By Natalie Berry

2005 got off to a great start for me with a 1st place overall in the British Bouldering Championships, and a very successful raffle at Olympia, London - which raised over £1000 to help fund the British Junior Team's trip to Beijing for the World Youth Championships in August.

Further success came in May when I gained 4th place at a round of the European Youth Cup in Imst, Austria – my first ever international competition and an all-round fantastic event! From speeding down the mountainside on a rollercoaster to meeting many new friends, this trip was an excellent example of the fun that can be had at competitions. I learned of many vital competition tactics at this event too – in particular how to handle isolation and timing your warm-up. I especially enjoyed watching the World's best young climbers and analysing their different styles, techniques and general approaches to competitions. It was also a view of things to come and an incentive for training hard to do as well, or even better, in future international competitions. Even now I still recall vivid memories that I experienced on this trip.

After months of training the hard work paid of when I achieved a 5th place in the World Youth Championships in Beijing, China – another excellent event. Having acclimatised to the Chinese weather and cuisine (sort of!) and visited many of the top tourist attractions – e.g. The Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven - we prepared for the competition itself. With over 50 countries from all over the World competing, the enthusiasm of all the young climbers proved to me how seriously the foreign countries take competition climbing. It was again interesting to note the various styles and attitudes towards their climbing, and their willingness to have fun and join in with other competitors of different nationalities. The competition wall was outdoors in a scenic park and was almost 20m high with a gigantic roof protruding out of the centre of the structure. I knew that I was the youngest in the field and was ecstatic when I realised I had qualified in 2nd place for the final behind last year's champion Charlotte Durif of France. I remember resting on the final route and thinking, “This is it!” and was delighted when I knew I had come 5th in the World - for my first year of Internationals.

Natalie in action on the Chinese wall.

The winter was fast approaching and it was time again for the British Indoor Climbing Championships and I knew that the pressure would be on me as the reigning champion from last year. The Ratho round saw a great turnout with many Scottish competitors. It felt great to win with the support of a home crowd cheering you on and in the amazing setting of Ratho. The second round at the Westway, London was equally well attended with, yet again, a large number of Scottish competitors. Another win gave me confidence and put me in good stead for the title – yet I was still catchable if I were to come below 3rd place at Sunderland. The Sunderland Wall round was the closest yet with a super final needed to separate Beth Monks and I for 1st place. After viewing the men's route, which we were to climb, our main concern was to beat the men and not each other! In the end we were inseparable – with a two-way split for 1st place. This meant a 1st placing overall for me for the second consecutive year – a great way to end my most successful year yet!

Natalie competing at Ratho

The BICC round at Westway

Next year I hope to progress even further with my International competition career – hopefully by winning the European Youth Cup overall title, and the World Youth Championships which are to be held in Imst, Austria – a little closer to home this year! I also hope to win the title of British Bouldering Champion again for the second consecutive year this February and to retain my British Indoor Climbing Championship title. Above all, I wish to have fun at these events and build on my knowledge of the International circuit that I gained from last year's experiences.

Roll on 2006….