What are you doing now?

This is the most often question I am asked in the last time. People think that with stopping competing I also stopped training. Which is not the truth at all. My days are not much different as they were while competing. Just my goals are different.

In January I start with basic preparations, which means many easy climbs in the rock (Osp, Costiera, Kanzianiberg) and artificial wall (climbing up and down for some time). Since I am going to climb cracks in America in April, where finger power is almost of no use, I added to my training also some fitness to strengthen my shoulders and get some base for other physical work connected to mulipitch crack climbing.

One week ago I began with some harder climbing on boulder wall and also in the rock, where I onsighted two 7c Tales of insanity and KGR, both in Kanzianiberg (A).

Some new motivation and inspiration for training and climbing I got also during the International Mountain Movie festival in Ljubljana, where I was in a jury for sport and adventure movies - we chose the Scottish movie E11 for the winninig one.

I was very happy that the audience liked my slide show presentation. Having my first presentation in the culture and convention center Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana was a big responsibility for me. I was preparing the show for a long time and was nervous like I used to be before the competition. But there everything went ok. In an hour I shared with the audience the climbing adventures of my 19 years of climbing and my personal climbing philosophy – the good vibrations of the rock!

On the photo I am with Tina Di Batista (the best Slovenian Alpinist) and Silvo Karo, the organizer of the Festival. Photo: Dejan Ogrinec

Finish of the World Cup season in Kranj

The World Cup competiton in Kranj celebrated this year already the 10th anniversary. Because of the home audience this is the most important competiton of the year for us, besides the World Championship.

I had a goal to climb in the final and dedicated to it my training from September on; I trained much more than usually on the artificial walls to gain specific endurance for "plastic" climbing. I really felt in a good shape before Kranj, and climbed relaxed and easily in qualifications and till the middle of semifinal route, where a long and a bit tricky move stopped me; I was not precise enough,so I finished on the rope, with my goal not fulfiled.

For the Slovenian team the competition was very succesful. There were 4 finalists: Maja Vidmar was 2nd, Natalija Gros 3rd, Mina Markovič 5th, Tonaž Valjavec 8th.

More you can read&see on www.worldcupkranj.com
Photo: Urban Golob

Finish of the national championship in Tržič

10th of December :With the competition in Tržič, last weekend, the competition season, which began in April was finished.

The routes were not as usual; they were shorter, but more powerful and with no rests. We were five to finish the semifinal route, the most stamina and concentration showed Natalija Gros who managed to climb also the final route till the top. Maja Vidmar fell on the last move, and me another four moves lower. Even though I was 3rd, I was more satisfied with my climbing as week ago in Skofja Loka, because in last meters I really had to climb on my limits.

In the overall ranking Maja won in front of Natalija and me.

Now I will dedicate more time to rock climbing again, and afterwards I will take some rest to get the energy for next season.

New routes in Warmbad

Before the competition in Arco, Martina again visited her favourite climbing site in Warmbad. The locals there were clearly very active during the summer and made many new routes. This enables Martina to climb again on-sight and conquered the »Charintische Sommer« (7b+) and »Los mi obe i geh ham« (7c+)

Austria once again

One week before the next World Cup competition in Austrian Imst I was again climbing in Austria.

In Goltschach I did,after many efforts an overhanging athletic route Modern Art with long moves on artificial pockets, which for tall boys is an easy 8a, but for me it was a really hard one.

More my style of climbing offers Warmbad, where I did Mordor 8a+ in 2nd attempt.

Now I am acclimatized to Austrian climbing:-),I hope also to overhanging artificial wall in Imst.

