Petzl Roc Trip 2011 video!

Hi guys!

Here's an awesome video from the 2011 Petzl Roc Trip at Getu He here in China.
Awesome music and editing from my good buddy, Vladimir.
Watch it!

Monday psyche!

Here's a little video to keep you all psyched on a Monday morning  :)

Enjoy!

The Canberra Invasion and other stuff...

So I have been a little lacking in the blogging department of late but a few things have gone of lately that are worth a little spray and with the season here in full swing no doubt there will be a lot more to talk about really soon.
So the biggest thing I have had go on lately is the 2 week visit by 3 of my best old buddies from Canberra. Josh, Danny and Wells all headed over for a few weeks of limestone crushing and some excessive consumption of Jack Daniels which was a barrel of laughs. The boys crushed rigs all over the place, lot's of quick sends at all the major crags and some night time debauchery at the bars that doesn't need to be discussed in public haha.
It was amazing to have some of my oldest friends finally come and visit me here in my home away from home here in Yangshuo so it was a fantastic couple of weeks. Thanks boys!
Once the hang over of their visit had cleared I headed out to Swiss Cheese crag with my wonderful girlfriend Morgan to try a classic crimpy face route called 'The Slackline Incident' which goes at 7c / 5.12d / 27. I managed to bag it on my 3rd go after punting off the last hold on my second go. Crimpy face climbing isn't my best style so I am stoked to have done a few more hard-ish lines in this style lately. I have one more route to go and I will have ticked the whole crag there... Psyched!!!
Rest day today then off for some more projecting tomorrow.
I am starting another long training cycle right now for what I have dubbed 'Project 32' which is, as I have mentioned before, my goal of trying to climb my age this year, which is 32 in Ozzie grades, so the brutal training has begun! I will be posting a lot more training stuff up soon on www.athletebychoice.blogspot.com  so go and check it out!
Psyched!
Duncan.

Vertical Life is born!!!

So the day has finally arrived... the new magazine 'Vertical Life' is here! It is an amazing multi media magazine coming out of Australia that I am very proud to be lending a little bit of a hand to with training articles and climbing content from Asia.
So go and check it out at www.verticallifemag.com.au
Read the mag, tell your friends, get psyched! And as always, feedback on my articles in there is greatly appreciated. So go check it out!

Spring has sprung!

Hi peeps!

So I've been a bit quiet over the winter posting wise around here but now the spring season is here and things are picking up. I spent the winter mainly finger boarding as I don't like climbing in the cold so much but now it is warming up and we are back on the rock. I am a little bit out of endurance shape but that is coming back quick with lap days at the crag and training on our new bouldering wall here (pics soon) so things are good.
I started out the season with a reasonably quick ascent of a fantastic near vertical, crimpy little test piece at the 'Swiss Cheese' crag called 'Rock N Rolla' which goes at 5:13a (7c+ or 28) so I feel like that is a good start to the season, but I have a long way to go... my goal this year is to try and climb my age in Australian grades and seeing as I just turned 32 years old that is a big ask (32 is 5.14a or 8b+). I have a route in mind that is my style and I have some 30's and 31's that I have tried that I hope to get along the way so it's going to be a big year of training, training, training and hopefully crushing!
Speaking of training, look out next week for the first edition of Vertical Life Magazine, a new magazine in Australia that I am writing training articles for... I'll hook you all up with links when it's out next week  :)

Here's looking at you, kid!
Duncan

Some slacklining

Hey all,

Here's another little video of me and a few buddies slacklining in Yangshuo Park on a rest day. Ray had a GoPro camera so there is a mix of footage in there...
The winter is slowly arriving here, it is getting colder and greyer but we are still climbing like crazy. I have also started my winter training, psyched to get super strong over the winter and crush some rigs in the spring! I might have some cool news soon too, a little writing project to do with my other blog, www.athletebychoice.blogspot.com - watch this space :)

A few routes at Lei Pi Shan

Hi again guys and gals,

Here's another little video from a day out at Lei Pi Shan recently. It has my good buddy and local strong man Aniu doing a lap on the uber classic 'Singularity' 5.12b as well as JJ having a shot on the tough 'Honky Tonk' 5.12d.

