Friday, August 9, 2013

Psicobloc Competition




Daniel getting ready for the belly flop

As many already know I spent last weekend hanging out in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.  It was the first annual psicobloc and more importantly the first ever deep water soloing competition held in the USA.  Chris Sharma teamed up with locals Mike Beck and company to create something none of us had ever been a part of.  Standing there underneath the 55 foot wall overhanging the only 10 foot deep pool I was skeptical.  Sure I had jumped off higher cliffs in my day but this was a bit different.  It took the control out of it.  We climb with fierce aggression in these competitions and I knew that if I wanted to do well I had to let go of all fear and doubt.  Turn your brain off and just go.  Don't think about the fall or the worse case scenario.  Things like this sneak into your head and the next thing you know you're getting pumped, doubting your ability, and falling.  For me, this competition was more taxing mental than physically.  You had to be consistent and confident.  That was the key.  Fresh off my recent trip to South Africa I really had no expectations.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to hang out with my friends and do something brand new.  Experiencing yet another amazing aspect of this sport and sharing it with the people around me. 


  The competition format was different then your average sport climbing comp.  Instead of focusing everything into one effort you had to spread out your energy and go head to head multiple times on the same route.  This required an absurd amount of stamina and as I inched closer and closer to the final round my endurance, or lack there of, was winding down fast.  I knew that If I had any chance to win I had to climbing quick.  Every time I pulled onto the wall I became more and more in tune with the route.  It felt like I was back in the comfort of my local climbing gym training hard on some sick circuit me and my mates created.  I went into this mode that was somewhat mechanical.  As I was climbing up the route it was almost as if my body was doing all the work, and my brain was still 3 moves below.  The dyno became a formality and instead of worrying about falling there I just would turn it all off and jump.  My body knew what to do and every time I did it I felt more and more comfortable.  The final came down to my good bud Daniel Woods and I.  Honestly, at this moment I was sure I would take 2nd place.  Daniel is a phenomenal climber and really brings it when everything is on the table.  He is a competitor.  A very good one at that.  So with my heart set on 2nd place I just went out and had fun.  A huge weight was lifted and at this point it was icing on the cake.  Climbing side by side with a good homie, guaranteed cash in our pockets, and being part of this unbelievably surreal moment that was psicobloc.  In the end I inched out Daniel but just barely.  We were both exhausted and luckily I had just a little extra in the tank.  Although I won the competition I don't feel that I was the best climber there.  Everyone of those athletes I was up against is one of the best rock climbers in the country.  These big comps come down luck, and execution.  I believe it could have been any one of us up there on that podium.  I feel super grateful to the fact it was me, and I can't express the amount of fun we all had throwing ourselves at that wall!  I had an absolutely amazing time and am so glad to have been a part of it.  Events like this are history in the making and it is so rad to see it all coming together.  Cheers to everyone who put in the effort to make this competition go down.  Climbing is really heading in the right direction and I feel proud to be in the mix.  



Here's a sneak peak into what went down!


Enjoi, 

JW




Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Miss Schweiz Video and onward

Alright so here is the Swizzy video!  I've been home training tons since I returned in April but really wanted to get this thing out before we left for Africa.  Which we are doing today!  Switzerland was an absolutely incredible experience and I will remember my time there for the rest of my life.  It is truly a magical place and I can't think of many places that could top it.  I had an amazing crew of friends from the USA and even made a few new ones while I was there.  The typical "culture shock" that you receive from traveling to far away places seemed to take a backseat to the beauty and simplicity that resides in Ticino.  Editing this piece really brought back memories and made me miss it so much.  Next year we plan to return and I cannot wait!

Miss Schweiz from Jimmy Webb on Vimeo.

But onward we go.. and today Kasia and I are departing for Rocklands!  We have been trying to make this trip happen for the past few years but could just could never pull it off.  Finally, here we are, tickets in hand and packing all of our gear.  I've dreamt about this place for so long and right now I just can't seem to contain the excitement!  I have to say a big thank you to my sponsors who are really allowing me to do this.  It is a dream come true and I am so grateful.