A competition in Singapur

The fifth World cup competition took place in a distant Singapur. To overcome jet lag and get used to the hot and humid tropical climate (25-30 degrees Centigrade and 90-97% humidity) Slovenian team traveled early. They therefore had plenty of time for sightseeing in this small, green state, situated on an island (43 x 21 km), which has 3,5 million inhabitants and 5 million trees.
The event was well organized, a competition strong, with all the best climbers participating. They were joined also by several Asian competitors who usually don’t climb in the Word cup, but are nonetheless strong. Organizers had only one day and nothing more to prepare the routs. We can therefore forgive them some slips. While the final route was too easy, we can certainly not claim the same for the semi-final. Only Muriel Sarkany climbed the semi-final to the top; on the other hand four reached the top in final. The winner was consequently Muriel. Martina injured her finger in the isolation zone (luckily only a minor injury), besides she was still tired from all the travel she did in August. This all reflected on the result. She ended up the sixth, following Natalija on the fifth place.
A new challenge is ahead of Martina this coming weekend – Rock Master in Arco, where she’ll try to climb in the same manner as she did in Serre Chevalier.

Gorzderztte

29th - 30th January 2005 :My first weekend in France was very cold but active. I took part at the ice-climbing meeting Gorzderette (www.gorzderette.com) near Courchevel.
In a small village Champagny le Vanoise they built a 20 m high ice tower, with big overhangs and some drytooling parts. The temperatures were very low, always around -20°C, so the ice was very stiff for me. It was the first time for me to climb overhanging ice, and I found it very physically demanding. At the ice climbing show the first evening I was a judge for a style together with Liv Sansoz. The winner was Daniel Dulac.

On Sunday I took part at a funny and strenuous competition. In team with Stephanie Maureau we won in the overall of cross country skiing, archery, pulling 120 kg heavy sledge, acrobatic ski jumping and ice climbing.

In the next days I will climb on the big artificial wall in Grenoble and in the rocks south from Grenoble.

End of the competition season

Škofja Loka, 4th of December :Yesterday evening the season of competitons finished with the last (4th) etape of national championship. Eventhough I started to compete this year only in july, the season was long and colorfull with 11. competitions. The goal I set for myself was to be on the podium again. I reached this goal with two 2nd places in World Cup. I expected more from Masters in Arco and Serre Chevalier and from the competition in Kranj. The reason for my not so constant results is probably my big affection and motivation for rock climbing, where I spare no effort. For me the best achievement was certainly the route Hotel Supramonte 8b (300m). Besides this I also did one 8b+ and 7 8b. I onsighted one 8a+. In overall aspect the season was succesful.

The competiton in Škofja Loka is one of my favourites, maybe bacause I won there my first national title in 1994. Yesterday I wished to finish the competition season with reaching the top of the final route, but I hesitated too much and finished second, behind Natalija Gros. Also in the overall ranking of the national championship I was 2nd. So I have a good motivation for next year; reaching my 10th national title, which will be a big challenge due to realy strong concurrence in Slovenia.

Sunny 2005!

I wish to all the visitors of my website plenty of sun and smile, enjoyment in climbig, a lot of energy and balance!
All the best!
Martina

Beginning of the year on the boulders

I began the climbing season in a different manner as usually. No easy climbing...I went directly on boulders in south Italy for three days. Not to exaggerate after one month of rest, I climbed only boulders graded up to 6c+, but anyway I my muscles were slightly sore the next day. Bouldering on slopers is a really good alternative to going to fitness. And in this one I enjoyed much more than in actual fitness center.

Training in Gorge du Tarn

After a short rest at the coast, Martina joined the youth team on a 9-day long training in a French canyon Gorge du Tarn. She has already been there two times two years ago, but there are so many routes one could climb a whole month on-sight.
Her best achievement was a 50 m long route called Le grande pelerinage 8a, which she onsighted. This way she climbed also Coup de foudre 7c and Une vague dans la tete 7c+, which was already her hundredth route on sight in the grade 7c or more. The last day she successfully climed in the first trz the route Priez pour nous 8a+, In this route was she already once two years ago.

Various weekend

13th of September :Last day of the week were very various; on Thursday I visited boulders in Maltatal after one year ( is it prohibited to climb only in lower sector). I did Dem Volk das Gold 7a+ and another 7b problem. Next day we were discovering new boulders on Mangartsko sedlo (2000m high). They are nice to see but sharp to touch, but great to enjoy on them after warming up by reaching the top on Mangart (2679m) first :-).
On Saturday I was climbing with the rope again. In the overhanging grotta of Barratro(I). I onsighted Placoman 8a.
The next day was even more overhanging. I was in Kotecnik, in sector Oboki (Arches). One nearly needs a headlamp to climb in the cave! I onsighted Jamski človek 7b+ and Reporter Milan 7b+/c and then succeeded in Specialist za življenje in 2nd attempt. This is a route with a reachy boulder problem. I really had to jump. Maybe experiences from two boulder days helped me.
On the photo: dancing on boulders, Mangart in the rear.