Sorry about the shaky camera again, I had a mishap with my tripod and had to hold the camera by hand again  :)

Enjoy!

Duncan

Finally, the breakthrough I've been waiting for...

So the autumn season is slowly creeping in here, albeit slowly. The leaves are changing colour and the weather is getting much better for climbing and, more importantly, sending.

Finally I have reached a breakthrough point in my climbing that I have been aiming at for a long time and I think it is of course all due to the training I have been following which has been working a charm... a few days ago on the 2nd of December I sent my first 8a+ / 5.13c / 30.

The route was one out at White Mountain called 'Gin & Tonic'. It is probably a touch soft for the grade but it is a great intro to the grade as it is my style (endurance with lot's of short boulders separated by decent rests.)and it is a 3 star route, awesome fun. I did the route on only my 9th try and while putting the draws on, I felt great and no where near my limit so I am super stoked knowing I'm not at my upper limit by a long shot yet!

I have stacks of other projects around town that I am close to as well and have more to try now that I am feeling confident and strong so today it's off to Lei Pi Shan to go try another project today.

Good times. Psyched!
D.

Another 'Y Files' - A Touch Of The Moon

Hey guys and gals  :)

This week the weather has been hot which is crazy for this time of year... I should be in a down jacket but instead I'm working on my tan... crazy! So because of this I abandoned my project at White Mountain despite being super close (fell at the last move... it would be my first 8a+ [Oz grade 30] if I had got it... argh!!!) and I have gone to hide in the cooler conditions at Moon Hill for the week until the weather improves again.

Here's a little clip of some fun routes at Moon Hill. The route in the movie, 'Red Dragon' is what I am working on up there now, it's also my Vimeo profile pic so you can see it a bit there to.

Alrighty, here's the video, enjoy!

The Y Files 1: Morgan Gerlitz - Caveman

Hey guys!

Here is my first attempt at a climbing video with the new camera. Please forgive some of the shaky filming and editing, it's my first attempt!

The video is of my wonderful girlfriend Morgan rocking out the classic 'Caveman' 5.11a at White Mountain.

Enjoy!

'The Y Files' are coming...

So I got myself a little HD video camera recently and I'm going to be bringing you guys a series of shorts all about Yangshuo, it's people and the climbing. I'm far from a professional videographer and only just learning to use editing software but I'll do my best... it should be fun :)

Enjoy!

A little photo project...

Here's a little collage I did yesterday. I wanted to take photo's of interesting colours and shapes and textures while riding to the crag and make a collage out of it. I took all of the photo's on the way to White Mountain yesterday and put them together to print up for our house. Here it is... enjoy :)

(click on it for a larger copy)

Emily Harrington sending Wacka Flocka

Here's a nice short from Andy Mann and Evolv of my buddy Emily Harrington sending her hardest route ever - Wacka Flocka 5.14b / 8c

Nice work sista! :)

Another cool short...

Here's a nice short bouldering clip from Louder Than 11...

Some videos for the morning...

Hi all :)

Here's a few cool short clips I watched this morning that I thought you might like... enjoy!



A cool bouldering short from Spain:




An except from the Scene, chatting with Dave Graham:




Enzo Oddo interview and climbing.. met this kid at the Roc Trip... he is smooth and S.T.R.O.N.G.

Petzl Roc Trip

Hi all!

So I am back and all settled in after more than 3 weeks up in Guizhuo Provence living in the amazing Getu Valley for what was the most fun climbing event I have ever been to.
The 2011 Petzl Roc Trip was a stunning success and the more than 500 people that came along for the ride had an amazing time. We climbed, we ate, we partied, we caught up with old friends and new... we had a blast.

Some of the highlights included seeing Gabriel Moroni crush his first ascent of 'Coup Du Bambou' 9a, Dani Andrada on his epic first ascent of his 8 pitch 'Corazon de Ensueno' with pitches up to 8c and including an 8b+ down campussing pitch... epic!

I even managed for easier things up to a few 7c+'s so it was a great trip all round for me too :)

It is hard to descibe just how fun it was so here are some pics and videos and links for you to check out to get a taste of just how it was... all the pics and vid's are courtesy of the Petzl website.

