Czech Climbing

The show this time was organized during the wider event of the Naturals Games, which was really big. The Central European could imagine Petrohradske padani (Czech Republic outdoor bouldering competition) with another 10 competitions all together and other additional programs.
…. in reality it isn't any competition, but a meeting of sportsmen with the same interests in the framework of Naturals Games - climbers, paragliderers, kayakers, downhillers and jumpers on bikes etc.
The event lasted 5 days, with three nights of huge night parties with live music, there was bungee jumping, over there jumping on bouldering wall, just jumping everywhere with or without bike, paraglider... the stands everywhere refreshment, outdoor goods. And there were about 4000 people.

The sky above Millau
photo by © Eva Ondrova

And back to the Petzl Roc Trip itself – it was located to the area Boffi. The area is created by the strip of crags under the hill range along the valley.
A few routes were put up in 1980', but the overwhelming majority of the routes are from this millennium - they were prepared for the Roctrip in 2005.
Free opportunity on the walls had been still enough, so this year there were prepared another 60 new routes. The climbing character in Boffi is very similar to the popular nearby Tarn. In my comparation of the both, Tarn would win. For several reasons - in some routes the rock in Boffi is still not firm (especially in new ones), distance from car is 40 minutes – it would not bother too much but during noon there is quite hot, only few sectors for climbing and no swimming as in Tarn. So visit the new area rather in spring or autumn. The length of routes: from short ones to 60 meters long beauties. A climbing guidebook is available for 22 Eur. In some hard routes the grade of difficulty is not sometimes correct.

Sectors in Boffi
photo by © Eva Ondrova

Adam Ondra 8a+
photo by © Eva Ondrova

Valley of the river La Durbie, the new world wonder - bridge in Millau in background, the view from crags
photo by © Eva Ondrova

How was it (depends on organizing country, people)
Ultimate routs were prepared for the invited climbers, the first two days climbing was according to a schedule – men had 25 minutes for an attempt (difficulty 8c) daily, women one hour (8b+/c). The rest of the routes were offered without limitation for the interest and judgment of everyone. I must say that organization was not strict at all, but it worked well.

Under the crags
photo by © Eva Ondrova

Another two competition routes were prepared for the junior category and the other for registered and unregistered participants. For everybody's taste :-)
For the audience there were the largest interest for event on Saturday where there came huge crowds and people queued for the easy routes. And whoever didn't climb he/she could see interesting show.
From the invited climbers - only couple names: Martina Cufar, Daila Ojeda, Liv Sansoz, Dani Andrada, Alex Chabot, Daniel Dulac, Gerome Pouvreau, Jerome Meyer, Adam Ondra and Martin Stranik, Sean McColl, Said Belhaj, Klemen Becan, the others perhaps will forgive me. However Americans Chris Sharma and David Graham were not present, allegedly they have problems with long residential stay in Europe. In the same term World Cup competition in China took place so Patxi Usobiaga or Charlotte Durif were missing too.
And what was the result – Adam Ondra climbed the route Ultime voie 2008 already on 2nd attempt on Friday, Dani Andrada later on Sunday, however, we do not know why, he was not officially announced as the the repeater of the route. Also Alex Chabot, Klemen Becan or Sean McColl tried quite good attempts, but the route was long, with couple rest but culminated in the end and the hot weather... The woman's route - a beautiful arete - no woman was able to send it for the simple reason that it was the entire day in the sun shine, pity.
Even the juniors ultimate routes were not climbed.
Info and more nice photos on http://www.kairn.com

Petzl Roc Trip Millau 2008

Czech view

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