Twice 8b after holidays in Turkey

27th of June :After my holidays in Turkey, where I went without my climbing shoes, but anyway climbed some boulders over the sea and the fortress wall (on the photo), I had a very successful week.

On Thursday I climbed near Trieste, where I did a route Musico in the 3rd attempt. On Saturday I did Cerko 8b in Vipavska Bela, also in the 3rd attempt. Both routes seemed to me quite easy for their grade.

Before going to Petzl roc trip in Millau(30.6.-4. 7.), I had intention to do a new 8b (Merkl Rinne) in Warmbad, which I tried just before going to Turkey, and I liked it very much. But the wall was soaking wet, so the route will have to wait for a while.

I am going to the competitions again..

10th of July :On Sunday I am starting a three week long "tour de France". I will take part on three competitions; difficulty World Cup in Chamonix (12.- 13.7), Master in Serre Chevalier (23.,24.7) and boulder World Cup in Argentiere. There will be some news (in Slovenian) on http://ksp.pzs.si/

Tour de France is finished

3rd of August :After three weeks of climbing in France I am back at home. With mixed feelings. Staying and climbing in France was as great as always (I really envy French the unlimited number of great rocks!), but my competitions results were not that satisfying.

The beginning in rainy and cold Chamonix was good for me. After a half-year competition break, I placed the 4th on the World Cup competition. In the ¼ final I was not relaxed, in the final, however, I was really in a good competition mood. The cold weather was the only thing that bothered me; I couldn’t fell my fingers at the end of the route.

The following week we spent climbing south from Grenoble in Presles (Pierrot Beach, Balme etrange, Tina dale) and Ombleze. I enjoyed climbing up the collonettes and I onsighted Imortalisee 7c, fleshed La puesta del sol 7c+/8a and did two 8a in the second attempt; Star and Trapeze dans l’azur.

The next competition stop was a Master in Serre Chevalier; it was the tenth year that I took part on this great climbing event, but unfortunately I was just watching the finals this time. In the semifinals the route was pretty easy till the end of the roof where the holds suddenly got smaller. I was unprepared for a dynamic move, I didn’t catch a pinch well and I finished in the air, on the 13th place. Disappointed, especially because I wasn’t even pumped.

The following day I had to use my energy somehow, so I went bouldering in Ailefroide. I did Grenouille 7a and the traverse Du Chef 7b+, and in the evening I cheered for Natalija Gros and Maja Vidmar in the final and the superfinal route. I was really happy for Natalija’s victory.

After Serre Chevalier I participated also on the boulder World Cup in Argentiere la Besse. I wished to come to the finals, but my result was far from there; the 21st place. The result sounds worse than my climbing. I did three problems and touched the top of the forth. I realized that (apart from power) I lacked some experience, because it took me too long to read the problem well. Further, at the beginning I climbed too slow and reserved, more difficulty stile. I am fond of boulder competitions more and more, so I hope that with some good training I will be able to qualify into the final next year.

August is free from competitions, thus I will prepare for the Arco Rock Master, where I want do climb better than in Serre Chevalier.

Silver in Chamonix and gold in Serre Chevalier

Martina is continuing with her promenade over the podium. After Lecco there was European Championship in Chamonix. Under the Mont Blanc – which she also wishes to conquer one day – she was very successful despite the strong rain which accompanied the finals. Martina climbed great and lost the gold due to a wrong foot position. But she was also very satisfied with a silver.

