Overview - Fred Belcher

Let’s start with what was a real success story: REALrock 05. We had more participants at a greater number of venues than ever before. The amount of enthusiasm shown by everyone taking part turned the whole event into three fun-packed weeks of ‘outdoor’ climbing. Learning from the successes of this event, REALrock 06 should be a climbing adventure for a lot of people.

Ratho has taken up a lot of the committee’s time throughout the year. Now that Ratho’s ownership is secured we look forward to working with Edinburgh Leisure in the management of the ‘climbing facility’.

Throughout the year the committee has been represented at six meetings of the UKCC in Leeds. Establishing a proper coaching system for the benefit of Scottish mountaineers remains one of our long-term commitments.

The committee supported a new ‘adventure centre’, which includes a climbing wall, in Aberdeen. This facility is just what is needed in this part of Scotland to encourage youngsters off the streets and into adventure sports. Work has already started on the building and it should be ready for business in the spring of 2007.

Overall the committee has tied up a lot of loose ends this year and continues to move forward to secure a future full of opportunities in the sport of mountaineering.

Development Reports - Kevin Howett

Climbing Walls
A Regional Centre for Aberdeen has finally been secured after several previous attempts. Part of a large ‘extreme sports’ complex, including BMX and skateboarding, it will offer an exciting facility for the north east.

One aspect of sport development that has been coming to the fore is the development of climbing walls in Community School projects. We have given advice to several such proposals and support for grant applications to others. With the rapid growth of the government’s ‘Active Schools’ network and its diversification into many previously ignored sports for schools, I have been helping to ensure the development of appropriate facilities when the opportunity arises.

Linked to this we have been investigating the potential for a coaching system in climbing and have produced a position paper for discussion across all the mountaineering GB’s. We have committed ourselves to take this forward and as a consequence have supported Ratho’s BRYCS training programme and a working group has been set up to investigate the subject further.

Youth Development
The REALrock sessions were the best yet with 60+ sessions run all over Scotland. We also ran a REALrock weekend at the annual gathering at Glenmore Lodge when volunteers took the children to a local crag followed by a day’s coaching by Dave MacLeod and Scott Muir.

Competitions and Teams
BRYCS again saw some of Scotland’s best young climbers competing together. A final in London saw Scotland South gaining 4th and Scotland North a 9th place in the UK regional battle. The best personal performance came from Aline Kirland gaining a 2nd place. Natalie Berry and Robert Mackenzie competed in the BICC British competitions, both gaining 1st places to become British Youth Champions. Natalie competed brilliantly in the World Youth Championships in Beijing to gain 5th place.

Expedition Grants
The following awards were made: Simon Richardson and Mark Robson attempted Mt Zeus in the Canadian Pantheon Range. Oliver Metherell and team went to Rondoy in Peru and Dave Rowe and team attempted Mt Cook in winter.

Courses
A further course for the visually impaired was held at Glenmore Lodge administered by partially-sighted Norma Davidson. Lorraine Nicholson, whose brainchild the course originally was, also helped as a sighted guide this year.

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