Mrs L the Strong

Nowra's golden daughter, Carlie LeBreton, has continued to apply her off-season power gains. Last week, she sent her first climb of the magical grade of 8a, Skin To Skin 29 in the Grease Cave, Thompson's Point.

Many years ago, when the rock was younger and the sky was brighter, as a 20 year old, Carlie climbed her first 28, Vehicle Of Hate. She then turned her attention to Skin To Skin. After much work, she could redpoint to a few moves from the end. Alas, at this time tragedy struck and injury caught up with her, robbing Carlie of all strength and stability in her right shoulder.

Carlie then spent years trying to recover her injury and with it, her intense psych. She also turned her attention to wooing and marrying her Prince Charming. Finally she succumbed to the inevitable and went under the knife and had the shoulder wrenched and screwed back into place. And so the rehab program began. Step by step she worked her way back to her former strength, power and fitness levels. As her skills grew, so did her confidence and determination.

After quickly adding 2 more to the 28s to her repertoire this season, she again turned her attention to Skin To Skin. The low crux move proved a little tricky to work out initially, but was soon sorted. On her second day on the route this year she redpointed past her old highpoint twice. The next day Carlie was at Nowra, Skin To Skin was ticked and she was the happiest girl south of the Illawarra.