After one month in Wellington, yesterday I had my first climbing session: I took part in the "Baring Head Rock Hop" bouldering competition, 2nd competition of the NZAC National Bouldering Series.

The weather was ugly as usual at the beginning of the day: that caused a 2 hour delayed start, but then the clouds moved North due the cold southerlies, so after midday a pale sun came out (even if the wind was still very strong )

I never had a bouldering session before in my life, so I'm pretty happy of the result in the competition (I climbed 16 easy to medium problems, and also two V2 problems). But the most important thing is that I met a lot of nice climbers from Wellington. The funny thing is that I met one girl from Chile, one from Poland, one German, one Spanish, 2 girls from England and one Kiwi. And the winner of both men and female competition were two Czech. But are there in Wellington some Kiwis?

Speaking with them I finally understood a lot of things about climbing in Wellington: this is NOT the place for climbing sport routes as I usually do in Italy. This is bouldering paradise, so I'd better buy a bouldering mat and head for the famous beaches of Baring Head or Turakirae Head. Or climb indoor in the two climbing gym around Wellington: at Fergs on Wellington Waterfront or at Hangdog in Lower Hutt.