UKC

Double Olympic gold-medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes went back to training this week. Not at the running track but on the rock faces of North Wales, attending a five-day 'Rock Improver' course at Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre. During the week, headed up by James McHaffie, one of the UK's leading climbers she climbed successfully at a range of venues including Holyhead Mountain, Bus Stop Quarry, Tremadog and Rhoscolyn, enjoying the wide variety of rock types North Wales has to offer.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=2004

In reply to UKC Gear: I like the photo. The classic expression of 'there must be a hold around here somewhere but for the life of me I have no idea where!'

In reply to Liam M:

Bit confused to how a minor celeb taking part in our sport at a low level constitutes news.

In reply to tomalver:

"Our sport"

Please expand.

In reply to tomalver:

"minor celeb"

Please expand.

In reply to UKC Gear: Sorry for being so cynical but but am i the only one who thinks this reads like an advert for Plas y Brenin, one which they surely don't need business wise and this free publicity simply gives them an even further advantage over less well known course providers in the area(no i'm not a course provider).
Secondly it seems Dame Kelly Holmes did this off her own back for her own interest as a private individual as opposed to being linked to any charity/publicity event, etc, and maybe she might therefore want to just be left to get on with it as a 'climber' as opposed to a celebrity going climbing.
If it did have to be put up as news surely it should have been kept to a simpler 'Dame Kelly Holmes takes up a rock improver course at a centre in N.Wales and seems to be developing a keen interest blah blah blah..
I have nount against the Brenin but it just seemed to read like a pile of tosh..

In reply to chummer:

For me it's nice to see high performers from mainstream sports appreciating the values of climbing. I see that Schumacher's returning to F1 so may put a hold on his climbing for a while

Somehow I can't see Duane Chambers making the transition

In reply to chummer:
Of course it's an ad for Plas y Brenin. It's in Outdoor Industry News, and was posted by them, they're hardly going to avoid mentioning themselves are they.

I assume that they pay UKC for the privilege. Do you write to the climbing mags complaining about the adverts?

In reply to chummer:

Outdoor Industry News as seen on the Gear page, sampled on the news and home page, and then highlighted on the forums and labelled OINews - are press releases and PR posted by our advertisers. It's how we give them extra value for money - that money runs the site and is invested back in it.

Much of it is actually very interesting too: but not to all, all of the time.

Try and understand that. It's a bit tiresome repeating the difference between

this

NEWS: http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

and this OINews: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/

Both have forum threads started in the UKC Editorial forum. UKC Editorial forums are heavily moderated as well.

We'll get there eventually.

Mick Ryan
Senior Editor
UKClimbing.com

In reply to chummer:

But that's pretty well what it does say...

Not to mention that some of us clearly both read it as being about Kelly Holmes and found it interesting!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I've wound me neck in, humble pie eaten, interpreted it as a news item as that's what it seemed. Presumably Dame Kelly gave them her permission to use her in this way, I feel sorry for her, she can't take up climbing without there being some sort of publicity stunt even when she's paid for it herself and done it in her own time, shame on you Plas y Brenin! (unless of course she gave her consent in which case I've got another serving of humble pie at the ready) I don't know.... cynical and presumptuous eh?....

In reply to chummer:

Do your research chummer. Dame Kelly is involved with encouraging people to take up sport, it's good for people and PyB provide a brilliant service to the country. She's inspirational to many.

I was at Cliffhanger the other week - loads of outdoor sports represented. As I was walking round I wondered how many young people were motivated to take up climbing, mountain biking, running, orienteering, etc...because of it. I look back how I started climbing - scouts, seeing climbers - Kelly plays a similar role, PyB and many guides and instructors play an important role in getting many into our wonderful sport and a lifetime of adventure and great experiences.

Dame Kelly's blog about her climbing course: http://www.doublegold.co.uk/latestnews

What were you saying about permission, publicity stunts, feeling sorry for her etc.... Jeez some people.

Some Brits are just far too cynical for their own good are far too quick to shout commercial, vested interest etc

Mick
Senior Editor
UKClimbing.com

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Thumbs up Mick. Credit where credit's due.

In reply to UKC Gear: "Some Brits are just far too cynical for their own good are far too quick to shout commercial, vested interest etc"

I am and I should have done me research Mick, you're not affiliated with PYB are ya?....Only joking, I'll stop now.

In reply to chummer:

; ) time to watch Shameless!

In reply to chummer: Chummer!!!!!

In reply to chummer:

come a little closer little boy - so I can get me hands around your throat !

In reply to UKC Gear:

It is what it is.. an "Advertisement Feature" one sees in Newspapers. UKC classes it as NEWS and the ads for free!

In reply to tomalver: That's a bit mean trollboy. That blonde bint off Big Brother is a minor celeb whereas an Olympic double gold winner not so. I like Kelly Holmes, she's fit in more ways than one.

In reply to UKC Gear:

But what's she ever done on grit?

In reply to catt: She started climbing on Stanage but I can't remember what she did.

In reply to catt:

Nothing I hope - though a girl can get quite lonely in the Olympic Village...

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_athletics/BREUER_Grit_20020807_GH_L.jp...

In reply to Marc C: Here's Kelly on grit
http://www.doublegold.co.uk/latestnews/dame-kelly-holmes-rises-to-the-bmcs-...

In reply to Al Evans:
well that answers the obvious question...

In reply to chummer: It is an advert for PyB - it's in the Outdoor Industry News....

In reply to Toreador: Woops, should've read a bit further down

Is there an echo around here?

In reply to Al Evans: <Here's Kelly on Grit>

That was disappointing