Dani Andrada on his epic "Corazon de Ensueno" - 8 pitches of up to 8c

The main hard wall inside the Great Arch - undercling pocket resistance fest's galore!

"Lost In Translation" - No explanation needed...

Here are some links to check out:

A nice photo slide show...
http://petzl.com/en/outdoor/petzl-roctrip/china2011/photos

And the update archive from the Petzl website that has updates live from the festival...
http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/archive/all/2011/10

And of course some videos :)

Big News, Big Plans, Good Times!

So first news is first... I just sent my first 8a (or 29 for you Ozzies)!!! Super psyched!
The route was 'Tsing Tao Beer', a route that was originally 7c+ but is considered good 8a these days. So happy! And it only took me about 10 shots so that's super encouraging.

And sending that put's me in a great frame of mind leading up to the Petzl oc Trip up in the Getu Valley in Guizhuo Province at the end of this month. We are heading there tonight for 3 weeks or so of tearing it up... Can't wait!

Finally, here are some pics my friend Hans took of me on the amazing 'Red Dragon' 8a+/30 at Moon Hill. I am doing well on it and I think it may go after we return from Getu.. So psyched! See you all in a few weeks!

Red Dragon... Mid crux...

Setting up for the last move to the chains...

The awesome double toe hook bat hang rest two thirds of the way up the route :)

Cool clip for today...

Morning folks :)

Here's a cool clip I just saw posted today. I spent a little bit of time here in Yangshuo with Sam last year when he and Emily came to Yangshuo for the climbing festival here. Great guy, lots of fun, super strong... check it out :)

Sam Elias on the seldom repeated Tomfoolery in Rifle Canyon. A route at 8c put up by Tommy Caldwell circa '96 or '97 is rarely climbed yet attempted by the best. An ultra bizarre style gets you up this route and Sam Elias made a repeat in the summer of 2010.

Shot and Edit: Joe Kinder
Camera: Canon T2i
Lenses: Canon 16-35 f2.8
Canon 85 1.8

Good friends doing great things!

This last week has been a great week for news from friends. Confirmation of an Oz contingent coming next spring to my new home here in China for a visit is top of the list and is followed by good friends doing amazing things all over the globe. The most amazing of these has to be the following two awesome sends...

Firstly Mayan Smith-Gobat, my good friend from New Zealand, absolutely crushing it in Yosemite Valley lately, climbing the amazing streak line of 'Peace' 5.13d in Tuolomne Meadows and capping things off with an absolutely amazing acheivment of freeing the 'Salathe Wall' 5.13b on El Capitan. She is an amazing person and athlete and I am so stoked for her.

Congrats Mayan, so well deserved!
Check it out on her website: http://www.mayanclimbs.com/

Mayan in front of El Cap (pic courtesy of http://www.mayanclimbs.com/)

The second amazing send of the week is that strong little monkey from the Blue Mountains in Oz, young Mr. Ben Cossey doing the ultimate Grampians bopuldering test piece 'The Wheel of Life'. I'm not going to mention a grade for this as it is sort of one of those 'great debates' in climbing but it is without a doubt one of the most amazing lines I have ever seen and is brick hard regardless of a number. Massive congrats to Ben for such a great acheivement. This is the 5th ascent of this testpeice now after Di Koyamada, Chris Webb-Parsons, Ethan Pringle and James Kassay. Mad props Ben, mad props :)

Ben Cossey on 'The Wheel Of Life', Hollow Mountain Cave, Grampians (Pic from 8a.nu)

That's about it right now. Just thought I would share some of the good news that's keeping me psyched right now! Now, out to the crag!

Peace, D.

The Season - An awesome video series

So I just got put onto a cool video series called 'The Season'. Well, 'The Season 2' to be precise. It is their second series of this cool story telling video format that is being shown on the Arc'teryx website (http://www.arcteryx.com/?EN) and at http://www.theseasontv.com/

Awesome footage, beautiful settings, excellent story telling; all in all an aweome watch.

Go check it out, there are 7 episodes of the Season 2 up online now with much more to come. The first season can be watched on ITunes by following the link in their 'about' section on the website.

Enjoy!