Mike's Birthday Bash
1. Kiat Hong back in action
2. Bird's barefoot bouldering
3. Bird, you poser!
4. The cake (for eating).
5. The birthday boy.
6. The birthday climb (Stupid With Manners, 7A).
7. The first attempt looked like it was going to be a successful redpoint (his first 7A).
8. But a tangled crosshand move made him lose it.
9. Nevertheless, he makes it through the crux after a few tries.
10. And he is rewarded by a jugfest.
11. And a birthday gift.
12. And all for a pair of shoes!
13. Kiat Hong cranks it on Stupid With Manners on toprope.
XGAMERS
1. The Asian Xgame contestants visited Nyamuk that day and tried an unfinished problem at The House of Infidels.
2. Because there were only two crashpads, they needed to be shifted as the climbs progressed.
3. But there was no shortage of spotters.
4. Big forearms are definitely helpful as demonstrated by Chi-Wai from Hong Kong.
5. He showed us the meaning of endurance.
6. Chu is another boulderer from Hong Kong.
7. Kim from South Korea arrives a little later to check out what all the cheering was about.
8. Pak Lah sticks the sloper and heel hook.
9. And gets a respectable distance.
10. This little lady from Hong Kong joins in the fun too.
11. And shows the guys a trick or two.
12. With a good mix of grace and power.
13. Don't ask me how she's hanging on to that.
14. But this is where it REALLY starts to get difficult
15. Which is about where everybody falls off.
16. Francis has a go as well.
17. The chalkmarks help a little.
18. Now he needs a new place to put that foot, quicksmart.
19. He puts it back there, but is no closer to the finish.
20. His sifu, Kim gets to about the same spot on the first try.
21. This powerful Thai boulderer manages (somehow) to swing both feet off to bring one foot up on the far side.
22. The lady in blue tries again
23. And gets much further.
24. Francis tries again too
25. And so does Kim.
26. He couldn't see the next hold from where he was hanging. (He later marked the spot with a thrown chalkball).
But at the end of the day, the route was still not completed.
27. My hand next to Kim's. His is on the left, of course. You might not be able to see it clearly from this photo
but each of his fingers is as thick as my thumb.