I’m in Lebanon for December and was planning to focus on outdoor climbing the whole month, but I got a membership at U Rock to train on their tension board and climb when it’s rainy. Everyone there is super friendly and I quickly fell in love with the small but tight climbing community in Lebanon! On my second day there during a group sesh on the tension board, everyone kept asking if I signed up for the bouldering comp coming up. I’m not much of a boulderer, and not much of a comp climber, so I wasn’t really planning on competing. Everyone seemed psyched for the comp though, and I figured it would be a fun way to meet more climbers, so they convinced me to sign up for it right before they closed sign-ups… Why not, I just hoped I wouldn’t end up last. I could sign up for the intermediate or advanced group, and seeing that I was a little weaker on the tension board than some of the people going for the intermediate category, I picked that.
The day of the comp, I showed up excited to hang with people and check out the bigger climbing gym in Beirut. There were 3 qualifier problems, and 6 people would make it through to the finals. The problems didn’t seem too hard, but I was still nervous going into it. I flashed 2 of the 3 qualifiers, and squeaked out a top on the third problem after 1 failed attempt. At that point it seemed like only people with 3 flashes would make it through to the finals, but I didn’t have a ride home and I wanted to watch the others climb, so I stayed. Luckily, only 3 people flashed everything, so my score ended up being enough to go to finals! I was already stoked to make it that far.
The final boulders definitely seemed trickier, but still not too hard. I was pretty confident I could top all of them after a few attempts. The first one was the easiest of the three, and I snagged a flash along with some of the other finalists. Already, a couple of people weren’t able to top it, putting me ahead of them so far! Now that I actually had a shot at a podium spot, I was getting really stoked. I went on to the next problem, which so far no one had been able to top. It was definitely a good bit harder than the other problems I’d done. The crux was getting from the zone hold, a vertical pinch, to a crimp near it, and then dyno to the finish. My first try, I went up with my right hand to the pinch, which put me in a tough position to cross over to the crimp. My second attempt went much better, I tried going to the pinch with my left, cutting feet, then catching the crimp with my right hand. That should have been it, but I was already a little pumped, and only managed to get one hand on the finish before slipping off. I still had plenty of time, so I took a minute to rest and get my heart rate down, and sent it on the third try! Definitely a challenge to read and dial down the moves, but the grade was probably no more than V3/V4. I walked away elated that I was doing so well.
In isolation, it became clear that no one was able to top that route, and the third route also sounded like a struggle. It was a cave climb with decent holds and slopey slab finish. I really wanted to top out all 3 problems, so I rehearsed the beta in my head a bunch till it was my turn. Throughout the whole process, sitting in iso with the other climbers was definitely the highlight. Everyone was mad supportive, and I was a little embarrassed to be the only one with 2 tops so far. I was sure someone else would catch up soon. When it came my turn to try the last problem, I went out determined to send. I started out exactly as I had planned, and made the decision to skip a hold in the cave that looked pretty tough to catch. Because of that, I had to toe hook match on an undercling, and that nearly got me. I managed to make the move just barely holding on. After that, I knew I could get the top, so I fought hard to flash this one. Surprisingly, the sloper everyone had been slipping off felt pretty good to me! I matched and rocked up onto the slab, and got the top on my first try! The crowd was excited, and I jumped down not fully believing what had just happened. Walking back into iso, I was already hearing people talking about me ending up in first place. No way|.
After we all finished, it really looked like I was gonna place first! I was shocked and ecstatic. I really wanted to break into the climbing community here, and it felt like I was really making a name for myself with this performance. I grabbed my stuff from iso and walked into the audience to watch the finals, happily fist bumping and thanking everyone congratulating me. How lucky am I to so quickly be welcomed into this epic group of crushers!
At this point, my dad and brothers came by to pick me up. But now that I seemingly won, I couldn’t leaver until they announced results and took pictures of everyone! I was pretty happy to stay and watch the advanced category finals. The atmosphere was so awesome to be part of. Everyone was invested in the climbers doing their best. It was hard not to. The competitors were doing a fantastic job, climbing hard and even sending routes I suspect the routesetters did not intend for anyone to finish! Watching the last few climbs from the audience was a core memory. The entire room was silent as each climber worked their way to the crux, “allez”‘s and “yalla”s enthusiastically swept the crowd as some competitors made sick moves to the zone. Aw’s and claps followed each attempt, an air of respect tangible for each burn. I decided then and there that I would make it back next year for the advanced comp.
As the last climbers finished their time, I had lost track of who was in the lead. Everyone did a phenomenal job, and I was reassured after watching them that I picked the right category to sign up for; I was right on the fence between advanced and intermediate. My technique and route reading skills were definitely beyond the others in the intermediate group, but my power and finger strength were a world away from the advanced group. Still, I couldn’t help feel a little guilty, like I had unintentionally hustled them. All that went away as they announced the results though. I stood in first place, and Charbel whom I had become friends with at U Rock and during the comp snagged a well-deserved second place! Unfortunately some of the other intermediate climbers who were deserving didn’t manage to place, especially Omar who had out-climbed me in the qualifiers. He kept giving me shit for not being in the advanced crew lmao. All that aside, I’m over the moon that I was able to take part in the FIRST national bouldering championship in Lebanon. Here’s hoping I’m back for the next tournament next year (and double hoping they introduce lead hehe). Until then, I’ll be spending my time on the tension board and climbing outside whenever I can!
// Folowup: Some pictures from the great outdoors
Into The Gnar 