Issue 22 March 2004
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT NEWSScottish Competition SceneBy Kevin Howett Indoor Competition climbing was embraced by the UK climbing community in the 1980's. The BMC has successfully arranged a British Series for lead and bouldering rock ever since, but alas, there were no facilities big enough in Scotland to allow for a round up here (not quite British then!). Finally, this changed. The opening of Alien Rock 2's bouldering cave allowed the British Bouldering Competition (BBC) Series to hold an event here for the first time. Then this past year has opened up even more venues so a lead competition could be held and we are now truly on the map for future competitions. The first round of this winter's A5 BBC was held at the newly opened Adventure Centre Ratho - our National Rock Climbing Centre. There followed the first ever World Cup event here too, and the final to boot! Last year Glasgow Climbing Centre hosted the First Mountain Equipment Indoor Dry-Tooling Competition (a world first?) and the opening of the Regional Centre at Kinlochleven, The Ice Factor, saw big indoor ice established for real in the UK. The second Dry-Tooling comp followed, again at Glasgow, as well as the first ever UK speed and technical ice competition at Kinlochleven. Just as things were looking up, news that UKSport's funding to the BMC for competitions and the UK Team was withdrawn because of poor world rankings by UK climbers, seemed inappropriate as Scotland's Malcolm Smith ranked 3rd in the world's Bouldering Championships. Sportscotland's support for climbers through the Lottery's Achieving Excellence programme has also ceased, with climbing being regarded as low priority. There is no doubt that Scottish climbers, young and older, are getting better at this competition thing. With Ratho and other venues now available in Scotland they should only get better, but will our top athletes get the support they need to be able to get those better rankings? 'Chicken and egg' comes to mind. In any event, competitions still appear to be great fun for everyone involved and are an integral part of our climbing scene and deserve the recognition by Sports Council's as much as other athletic sports. Young Scottish Climbers Hit the World StageBy Kevin Howett The BMC support the British Climbing Competition Squad for adults and juniors. Until last year they received funding from UK Sports Council, but now funding comes from various sources including sponsorship, profits from BMC shows such as the Birmingham NEC event and from BMC funds. There are two levels of participation; all Squad members gain coaching help, advice and training sessions. Full Team Members are selected from the squad, to represent the British Team, and they additionally gain help with expenses to attend world competitions. The squad is selected from competition results and performance at 'Trials'. Past Scots climbers selected have included Cubby Cuthbertson, but currently Malcolm Smith, Sadie Renwick, Gary Vincent and Roddy Mackenzie are part of the adult squad. Last year Trials were held in May and December. Climbers were put though a series of punishing sessions with the top coaches in the country. Four one-hour sessions involved constant assessment of movement and style, power and endurance. These young athletes are all astounding climbers and all would be worthy of a place in the squad and the coaches had a hard task trying to decide who will make the British youth team. Nat Berry (aged 12) was invited onto the Junior Competition Climbing Team after her performance at the May Trials. Nat is made up - she is the youngest ever British Junior Team member. It has been a burning ambition of Nat's to become a member of the team since her first BRYCS round in 2001! She hopes to successfully represent Britain in future international competitions. Aline Kirkland (13) was invited to join the junior squad after climbing at the May trials. She was extremely pleased to be accepted on the squad. She has been trying to climb out doors as much as possible and spent part of last summer climbing in California with Chris Sharma! Lianne Smith (aged 13) from West Linton has been climbing for two years mainly at Alien Rock, Edinburgh and now also at the Adventure Centre, Ratho. She is currently the Alien Rock junior female bouldering champion, Scottish junior female climbing champion (Inverness climbfest) and came 3rd in the recent BRYCS after a superfinal. She is now a member of the British Squad. Outdoors she has top-roped up to E1 grade mainly at local quarries and outcrops and has experienced the joys of sandstone in Northumberland (Kyloe) and granite slab climbing in Glen Etive, seconding Hammer (HVS). The trials in December also saw Robert Mackenzie from Inverness being asked to join the junior squad. Robert (12) was climbing very well on the day. He has led many E1's this summer and managed a flashed ascent of Dracula (E3) at Duntelchaig. He also put up a new route here in August (MuMMy E15b), so is well and truly grounded in the 'trad' stuff as well. We wish them all the best for the coming years competitions. MCofS REALrock taster sessions 2004An Introduction to rock climbing outdoorsFor young climbers aged 7 to 17. Last year we held a few sessions for young climbers who were active indoors but wished to get out on to the real thing. Volunteer, John Orr of the Paisley Hill Walking Club did a lot of background work to ensure we were operating under best practice with children, with risk assessments and volunteers. John and friends held several evening and weekend sessions in the central belt, culminating in a mountain weekend held at Laggangarbh involving scrambling on Buachaille Etive Mor and climbing in Glen Nevis. The SMC kindly gave us the hut free of charge and we are indebted to them for their support for the venture. This years sessions are for young climbers who have experience of climbing indoors at climbing walls, either top-roped or leading, and who wish to gain some experience from other adult climbers on outside crags. They are NOT suitable for beginners. Sessions will be structured to cater for the individuals requirements, either simply to get used to climbing on a top-rope, or as a 'second' on real rock, or to learn how to place protection as a 'lead' climber. It is recommended that up to 3 sessions are booked in order to get the most from the event. The sessions are taken by MCofS member volunteers with many years experience in climbing. Parents should note that they are not qualified as instructors but the MCofS, as the governing body of the sport, is happy with their abilities, and all venues and activities have been risk assessed. Parents are asked to attend the session, even if they do not climb. For full parental information about the sessions contact the MCofS Office. Final dates and venues will be on our website and in June Scottish Mountaineer. Details are yet to be fully confirmed but will probably be the following: Venues: Aberdeen / Inverness / Edinburgh / Glasgow / Perth Dates: Scheduled for the months of June & July. Exact dates are to be confirmed on application - check the website. Cost: First Session £20 (includes MCofS membership) Each session thereafter £10. Equipment: Some technical equipment will be available during the session, but if attendees have their own harness, rock shoes, belay device, helmet and rope, then they should bring them along.
Adult Helpers Required for 2004 Winter Ethics Debate - A brief summaryby Kevin Howett The debate advertised in the last issue of Scottish Mountaineer held at The Ice Factor opening week was mainly attended by activists, though few of the detractors of Dry-tooling attended. John Mackenzie chaired the speakers with Chris Cartwright starting the ball rolling with a detailed comparison of the styles of recent past hard climbs, concluding that the way forward was for harder winter-only lines in an on-sight traditional style. Dave McLeod saw that progress has always included the winter ascents of established rock climbs, but that there was room for all styles including sport-style. Scott Muir saw the development of dry-tooling as being very different to Scottish winter and only being practiced on presently unclimbed and otherwise poor potential summer climbing venues. He agreed with Dave that there was room for the development of winter venues climbed in 'winter' conditions but in sport-style. I saw there being two concerns; firstly the ascent of winter-only lines in unfrozen conditions potentially damaging rare plants, and secondly the current trend by some activists of making ascents of quality summer rock climbs causing damage to otherwise clean rock through use of pegs and scratching of crampons and axes which would take away from the enjoyment of the route in summer. No complete consensus was reached, although all did agree that there was space for sport-style mixed venues such as the lower tier of Beinn Udlaidh; that dry-tooling was not a threat as long as activists kept off established routes and quality rock venues and that rare plant information should be sought and distributed by MCofS. Fuller discussion in relation to the present MCofS Guidance on winter climbing will be covered in a future issue of Scottish Mountaineer. Meanwhile keep your comments flooding in to kev@mountaineering-scotland.org.uk. |
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