There were just a few days left to prepare herself for Master in Serre Chevalier. With Natalija Gros she visited a cliff near Chambery - La Balme. She tried to onsight the most remarkable route there - Andromede 8a+. She did a good job, but fell on the very last move. Maybe it was there, where she decided there had been enough falling on the last moves. In Serre Chevalier she climbed the final and even the supefinal route to the top. So she has another important victory in her pocket. Now she is the winner of some World Cup competitions, World Championship, and both prestigious Masters – Arco and Serre Chevalier. Only Susi Good, Robin Erbesfield and Liv Sansoz were equally successful.

„I wanted to prove to myself that I am in a great shape, which I already felt in Chamonix. Serre Chevalier is due to a magnificent atmosphere my favourite competition. I am happy that my dream, to climb a superfinal route to the top, came truth right here. This victory has for me a greater value than being a World Champion.“, Martina told just after her perfomance.

Afterwards she stayed in France for another week. She climbed in a small cliff Les Auberts, where she onsihgted Le tapis volant 8a, and the next day the neighbouring route Chemin de croix 8a+. This route has the same last two bolts as Le tapis volant, but the fact, that she climbed this part the day before, was biger pressure for her, because she didn‘t remember how she had climbed it. After a big struggle with small holds and her head she finally reached the chain. That is her first 8a+ on sight.

Again Paklenica

In Paklenica, a beautiful canyon on the Adriatic coast, I spent four very active climbing days with an alpinist Silvo Karo

The first day we went despite very strong cold wind, in the wall of Anića Kuk. There we were freezing in the route Infinito 7a+, 355m. The second day was warmer and I went again in the route Brid Klina 7b+ (see previous news on Paklenica), 350m, where I led all the pitches. The next day we did two long routes. First Nema Dinka do Dinka 7b, 280m and then Big wall speed climbing route, 6c+, 200m. We, especially Silvo, were quite fast, indeed.

After all these pitches the skin on my fingers was crying, but the third day I nevertheless took a look at Agricantus, 8a, 200m. I onsighted first 5 pitches (6c, 5c, 7b, 7b+, 6a+), then I got stuck in the 8a pitch. At first I had problems due to a missing bolthanger on the crux. When I replaced it and studied all the moves, my arms and fingers said: "Martina, four days of climbing is too much, we are too tired to crimp those small and sharp holds today." So I gave up and rappelled down the wall. But I have a feeling I will return soon this nice wall.

Nice routes in Warmbad

Mojstrana, 9. 7. 2002 :After the competition in Lecco, Martina has been training for competitions that will take place in France in July (European Championship in Chamonix, Master of Serre Chevalier and boulder competition in l'Argentiere). She combined training on the artificial wall with climbing in Warmbad (Austria). Besides the routes she knows well, she did some on-sight training in hard routes. She just missed her first 8a/a+ on-sihgt (Nicht fur Schweitzer), falling on the second to last move, so she did it in 2nd try. The same happend in Kostbare Zeit 7c+. But she was satisfied with her climbing, because there were some crux moves in the middle of the routes, which she solved very well.

Cross-Country Skiing Weekend

After returning from Sardinia, I switched my favorite sports. Taking advantage of excellent show conditions, I dedicated my trainings to cross-country skiing. I did this for three reasons: first, because I enjoy it, second because my employer, the Slovene Military, asked me to compete in a patrol run on Pokljuka and third, because for the first time in my life, I wanted to run a 65-kilometer marathon, Dolomitenlauf, in Austrian Lienz. I trained in Tamar, Ratece and on Pokljuka. In between I did some ice climbing on artificial waterfalls in Mojstrana as well.

On Saturday, conditions on Pokljuka were very harsh with heavy showing and 20 centimeters of fresh snow. The competition was therefore additionally demanding. We not only had to run with touring skis, shoot and crawl under obstacles, but also hike uphill with heavy skis on our shoulders, and at the end go over a small ski jump. Our team was the fastest on the trail, but not the most skilful in shooting and therefore ended up on the second place. After the competition I was absolutely exhausted and skeptical about my abilities to run a marathon. Thus, I was very happy to learn that the marathon in Austria was going to be 15 kilometers shorter, due to the lack of snow. Before the competition, I could not imagine how much time and effort needed to be invested in 50 kilometers, so I started slowly. With 1000 people starting at the same time, one can not be fast anyway. Comparing to steep hills of Pokljuka, the course in Austria was much less challenging and snow fast. After the crowd thinned out, I enjoyed the run a lot and finished it in 3 hours and 16 minutes, not tired at all. The winner was one hour faster, but I did not compete for a result, just with myself and I am sure this was not my last marathon this season. Now it is time to concentrate on climbing again.

