SPORTS DEVELOPMENT NEWS

• 5th Winter Performance Seminar
• Chicks Unleashed
• REALrock 2004 report
• World Youth Championship at Ratho
• International Meet 2005

5th Scottish Winter Climbing Performance Seminar

25^th – 27^th February 2005

Glenmore Lodge, The Scottish National Centre
Near Aviemore

Although the word ‘performance’ can sometimes put people off with the idea that the seminars are strictly for ‘cutting edge’ activists, that’s not the case. No matter what your experience there are a lot of top tips and handy hints you can pick up; from ‘leading’ strategies to the technicality of placing good pro’. And by providing opportunities for people to second hard mixed climbs we can help break down the perceived barriers behind high graded mixed climbs.

With that in mind, the seminar is for everyone; from those starting out to seasoned winter climbers, to Guides and Instructors, from UK and abroad, the seminar will provide a chance to share ideas, develop technical and psychological skills and expand knowledge of the unique experience that is Scottish winter climbing.

The weekend will focus on improving personal performance on technical mixed climbs. Other sessions will cover specialist aspects from winter belays, Glacier travel to rescue techniques. Specific sessions aimed at instructors and guides will explore options for teaching and coaching.

Several lectures on Friday and Saturday nights include Guy Robertson, speaking about his own progression from a bumbling potential statistic to his pioneering new routes at grade VIII, from short, hard, safe routes near the road to long, bold ones in the backend of nowhere.

In past years some of the key climbers involved in leading this seminar have included Johnny Baird, Mark Charlton, Kenton Cool, Rich Cross, Andy Cunningham, John Lyle, Scott Muir, Andy Nisbet, Mike Pescod, Al Powell, Jon Preston, and Ollie Sanders.

To keep up to date with what is happening please check out the website at http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/, or phone for a Fact Sheet on 01479 861256.

“Winter Belays”
Sponsored Places

The MCofS is sponsoring the course fee (£40) for four (4) places on this course. To qualify for sponsorship you must be a MCofS member and be a committed winter climber. Places will be allocated on a ‘first come - first served’ basis. (Note: the seminars are non-residential, although accommodation can be booked separately at the Lodge)

Course: Practical one-day workshops aimed at climbers keen to develop their knowledge of protection options on winter climbs. It includes a revision of principles followed by a look at a variety of direct and indirect belays before looking at snow anchors (buried axes and deadmen), ice anchors (ice screws and ice threads), and rock anchors (pegs, nuts, hexes and camming devices). Part of the course will be on the hill. The instructor / delegate ratio is 1:6.

To apply: for a sponsored place please write to Roger Wild at the MCofS Office, with a small CV including your climbing background.

Chicks Unleashed

‘Courses for women, designed by women, guided by women’
The Annual Women’s Winter Mountain Seminar

6^th – 13^th February 2005
The Ice Factor, Kinlochleven
Britain’s leading Indoor Mountain Centre

Chicks Unleashed is the UK’s only winter mountain seminar for women. Based at the awesome new Ice Factor, Kinlochleven, Chicks Unleashed aims to bring together women of all abilities who share a passion for the mountains and would like to further their mountaineering or climbing skills in an all female environment. The event takes place over 7 days, allowing you to chose a 5 or 2 day experience.

There will be 3 clinics available:

1. The Skills Clinics are aimed at walkers, scramblers and climbers alike, whether you would like to make your mountain adventures safer, or experience your first footsteps on snow. The Skills Clinics may cover use of the ice axe and crampons, avalanche awareness and route planning, depending on individual needs.
2. For those of you who already have some knowledge of the winter scene and either wish to progress to the next level or learn new techniques then the Mountaineering Clinics are for you. They may include tackling ridges, use of a rope for security and getting out of difficult situations.
3. The Climbing Clinics are for those who have some experience of winter and wish to progress, whether you have never handled a rope before, are fed up with being labelled the ‘belay bunny’, or are already an accomplished winter climber. During the weekend you may want to learn to lead, look at rope and stance management, or simply a guided experience or to become a competent and happy second.

