Long days and Tasty Jaffa Cakes

My latest trip has been to Slovenia for the European Youth Cup.  I left home at 12.45am (kind of a bit after midnight, or very early on a thursday), to travel to Manchester, then in a mini bus with some of the GB team from the North West and on the Stansted for a 5.45am check in with the rest of the team. 

Church In Kranj

Once checked into the hotel we wandered around Kranj, and did a bit of sightseeing. Feeling refreshed the next day, went shopping for provisions, discovered that Slovenian Jaffa cakes are very tasty; the jelly is a bit harder and chewer, and more flavoursome than the ones at home.

A View in Kranj

A group of us went to see Skyfall, fortunately this was in English!

Route cleaning, looks a bit sketchy 

  

The next day was competition day, off to the wall bright and early. I was drawn just before half way in the group of 39. I was quite pleased with my result of 14 for this route.  Then I had an enormous wait, I watched all the Brits climb, including Molly and Johnny getting themselves in the final.  Climbing had to keep stopping for route cleaning, done on ladders and wobbly looking scaffolding that was wheeled in. It was nearly 7 hours later when I finally got on my second route (as I was the second to last to climb). Most of the team stayed behind for the hours of waiting, once they had done theirs, they were great team mates, most appreciated.  After looking at the route for hours, I just wanted to get on it and climb it. I achieved a 9^th position on this route, which gave me 12^th overall on the day.   During the evening I got to know some of the competitors form across Europe.  The next day (Sunday) it was back to the wall to watch the finals, and then return to the UK.  Finally home at 2am – now Monday, and had to go in to school for a chemistry test!

Route 1, Placed 14th (Photo: Rebekah Drummond)

Route 2, Placed 9th (Photo: Rebekah Drummond)

Connor Byrne