Silver for Martina on the World Cup in Lecco

Lecco, the 30th of June :This year Lecco wasn‘t as rainy as the previous two years. But even if it was, the competitors would still climb on a clear sky. The wall was newly repainted imitating the blue sky. The sun was however shining, also to Martina; not golden, but silver. She was satisfied with that, because lately she hasn‘t been able to train the way she would like, due to some injuries. In Lecco she climbed the ¼ final and the ½ final routes to the top. Only Muriel Sarkany was equaly successful. The holds in the final route were very small, therefore the girls climbed a little more than a half of it. Muriel and Martina reached the same hold, Katrin Sedlmayer did one move more. But at the end all of them were smiling.

The second place in Lecco

Similarly as the last two years, Martina on a world cup competition in Lecco last weekend, ranked among the best three. Last year she shared the second place with Muriel Sarkany. This year Muriel outdid Martina in a semifinal, which was at the end decisive of the victory, because Muriel and Martina finished the final route equally. The semifinal was quite unusual. Due to rain, it was cancelled after the first half of the competitors already did their job. It started all over again the next morning, when the girls had to be in the isolation zone already at 7 a.m. They found a new, changed route with several difficult moves in the first half, which quite surprisingly excluded from further competing the names such as Sandrine Levet, Chloe Minoret, Emily Pouget….Consequently some new names appeared in the final. Martina climbed decisively and without a mistake. This brought her not only an excellent placement, but also self-confidence before the world cup, which will take place in two weeks.

Martina is departing on "Tour de France"

Tomorrow Martina is leaving for France, where she’s going to partake in three competitions. Undoubtedly the most important one is coming up this weekend – the World Championship in Chamonix. 18 and 19 July she’ll be in Serre Chevalier for a master and 25 and 26 July in Argentier on a World Cup boulder competition.

More news on: www.pzs.si/ksp, www.windzin.com or www.digitalrock.de

Mammut Master Thun

On Saturday, September 13 a unique climbing competition occurred in Thun (CH). An 18-meter long wall was built alongside the river Aare. Invited climbers were climbing without rope, so they were falling into the cold river. Due to wet chalk bag and climbing shoes, there was only one round-the final, where the time was also important. The route setters, Tomo Česen and Simon Wandeler, made a bit too hard route for the men, so nobody reached the final bell. The farthest came Cedric Lachat. In the women competition three of them rang the bell. The fastest was Muriel Sarkany, followed by Alexandra Eier and Martina Čufar.

A sunny Sunday Martina spent in the most renown Suisse climbing area - Lehn, where she onsighted Steinbruch and Bonne Annee, both 7c.

Martina\'s 14th 8b route

Warmbad, 21st of September :In her favorite cliff, which is also one of the closest, Martina climbed another hard route - Out of Steiermark 8b. This route is situated in the most over hanged part of the cliff just left from the 8c and therefore requires athletic and powerful climbing. Martina found this route challenging also because of many very long moves. She was in the route twice before to study the moves, on Sunday she did it in the second try, after the foothold on the crux passage had broken off in the first ascent. This is already her 14th route graded 8b or harder (two of them 8b+).

The next two weekends will be again competitive; she will participate on the Rockmaster in Arco and on the World Cup in Aprica.

Martina wins the World Cup in Ekaterinburg (Russia)

Ekaterinburg, 18th May :After a slip on the first World Cup competition in Bolzano (I), when the judges said she stepped on the bolt which put her on the 8th place, Martina demonstrated her mastership on the 2nd WC competition. She decidedly won and proved nothing is wrong with her form.

