Mt York

Went to Mt York twice last week, to do a bit of trad and had lots of fun. Did some classics like The Obituary 14, Atomic Punk 20, Lishenbak 10, Birds Nest 15 and Peppercorn 15. Did a climb with Minah, she second The Knight of Nee, 17 which was a big effort as it was hard. 

I think its good to break your climbing up like this and do some climbing that out of your comfort zone.  

Climbing Classes

Tuesday 9th of December at The Climbing Centre Penrith

Thursday 11th of December at The Climbing Centre Leura 

Hope to see you there, email me for a place, only 10 spots.

Rob's MO

It’s all About Me

I have been rock climbing now for nearly 13 years, I started when I was 13 down at Hangdog Climbing Gym in Wollongong with school sport. I did not pick a new sport after that for the rest of my high school years! I worked and hung out at the “Dog” all the time until I was about 24. I went climbing at Nowra most weekends and I started competition climbing about a month or so after starting. I loved comps, and still do! During this time at Hangdog I was lucky enough to be coached and mentored, by Rob LeBreton, Paul Westwood and Rod and Sue Young. They not only helped my climbing but also helped shape who I am today. 

I competed in as many comps as I could, all around Australia for the next 5 years. I went overseas when I was 16 and 17 to compete in the USA. On my second visit I won my age category in the Touchstone International Juniors in San Francisco. I went to the Asian X games when I was 18 and placed second in bouldering and fourth in speed. Back here in Oz, I was winning the Opens at 16 and was Australian Female Champ for 4 years. I also did a lot of speed climbing and won that for a few years in a row.

As well as comps I climbed lots outdoors, my hardest redpoint was Vehicle of Hate 28 at Thompson Point Nowra.  In 2001 I hurt my right shoulder in the last bouldering comp for the year. Not realising how bad I had damaged it, I took time off hoping it would get better, but it never did. The lesson here; get injuries checked by someone who knows! (When I hurt my other shoulder recently, I saw Julian Saunders as soon as I could and as a result was climbing again within 2 weeks!)

Not realising the injury was not going to get better, I saved up and went to Europe. I camped around Spain and France climbing at all the cool crags. The climbing was great, but I was frustrated by not being able to push myself and the ongoing pain in my shoulder. I ran out of money and went to London, the big smoke to work. I got work straight away at Snow & Rock and made lots of new friends that were also from Oz. I lived and worked there for 8 months and then came home.   

In 2006, I had finally had a shoulder reconstruction and began the rehabilitation process. That same year I married Rob LeBreton. My shoulder has taken about 2 years to get strong again, and we have both started competing again the last 2 years.  I was second in the Oceania and National Lead competitions this year and second in the Bouldering Nationals and the NSW Bouldering Series. This year Rob and I have been climbing down at Nowra all winter. I did a new route at the Grotto in the Hood area called Funky Gripsta 27, a 3 star classic. We have a blog with lots of info on what’s happening at Nowra.

I have been working at The Climbing Centre now for a year and a half where a take the kids coaching and work with school sports, also I do all the route-setting. I have been route setting since I was about 15.

That’s a rough history of me, hope you enjoyed it and watch out for some to more come!

Why

I have started this blog so I could to keep log of the climbing I have been doing and how I have done them. Rob and I are constantly developing and refining new training methods and techniques which we apply to our own climbing.  

I have been coaching for many years now and Rob and I are the Australian Junior coaches and I coach the kids club at The Climbing Centre, Penrith.  In not too distant future I will be expanding my coaching services.

I have put my sponsors on the page, to show my support for them. I have been with most of them for many years now; they have done so much for me that has helped me with my climbing. I will include some product reviews of new items I have been using, and there have been some good ones this year!