UKC

Blokfest Round 4 Report

© Liam Lonsdale

Round 4 of the Blokfest Tour was yet another smasher. This season after a break we returned to Bristol, The Climbing Academy to be exact. The Bristol scene has always been a lively and fun affair but it has really expanded in the last few years going from one to four large climbing centres. TCA is the original boulder centre there and they are always really supportive of any kind of events and Blokfest was certainly welcomed again with open arms.

Bristol is always going to be a smaller event outside of London but as usual the masses made the effort to travel, parents, their kids, seniors, elder statesmen and women, the junior climbing teams and the British Team members. Even with the location we were still tipping the scales at over 300 climbers full of psyche and motivation to have fun.

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Thom Arnold back on form
© Liam Lonsdale

Blocs were set and as usual the juniors climbed in the morning, showing no signs of travel tiredness the usual suspects were out in force with local hero Tommy Mathews blasting round the tour and coming home with an impressive clean sheet, while Eugenie Lee took another first place for the junior girls.

The afternoon brought an influx of Seniors with local stars Ben West and Hamish Potokar joining the young and always psyched Alexia Basch and Becky Whaley from the GB team. Blokfest regular strongmen John Partridge and Matt Cousins battled with the new kids on the block Louis Parkinson and Jim Pope for those elusive final places.

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Alexia Basch competing at Blokfest
© Liam Lonsdale

Hamish and John came through to the finals, Hamish with 220 points to just scrape in and John leading the field with 237 points, with Blokfest regular Matt narrowly missing out to such a tough field. For the ladies Frances Bensley made qualification look a little too easy to stroll into the final in top spot.

6pm arrived and like clockwork the finals began. Mike Langley got the proceedings underway in the spotlight and with celebrity brushers Dom from Rock On and Katy Whittaker representing our round four sponsors 5.10 the spectators settled in for the evening. A thrilling final on the Mothership ensued with Hamish Potokar stepping it up a level. The local hero came good, Hamish made absolute mincemeat of Blok 2, impressing not only the locals but the setters too to take the top spot with Thom Arnold back from injury for an impressive 2nd and Jon Partridge finishing up the podium.

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The women's final
© Liam Lonsdale

The ladies was a tough tour but Frances Bensley came out on top after her very strong showing in qualification to take 1st place. Tiffany Soithingsuk was 2nd and Emily Garrod-Cox took a well deserved 3rd.

As ever without our series sponsors Blokfest wouldn't happen on the level it does. So a massive big up to DMM, Marmot, Liam Lonsdale for some great pics and The Climbing Academy for having us.  Thanks also to Volo digital for filming; Climb Skin, Powerfingers and Banana Boots for their continued support; 5.10 and Katy Whittaker for bringing the glamour and last but not least Dom and Rock On for all their hard work.

See you all on Sunday 1st of March for our last round at Mile End. With their new comp wall it is going to be a great finale.

Watch a video of the event below:

 


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