A Winner of an Ice Climbing Competition

In January Martina was getting ready for a new sport climbing season and competitions at the climbing sites of Primorska and in fitness. In the second try she succeeded in a new route “Black Pearl” 7c+. Besides, she climbed on site several easier routes in Italian Costiera.

Due to a tragic death of her father in the beginning of February, Martina stayed at home, but didn’t stop climbing. She took an advantage of great ice climbing conditions in a gorge Mlačca, near her home village. On Saturday she took part in a last competition for Slovenian Cup in ice climbing. The routes were not very demanding or overhanging. What was important however, was a good feeling for thin ice and some dry tooling experiences. Time decided on a winner. Martina was half a minute faster than the second ranking Tanja Grmovšek. Her extensive sport-climbing trophey collection is now richer for an ice-climbing medal.

Paklenica

March :After two month of training in fitness and climbing mainly in the nearest winter cliff, Mišja peč, where she succeeded to redpoint Strta srca 8a+ (very short route with long moves)and to on sight Godlja 7c+, Martina travelled to Paklenica (CRO) to climb some classical long routes. She onsighted all of them (leading all the hardest pitches): The show must go on 6c (280m), Šubara direkt 6c+ (350m)and Kaurismakis mistake 7a+ (350m)and Adrijanskoga mora sirena 7b+.

Pole position

Natalija Gros and Martina Čufar took advantage of nice autumn weather and made a two-day visit of italian climbing site Erto. The both liked the steep and powerful stile of climbing and despite very polished holds they both succceed Pole position 8a+ in a second try. Good starting point before the last World Cup competition in Kranj, 16.-18. november.

A Great Achievement of the Slovene girls on the home stage

Last weekend Kranj hosted its seventh World Cup competition in sport climbing. The atmosphere was due to the “devil Slovene girls” very hot. The three of them qualified into the final and at the end all three were placed among the first five. Natalija Gros’climbing was very relaxed and dedicated and only Muriel Sarkany was able to beat her. Sandrine Levet and Maja Vidmar finished one hold behind Natalija. One more hold lower was crucial for Martina Cufar. “I’m satisfied with my performance despite the result. I climbed relaxed and determined to the last atom of my strength. On videotape I noticed that I positioned my feet wrong and this sucked up too much strength to climb any higher. The competition is getting stronger and every mistake is punished. Natalija, the 8th after the semi-final, was the 2nd at the end and Damaris regressed from the 1st to the 8th place. I’m happy that in spite of my inconsistent results, I’m the third in the overall World Cup. Now I definitely must rest my body and mind before the next master competition on 7 and 8 December in China, where I’m traveling together with Natalija. This is going to be the last competition in this year’s very long season.
You can check the results on www.worldcupkranj.com. Photos are available on www.windzin.com.

Master in Shenzhen

The last international competition in this year’s long season was in a distant China. In Shenzhen in the vicinity of Hong Kong, they organized a master for selected invitees from Europe, who were challenged by climbers from Asia, New Zealand and America. 25 competitors climbed in each category.

The competition was a preparation for a world cup competition, which should be there next year. The organization was excellent; the same can be said for the wall. Only weather spoiled the atmosphere. On the day of the final it rained hard (there is only 10% chance for rain in December), the wall was soaking wet and this exacerbated the difficulty of the route. This however didn’t bother the favorites. The winners were Muriel Sarkany and Alexandre Chabot.

Slovenia was represented by Natalija Gros and Martina Čufar, who placed the second and the third after the semifinal. 10 competitors qualified for the final. Both, Martina and Natalija had a great chance to be together among the first three, but the wet final route was “fatal” for Natalija. Martina after a slip of her foot ended as the third. Natalija had to give up in the initial part of the route and ended up as the tenth.

A very busy and straining season with 16 competitions has now ended. Now it is time for a well-deserved rest followed by a preparation for the next season starting in April with a master in Belgium.