Chicks Unleashed will be instructed by the some of the most experienced female mountaineering instructors around. All have years of personal mountaineering experience, and share a great enthusiasm for winter climbing and mountains in general. The low ratios involved means all the clinics will be tailored to suit individual needs and experience.

Expect inspirational and entertaining speakers and skills sessions during the evenings. The seminar is an excellent opportunity to network, where you’ll meet women with an amazing range of experience and adventures.

“It gives you an ‘I can do that’ attitude when you see another girl that can. Great experience, great group, great setting!” Helen Hall

“The team was great in showing us that nothing was beyond women's reach.” Eilidh Scobbie

For full details check out the web site at www.chicks-unleashed.co.uk. Alternatively contact Rosie Goolden on 01540 661806 or enquiries@chicks-unleashed.co.uk.

The seminar is supported by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The Association of Mountaineering Instructors, The Ice Factor, Planet Fear and Mountain Works.

“Skills Clinics” Sponsored Places

The MCofS is providing assistance on two (2) places on the Skills Clinics. Each place will be subsidised by £30. To qualify for sponsorship you must be a MCofS member wishing to improve your winter mountain skills. Places will be allocated on a 'first come - first served' basis.

To apply: for a sponsored place, please contact Roger Wild at the MCofS Office with a brief hillwalking or climbing C.V.

REALrock 2004

Report by Kevin Howett

This summer’s Realrock sessions were run in August and were a resounding success, without doubt the best series so far, with 42 sessions being delivered across the country by MCofS volunteers. In the north Ruairidh Mackenzie took sessions at Duntelchaig, Fred Belcher and Gary Wardrope delivered sessions at the Aberdeen sea cliffs, Ken Johnston and Martin McCallum covered the Glasgow area, visiting Craigmore, Auchinstarry and Neilston Pad, and Davy Virdee, myself and Andrew Briggs delivered various sessions at Tullimet, Polney Crag, The Hawcraig, Rosyth Quarry and Traprain Law.

The weather varied between superb and appalling, it coinciding with torrential rains that led to the Glen Ogle landslides! Although safety was obviously important, so too was the atmosphere of fun. With mothers and fathers also attending, the banter was more akin to an informal meeting of friends and with all the children already being competent indoors but having little experience of the real stuff, this helped them relax and not be phased out by the scale and the unknown of the crag environment.

Indoors, the holds are obvious (painted bright colours!) and many of the children had difficulty at first ‘reading’ the rock in order to find the easiest way. Basic ropework (double rope techniques as opposed to single ‘sport’ systems) setting up belays, multiple anchors, abseiling as well as ethics and care for the crag environment were all part of the sessions. Experience between the children varied so those relatively new to the activity developed their competence in these basics, as well as acting as seconds on a route (removing the gear). The more experienced were all competently leading routes by the end of the sessions, indeed I was surprised how quickly they took to placing ‘natural’ gear such as ‘Rocks’ and ‘Friends’ and with help from the volunteers were soon competently placing reliable protection.

I would like to thank all the volunteers for giving up a lot of their time over the two weeks and the children (and parents) for their sense of humour and willingness to learn that made it all worthwhile. Same again next year? Meantime we hope to hold an occasional Saturday session so look out for details on our website.

“Trad climbing is awesome can't wait to do some more”
Aline Kirkland (aged 12)

“Aline and Ross were at Limekilns last weekend. Aline very confidently trad led two VS routes. The REALrock sessions really paid off. She also climbed an E2 on a top rope. Ross did more leading training using a top rope, trying to jump from crimp to crimp. He climbed VS, HVS and E1 so he was pleased.”
Heather Kirkland

“Learning to lead climb outdoors was great fun”
Ross Kirkland (aged 11)

“I like having to jump up and reach for the holds before I fall off”
Luke Clayson (Aged 9)

We treated it as a "family day" and had the Dad's up the crags as well. Jim Simpson hadn't climbed in years but has definitely picked up the bug again and I think that we may well see him on the local scene along with Sandy his son who will be old enough to join a club next year.

