The 2008 Baring Head Rock Hop, the second event in the National Bouldering Series, took place on Saturday 23 February. Light drizzle early in the morning eased to warm, overcast weather for the first couple of hours of the competition, then to a hot afternoon with patchy, light cloud — the first photo gives a fair indication of conditions during much of the event.
John Palmer won the "Expert Male" category ahead of stiff competition from youngsters like James Morris and Zac Orme; Amie Jones won the "Expert Female" category. Full results should be posted shortly on the
NBS website.
This is a selection of a great many more photos; unfortunately I have neither the time nor the bandwidth to post everything of interest. Everything's copyrighted by me, but if you want to use any of the photos, just drop me an email (pohanginapete AT yahoo DOT co DOT nz).
Click on the smaller photos to enlarge them. Clicking the larger photos will just give you a same-size view of that photo alone.
Finally, if you notice any mistakes, particularly with the names of people and climbs, and with grades,
please let me know so I can correct them.
Update, 29 Feb '08: Results have now been posted on the NBS site, as a downloadable Excel spreadsheet (you can't view them without downloading the file). I suspect one error: "Pete Hegasfitter" is, I assume, Peter Bartholomew (a.k.a "Pete the gasfitter") (see him in action in the second full-width photo below). If so, Pete would currently be in 5th place in the series, rather than 24th and 29th.
Action on the Long Wall.
Roland Foster on
Fat Men Can't Jump (V5); James Morris spotting on the left.
Pete-the-gasfitter (Pete Bartholomew) on the low traverse of Split Apple Rock (V4).
[L]: Neil Parker in action near Split Apple Rock; [R]: (That's Nick Brown testing holds in the background.)
[L]: Matt Bayliss, Roland Foster, & James Morris checking out
A Show of Strength (V8); [R]: Dave Kopp working hard.
Roland Foster sends V5.
[L]: The top half of Roland (on that V5); [R]: the other half of Roland.
"Expert Male"* winner John Palmer tongue flagging on a successful send of '
A Show of Strength'.
*
Yes indeed — that's what the category's called.
James Morris and Roland Foster discuss the moves on
A Show of Strength, before James sent it. He reckoned he touched an out-of-bounds hold at the top, so wouldn't claim the send, but everyone who saw it realised he'd made the climb
harder — after touching it he went back down and finished it on the correct holds. If he didn't claim it, he should have.
[L]: James near the top of A Show of Strength; [R]: Roland cleaning the holds.
Emma Hawke starts out on the low traverse of Split Apple Rock.
Bevan Hadler starts out on 'Fat Men Can't Jump' (V5).
[L]: John Palmer tops out on
Chris & Cosy (V7); [R]: Zac Orme attempts it...
... and Kristen Foley photographs it, as James Morris gets ready.
Tomasz Swinarski finally gets the last hold on the low traverse of Split Apple Rock.
French climber Romaric Vincent (now resident in Palmerston North) on Split Apple Rock.
What it's all about?
[L]: Pete Bartholomew demonstrates how to get set for the Split Apple Dyno (after having just done it — wearing shoes, though...); [R]: Event organiser Callum Kennedy enjoys the traverse of Split Apple Rock.
Terezka Kejdanova traverses the Only The Good Die Young Wall. That's Bevan looking on.
[L]: John Palmer and [R]: Dave Kopp on
Love Bite (V6).
Emma Hawke on the low traverse of Split Apple Rock (V4).
[L]: Craig Jefferies and [R]: Bevan Hadler going well on the Split Apple traverse.
[L]: Bob Keegan on a V5; [R]: Nick Brown puts in the effort on the traverse of Split Apple Rock.
Roland Foster sets off on
Fat Men Can't Jump.
[L]: Zac Orme tries something even John Palmer couldn't climb*, and [R]: subsequently checks whether he still has fingertips.
*
Well, JP did seem fairly climbed-out by then. Still, whatever it was, it was hard. Very hard. He (JP) couldn't even get off the starting holds (nor could Zac) If anyone knows the name and/or grade, please let me know (I think it was climb no. 34).
Update: JP tells me it was Tango With the Tumbleweeds — "only" V7. But 28°C and the best part of 5 hours of climbing probably doubles the effective grade.
Different generations; both excellent climbers: [L]: Roland Foster; [R]: Zac Orme.
[L]: John Palmer, "Expert Male" winner, wondering whether his fingertips will allow him to climb just one more problem; [R]: Bevan Hadler, possibly wondering about the same thing.
Emma Hawke and the unknown hand.
Photos and words © 2008 Pete McGregor
Tomasz Swinarski working one of the harder problems on the long wall.
Conrad Murray works hard on a V6 super-low traverse (No. 28) …
… negotiates some tricky moves ...
… and latches the final hold.
Daniel Perrott starts out on a successful ascent of the classic V6 problem, Love Bite. The focusing on the camera failed just as Dan reached the top of the climb :^(
Ewan Sinclair going strong on Chris ‘n’ Cosy (I think) 
… and Pete Allison doing the same.
Steve Minchin focuses on the crux of a V1.
Jonny tops out on a V0 while an unidentified climber makes it to the top of Split Apple rock.
Tomasz on that difficult problem on the long wall, ably spotted by Ben.
Ewan on that wall again, demonstrating his flexibility.