Rocklands..


Photo courtesy of Jamie Emerson 
www.b3bouldering.com


Photo courtesy of 
www.outcropfilms.com


Enjoi, 
JW

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Well I just returned from another 8 days in Arkansas and although it didn't go quite as well as I planned I still had an incredible time.  This go around I was there with good friends Dave Wetmore, Nate Draughn, Rami Annab and Mike Durenleau.

Main objective of the trip was Witness the Fitness and surprisingly on my first day back on the boulder I fell transitioning into the v7 stand.  At this point I KNEW that I was going to climb the boulder.  I chilled out for a while and decided to give it one more go for the day.  Unfortunately what happened next was not me sending the bloc.  Instead it involved me ripping off the crux hold completely leaving the problem no longer possible...


This was definitely the most devastating moment in my climbing career.  Witness is the most incredible thing i've ever seen and for it to no longer be available for myself or anyone else to enjoy is saddening.  I have the hold sitting here with me at my house and though I know it's very probable to just glue the hold back on I do not want to be the person to do so.  This roof was freak, and it was natural! Sandstone caves like this just do not exist..  It's just not possible.  So for myself to be the one to turn it into something less would just feel, wrong.  Now on the other hand if someone out there was looking to put humpty dumpty back together, I wouldn't argue with em'.

On a brighter note I did manage to make a couple rare ascents of some cool climbs.  I managed the 3rd ascent of 'Welcome to Fight Club' & the 3rd ascent of Chris Sharma's 'Full Package'.


Full Package V13


Welcome to Fight Club V13

I shot a ton of footage of the trip so keep your eyes out for a video coming in the next few weeks!

Also, I am working on a couple shorts.  First involves Nate Draughn chatting about a new company he is working with called GIDDY, and the second including both Nate and Rami as they establish some really nice new boulders in Dayton, TN.


Rami just chattin


Rami on his masterpiece 'Down by the River' V9


Nate on the FA of 'Jumby' V10

On thursday i'll be making my way out to Hueco Tanks to compete in my very first Rock Rodeo!  I'm pretty stoked to be involved in it all this year and can't wait to try some of the new problems put up there as of recent.  My main objective though is to just have a good time and not push it.  I'm leaving for Switzerland next tuesday and I want to make sure i'm 100% healthy and not injured.  I know the guys over at Lt11 will be on the scene and we'll be shooting a nice little piece for Prana.  It's gonna involve Paul Robinson, Fred Nicole and I as we climb around on some of the boulders Fred FA'd so long ago.  It should be a neat vid and i'm excited to be a part of it. 

For now enjoi some screen shots and stay tuned for what is coming next!


Glass Bowl V10


Nate on 'Color of Fire' V10


Shadow Jumper V11


I have the toughest skin these days..



Dave on 'Fred's Roof' V10


Anti-Hero V12


The man.

JW




Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Recent

So lots is happening these days.  Just finished a 9 day trip to Arkansas where I tried one of the most amazing boulder problems in the world, Witness the Fitness.  This thing is truly incredible and I will be heading back that way at the end of the month to try and finish it up!  I went out there with friends Daniel Woods and Paul Robinson a.k.a Gucci.  Daniel was able to take down Witness for the FA after break and it was incredible to watch.  We got it on video as well so keep your eye out for that in the coming weeks!

Other than that we got to establish some lines of our own.


Daniel of the FA of Child's Play, V13


My skin took a turn for the worst


The Wall project


King Lion, V11

We had incredible weather for the majority of our trip yet on our last few days the rain set in..


Our last day

So for now I'm back here in Chattanooga training in the gym.  Tomorrow Kasia and I will be heading out to Boston for the Darkhorse finale!  Competition is looking stacked so we will see how that goes... Click here for the last comps highlights.

Also, just in case you missed it I spent a few days in the Northeast last month and had a pretty good trip.  Check the video!

Enjoi