Cornish Climbers in National Contest
Young rock climbers from the South West will battle it out in the final of one of Britain’s biggest climbing competitions in London. The Westway Sports Centre will play host to this year’s national final of the BMC Youth Climbing Series on Saturday 20 June 2009.
Over 180 young climbers, aged between 8 and 16 years old, will compete for a place on the podium in the British final of the BMC Youth Climbing Series. The final is a culmination of months of competition whereby young climbers took part in a series of regional competitions organised by the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) in England and Wales, Mountaineering Ireland and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS).
The final will take place at the internationally acclaimed Westway Sports Centre – home to one of the UK’s largest indoor climbing centres. There are six categories: boys and girls aged 8 to 10, 11 to 13 and 14 to 16 years. Climbers will display their skills on boulder problems as well as on routes; each category will be required to climb three boulder problems and three routes – the oldest category climbing lead routes whilst the younger two categories climb top rope routes.
The Series gives young climbers, who are not yet in the British Team, the chance to get a taste for competition climbing in a fun and friendly atmosphere. The BMC gives young hopefuls a chance to shine and to go on and become key members of the British Junior Climbing Team. Winners of each category will be awarded trophies and there will also be a prize for the overall winning region.
Spectators are welcome to the Westway Sports Centre to give their support at the exciting finale, guaranteed to be an action-packed day which will have everyone gasping in admiration and amazement at the climbing prowess of the young climbers.
Rob Adie, BMC Competitions Officer, said: “It’s set to be an exciting final. The Series is getting more and more popular and the standard of the climbing is very impressive. The BMC is pleased that so many young climbers are getting the chance to show their skills and have fun competing alongside their peers. As one of the largest indoor climbing centres in Britain, the Westway will be a great venue to host this big event.”
Finalists from the South West took part in at least two of three rounds which took place in:
Round 1: The Barn Climbing Centre, Tavistock
Round 2: Undercover Rock, Bristol
Round 3: The Mill, South Molton