The results from Shenzhen:

Females
1.Muriel Sarkany (BEL)
2.Gerda Raffetseder (AUT)
3.Martina Čufar (SLO)
10.Natalija Gros (SLO)
(a total of 25 competitors)

Males
1.Alexandre Chabot (FRA)
2.Ramon Puiblanque (ESP)
3.Gerome Pouvreau (FRA)
(a total of 25 competitors)

The best Slovenian woman climber for the 9th year in a row

Ljubljana, 18. 12. 2002 :Yesterday the sport climbers also formaly finished this long competition season with the announcement of the most successful climber. This became,already for the 9th year in a row, Martina Čufar in womens and for the 2nd time Matej Sova in mens concurence. Sport climbing commission gave special awards to four young perspective climbers; Natalija Gros, Katja and Maja Vidmar and Ana Kosmač, who achieved very good results on the international competitions and contributed to the fact that Slovenia has the strongest women climbing team in a world.

Happy New Year

I wish to all the visitors of my web site that the year 2003 brings you a lot of sun, health, love, smile, crazy adventures, enjoyment in climbing and that every evening before falling asleep you say to yourself:"That was really unique, great and unforgetable day!"

HAPPY 2003!!!

Martina

Winner of the Battle with stalactites

December the 13th :When I heard that Klemen Bečan and Matej Sova bolted a new route in the cave under the big wall in Osp I said to myself that I have to »taste« this “Kalymnos” stile of climbing before my Christmas holydays on Philippines.

Last week I went there to belay Matej during his successful attempt and I was impressed; it reminded me on Ultimate route on Petzl roc trip on Kalymnos; 55 m long, amazing stalactites, about one hour of climbing, a lot of knee jams, no hand rests (if you know how to use colonettes and stalactites) and three harder sections with long moves.

I went in the route for the first time this Monday. It took me more than an hour to come to the top, I broke two big stalactites, one good hold, but fortunately not the key ones. On the crux section I took a better look and “discovered” two reglettes which made long moves shorter. Because the route is sooo looong that when you are on the anchor you don’t remember the start I went to repeat the first third of the route once again. After breaking another hold I rather stopped, take a good rest day and returned today with a goal to do it in first attempt, which I succeeded. Apart from endurance for one hour of climbing the recipe for success is also good feeling for fragile stalactites, a lot of work with the legs, jams, strong abdos for sitting on the stalactites in the roof, and some luck also!

After discussing with Matej and Klemen who firstly purposed the grade 8c, we downgraded the route on 8b+, because there are simply too many seats in the route. But when you climb this route the grade really doesn’t matter; it’s the unique experience, the style of climbing and the ambience that mark this route named Bitka s stalaktiti (Battle with Stalactites); the one who is used to typical Misja pec climbing (which is some hundreds meters away) thinks he came to another world, when you enter the cave! Kalymnos is closer than it appears to be:-)

On the photo during the study of the route, 15 meters below the top (left up if you look well)

Photo: Gino Pavoni

Happy 2007!

I wish you all a happy, sunny, smiley year 2007, full of magic moments and unforgettable climbing experiences!!!!

On the photo happy Philippine girls on the beach, photo: Martina Čufar

PS: in the gallery you can see some new photos from last year

Presentation of my career on International Mountain Film Festival

(Too) warm January days I spent at home. After coming back from great vacation on Philippines, where I was mostly swimming and my only climbing activity was climbing up some coconut palm, I was fighting with virosis for two weeks. So I couldn’t start with training as I wanted to. Anyway there’s still some time before my first longer climbing trip to USA in April.

I spent time collecting material and ideas for my dia-presentation which I will have on 8. 2. at 17 30 as part of International Mountain Film Festival in Ljubljana. More information you will find on : http://www.imffd.com/imffd/index.php?lang=en

I will talk about (in Slovenian ) my climbing career form it’s beginning in 1988 till the end of active competition climbing in 2006. There will also be many photos from the places I visited during these years. Welcome!

Photo: Leon Vidic

11th place in Marbella

I like the competition in Marbella; nice, rock like wall, sunny weather and great sea & beach to relax after climbing.

I climbed with a pleasure, also the routes were more "rock style" - the route setter was Francois Legrand and his routes always demand a lot of technical skills.