Caitlin (9yrs old) had very little climbing experience at all but was fantastic. Her dad has climbed before but stopped climbing when he got married! He recently started again and is slowly building up their rack.Caitlin climbed quite a hard VD especially in view of her diminutive height”.
Fred Belcher (volunteer - Aberdeen)

“We’ve managed to get out a few times since REALrock and Caitlin’s confidence is slowly improving. REALrock was a well run course that definitely got Caitlin’s enthusiasm and has made her more determined to become a good climber. I enjoyed it too, even if I am still puzzling over Gary’s run through self-rescue techniques – at one point there must have been at least 2 prussik loops, two Italian hitches and who knows how many figure of eights! Hopefully, you’ll be doing the course again next year, and both Caitlin and her sister, who has just started climbing will come up.”
Raymond Drummond, Caitlin’s Dad

“I thought it was really helpful for me to have the chance to experience outdoor climbing. I also think the techniques I learned would be really helpful when I’m older and when I do more outdoor climbs. I climb mostly indoors so I don’t usually get to do outdoor climbing so I hope to do more real rock climbs in the near future.”
Euan Ryan (aged 11)

“My son, Euan had a fantastic day climbing with his friend Fraser thanks to Ken and Martin who gave up their Sunday to initiate the boys in the pleasures of outdoor climbing. I was very impressed with their dedication and how they managed to stress the importance of safety without detracting from the sense of adventure and daring. It was a glorious day to be outdoors and Fraser’s mum and I had a great walk along part of the West Highland Way. Thanks again to Ken and Martin.”
Janie, Euan’s mum

“I really enjoyed the REALrock sessions. I learned a lot about how to set up a safe belay and how to place gear properly. I had great fun, even when it rained”
Karen McIntyre

“Many thanks to Martin and Ken. They patiently explained everything and it was an excellent introduction to climbing outdoors, and a great way to pass on a wealth of experience to a new generation”
Alastair McIntyre, Karen’s dad.

“It was funny to see that Michael and Robin are already arguing over who's going to get to lead a pitch first, and played a "scissors, paper, stone" game to decide - we could imagine them doing the same in years to come as they rope up together at the foot of El Capitan or The Dru!”
Davy Virdee (volunteer – Edinburgh)

“I really enjoyed the REALrock sessions, I learnt a lot about climbing outdoors. I hope MCofS can do other trips because I don’t have my own kit and I would like to do more outdoor climbing.”
Robin Fourman (aged 12)

“Many thanks for the sessions. I was very impressed with the quality of instruction, and the rigorous emphasis on safety. They gave Robin's climbing a new boost - he's now pushing himself, has just led a 6a at Alien Rock, and is pressing me to visit local crags. They also renewed my enthusiasm. We now have a rope and a harness - for me!”
Michael Fourman, Robin’s dad

“Lead climbing outside was a lot harder than I thought. I had loads of fun, there was a lot to learn including placing protection and anchors. I would like to do more outside”
Micheil Halliday (aged 12)

“Its always rewarding to help someone achieve their first ever real rock climb. The wide eyed enthusiasm that our children display towards rock climbing is for me always inspiring. Our day at pinnacle crag was perfect for climbing, yes hot and sunny and dry. Ellen MacAskill, Simon Andrews and Dylan Mackenzie were all keen as mustard to climb every thing they could, they managed with ease rock climbs of difficult and severe standard. Much fun was had by all. The session was finished with a swim in a very cold local loch, hardy kids.”
Ruairidh MacKenzie (Volunteer, Inverness)

“It was easy but scary too.”
Dylan Mackenzie (aged 8)

 

World Youth Championships a Great Success

Report by Kevin Howett

The UIAA-ICC World Youth Climbing Championships, the most prestigious competition in the world for youths and juniors, and one of the biggest events in world competitions, took place at the National Rock Climbing Centre of Scotland in the Adventure Centre Ratho, from 9^th to 12^th September 2004.

This was the second international UIAA climbing event to be held in Scotland in the past 12 months, following the success of the World Cup Indoor Climbing Finals last December. BBC Scotland filmed the competition which was televised on ??

