back with rope, pads and maybe even some technical gear!

Trigonometry, 8a

classical swiss forest


the best village in the World


Rok on Kings of Sonlerto


Heritage, 8b+


Off the wagon, 8b+


Village idiot, 7b+