In the ¼ final route we were 13 to reach the top (also all 5 Slovenian girls). In the semifinal I already passed some technical cruxes and long moves, but on the passage of the roof my brains blocked, I didn’t know with which arm to take which hold and while hesitating my forearms got too pumped. I finished not far from the final on 11th place.

In the final Natalija Gros (2) and Maja Vidmar (3) did really great performance, they fell on the same move almost on the top of the route. Just Angela Eiter was better. She reached the top as well as Patxi Usobiaga in men’s concurrence. The second was Flavio Crespi and third Jorg Verhoeven.

European Championship in Ekaterinburg

There will probably be a lot written about the European Championship in Ekaterinburg. It certainly was something special, but unfortunately in a disappointing way.

Bad organization drew shadow even over good climbing performance of the climbers.
The competition venue was a brand new sport hall, as well as a climbing wall, but probably the old one (World cup 2002, 2003) would be more appropriate for the European championship like this new, vertical and not really high one. The towers were also narrow, so we were limited with red tapes, which doesn’t allow relaxed climbing. The other bad surprise was really small and low isolation zone, where it was almost impossible to warm up (100 climbers in the qualification).

Personally I like vertical walls, which showed in the qualifications, where I reached the top, together with 4 more climbers. In semifinal I had some bad luck with incorrect judge’s decision; he said “stop”, saying I touched the prohibited wall over the red tape. I knew I didn’t so I didn’t want to come down. Then one other judge said I can climb on. I did, but a bit confused. Finally I was 9th, just out of the final. After watching the video, it was confirmed that I didn’t used the prohibited wall. So there were two mistakes; the judge shouldn’t say “stop” when he was not sure, and I should come down and so had a chance to climb again. I learned something new…

In the final there were three Slovene climbers. Maja Vidmar (3rd), Natalija Gros (8th), and Klemen Bečan (5th). The winners were the youngest climbers, 16 years old Charlotte Duriff and David Lama.

The next bad surprise was boulder (no)competition. It was cancelled due to unsafe conditions; there were not enough pads for such a high boulders. We couldn’t believe this was possible. Fortunately I climbed in lead competition, but there were many climbers which came to Ekaterinburg just for bouldering. At least we had a good dancing party then on the next two evenings….

I hope that from now on the responsible people at ICC will take more care about the organization of such high level competitions.

Photo:Klemen Bečan

The first Master competition of the new season – the first win

Brussles, 20th April at 21:30 :We‘ve just got great news from Belgium. On the first international competition of the season, on the Goldfinger Master, Martina defeated the whole women climbing elite. This is already her third successive victory in Brussles.
As usually she had to fight for the victory with the local hero Muriel Sarkany, who took second. Another talented Slovene climber, Natalija Gros, just missed the podium and finished the 4th. Slovenia‘s women climbing team is getting stronger and stronger.

National competiton in Kranj - a good training for World Cup

Kranj, 13. 5. 2006 :On Saturday there was the first competition for the National championship in lead climbing (there will be 3 more). Usually all the national competitions were held in autumn, but this year is different, which I like a lot, because we have a good training for the World Cup competitions which are coming up in next months.

The concurrence in women category was not complete (Natalija was taking part on boulder WC in Rovereto, but still strong. In the final route I finished four moves under the top, which was enough for 2nd place after Maja Vidmar (who climbed top); some moves behind were Mina Markovič and Lučka Franko.

On Thursday we are leaving to Dresden for the 2nd station of World Cup circuit, from where I will continue directly to Switzerland and France for some rock climbing.

Photo; Andraž Štalec

A week in Switzerland

After a not very successfull competition in Dresden (20th place) I went directly to Switzerland for some rock climbing. My "guide" was Simon Wandeler, one of the best Suiss climbers.

We visited only two areas, Lehn and Cevi, because the weather conditions were very variables and the temperatures more autumn like and therefore too cold for Gimmelwald or some other higher situated areas.

I did some classic technical routes,like Prinzenrollchen and Navayo 8a+ in Cevi and more powerful onec in Lehn: Zentrifuge 8a+ and Target 8a.

On the photo I am Zentrifuge 8a+, photo: Joachim Schlegel