Over 350 competitors came from 30 nations around the world for the biggest ever championships of its kind. Countries represented included USA, Russia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Venezuela, Korea, Ukraine, Slovenia, Slovakia, Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Hungary.

The Championships consisted of 2 disciplines, Difficulty and Speed in 3 different age categories of Junior (18 – 19 years), Youth A (16 – 17 years) and Youth B (14 -15 years). The Russians dominated all final places in the speed event with the best taking only 14 seconds to climb about 15m. In the Difficulty category Tyler Landman was the sole British competitor to make the final and came 6^th overall (14-15yrs), whilst Jemma Powell reached the semi finals and came 12^th overall (16-17yrs). There were no Scots competing.

Despite the financial difficulties that the Centre has been suffering for sometime, the championships were a great success, testament to the centres growing reputation as a world-class competition climbing venue.

Along with family and team coaches nearly 1,000 people attended the event with an estimated spend in the Edinburgh area of nearly £1m over the four days.

The Championships were sponsored by Edinburgh-based investment managers, Baillie Gifford, with The City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian and EventScotland as key funding partners.

All the competition results can be found on The MCofS website.

Comments from Around the World:

“The success of these World Championships means that Ratho has now set the standard for future competitions around the world.This facility is perfect for such a prestigious event as the World Youth Championships and it is hard to imagine how other venues will be able to match the size and range of facilities on offer.Youngsters from over 30 countries have mixed and made lasting friendships.We need more places like Ratho around the world.It is a very special place.”
Marco Scolaris, President of The ICC

This place is very 21^st Century and the best I have ever seen. I really hope that it is possible for Ratho to host more world championships in the next few years.”
Yuri Skorlatof, Vice President Of Russian Federation For Climbing And Mountaineering

I am one of the coaches for USA Climbing, serve on the national coaches committee, and am involved in climbing advocacy at the national and grassroots level in the U.S. Over the many years involvement with competitive climbing I have seen numerous venues, nationally and internationally. Ratho is the most impressive I've ever seen. Not only is the facility incredible, but also the event very was well run. It was probably the nicest atmosphere I have experienced at a Youth World Championship. I hope that Ratho can go on as the Scottish National Climbing centre. If it were to be closed to climbing it would be a terrible loss for the international climbing scene. Thank you for the hospitality and the great event.
John Myrick, USA Climbing Coach and President, Central Texas Mountaineers

“There is nowhere else that offers the quality and quantity of climbing available. Ratho offers more to kids and adults than anywhere else I have ever been!”
Graham Hyland, Australia Junior Climbing Team, Team Manager

“I really wish good luck to the Centre because is so great and it would be wonderful to run more competitions here in the future. My entire team have really enjoyed it at Ratho.”
Dan Kadlec, Czech Republic Team Coach

“This venue is fantastic because of the incredible variety of walls available for so many people to use at anyone time, plus all the bouldering. I run a climbing centre back home but this is just world class and it is a real pity for climbers worldwide if this Centre is forced to close.”
Rassip Isnin, Singapore Team Manager

BMC/MCofS International Winter Meet 2005

Glenmore Lodge
27 Feb - 6 March

Are you a keen and experienced winter climber? Would you like to spend a week torquing with guests from around the world? If that sounds like your cup of iced tea, then how about joining the International Winter meet as a host? We are looking for up to 40 hosts to take part with 40 guests.

More important than the grade that you climb (I to VIII!), is having a good general knowledge of Scottish winter routes and venues and the ability to get you and your foreign guest back to the bar before closing time when the weather turns nasty. If you’re interested, email kev@mountaineering-scotland.org.uk to find out more or see the website. A brief climbing CV would help us decide on who to allocate a place as we need to have a range of expertise.

There is a charge to all guests and hosts of £60 for the week (a nominal amount to help towards costs). If you wish to host for 4-6 days it will cost you £60, if you host for 2-3 days £30, and if you host for 1 day there is no charge.

Guests arrive late Sunday afternoon for the welcome in the evening. Climb Monday to Saturday inclusive. A final night party on Saturday night, before guests leave early Sunday morning.

Deadline for completed applications is the 28th January.