Panda

       Patrik “Panda” Banda

    Originally from Stockholm Sweden, this 23 year old Brisbane based climber has been a relatively quiet achiever and very active member of the climbing community.  Only four years into his climbing  career, Patrik is not only an instructor and route setter at Urban Climb. He also works for Indoor Climbing Productions as a product designer, hold shaper and in graphic design. Some how still finding time to crush rock in between jobs and his studies at “the league of shadows” where he studies “the art of invisibility and hidden combat as a ninja.” he also claims to study multimedia at Griffith University as well. (yeah right).

Against The Wind v7

 

    


A big thanks is owed to Panda’s Sister who once upon a time brought him to Urban climb, were Patrik was first exposed to the extremely contagious decease known to medical professionals as rock climbing. Since then Pat has had no choice but to embrace his infliction as there is no cure. When asked what rock climbing meant to him he simply responded with “everything” .  It is this passion that drives pat to travel not just Australia but overseas as well spreading his climbing virus.

    Patrik doesn’t let the fact that he is the tallest hobbit in the shire hold him back, his amazing compression strength and ability to hold the smallest of intermediate holds has seen him send hard problems all over the Australia and internationally. His love for sandstone bouldering has seen him send hard problems in the Grampians, Blue mountains and the Rocklands, including against the wind an amazing V7. But most recently send a local problem at Toohey forest called the Plum V9!

    

Pandas Don't bite!

Panda is not looking like slowing down soon! Pat says his priority at the moment is training and improving his craft to travel to Europe to climb in some of the legendary and historical areas such as Fontainbleau. trying climbs and problems put up by one of Pat’s climbing hero’s Fred Nicole. But for Pat the close friends and climbers he climbs with is his biggest inspiration as they keep him psyched and remind him not to take the sport too serious.

    I look forward to seeing what Panda has in-store for us in the future!

Pleas Check out his good work at www.climbicp.com.au and www.urbanclimb.com.au

www.climbicp.com.au

Not a traditional birthday!

On the weekend of the 8th of June a group of Queensland climbers used the long weekend to celebrate Kenny and Mons Birthday, both turning 60 ;) . That weekend lead to a great weekend of camping, delicious cheese and chocolate fondue, Kenny blowing up his birthday candles and even some climbing. 

Here I am in 2013 with a huge rack of cams sticky rubber strapped to my feet and gym honed climbing skills, thrutching my way up some of the most beautiful crack lines in Queensland. When most of these lines where sent as early as 1968. By hard men such as Rick White, Chris Meadows, Henry Barber, Kim Carrigan and Rob Straszewski. Just to name a few of the bad ass first assentionists of the area. A good portion of these routes where done before sticky rubber shoes and spring loading caming devices and still stand as test pieces today. 

Even still I can never wipe the stupid grin of my face after climbing these routes, and look forward to attacking the cracks more and more this season!

Going Head to Head

I've never considered myself a strong competition climber, although I have really been enjoying them this year. Its so good to see so many climbers all in one spot and feed off each others psych and energy. It makes me want to climb even more. Plus it's always good to see new faces, every week there seems to be more and more people getting into the sport which is awesome! For me Competitions have been more of a social event than a competition its fun to catch up and climb with climbers I don't usually climb with or have never climbed with and a bit of healthy competition between mates is always good fun.

This is why I'm supper psyched for round two of the ICP social series at The rock next Saturday the 15th of June. The whole team and I were there with the staff at The Rock setting the competition climbs. If you haven't yet get down there and practice the routes! they are heaps of fun and should be challenging to do in a speed assent style. The comp is a head to head event, similar to speed climbing you will be timed but also the routes are still quite technical, and will make for a fun exiting evening! I hope to see a strong turn out, it always blows my mind how many strong climbers we have in Brisbane and every comp there is more. Cant wait to climb with all you crushers!

Freeing The Bolt Route

First up huge props to John O'brien and Lee Cujes and the hard work they put into the "Stainless Climb", and their free assent in 2012.

On the weekend of the 17th and 18th of May Henk Morgans and I hiked up to the Organ pipes on Mt Beerwah to attempt to free the first two pitches of the "stainless anti-climb" an aid rout from the early seventies. Since then Lee and J.J have put a lot of work bolting and cleaning a free line that runs through the first two pitches. Going at a 45m 26 ans 20m 27.

Our objective was to climb these two pitches clean and then aid through the final two pitches as the original assentionists did. Henk and I spent the first day working the moves and soon had a sequence for both pitches. The whole climb is very technical and the moves are hard, right of the ground, with hard steming,bridging, delicate face climbing as well as powerful long moves.

On the First day Henk was able to free the first pitch and we planned to try top the route out the next day. I fell after butting in a huge fight for the first pitch climbing both cruxes clean but pumping out before the end. A similar story for Henk on the final pitch missing a crucial footer he fell just short of the anchor. Beaten but not defeated we then continued the final two aid pitches, ( my first aid climbing experience)  and topped out just after lunch. We plan on returning to this route soon. 

To add to the excitement and a sobering reminder to how of how easily mistakes are made. On our way off the mountain a hiker we met at the summit fell on the last few meters of the steep slabs badly breaking his leg, Henk and I quickly offered our help to him and his friend and aided paramedics and S.E.S along with a few other helpful hikers stretcher him the rest of the way down. Despite his injury he was in good spirits thanks to the professional and swift work of the paramedics and rescue services.