UKC

The first ever British Speed Climbing Champions will be crowned on Sunday 16th October 2011 at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA), Ratho.

The inaugural British Speed Climbing Championships (BSCC's) will be held in conjunction with Britain's premier lead climbing competition which takes place at EICA over the weekend of 15-16th October 2011.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=64041

In reply to UKC News: Really??? I always find speed climbing comps strange...

In reply to UKC News: "The first ever British Speed Climbing Champions" Well Gaz Parry and Siobhan Coughlan will be absolutely gutted as they seem to think that they are the first ever British Speed Climbing Champions having won those titles at The Foundry in 1999 prior to the BMC hosting the World Championships at the NIA in December 1999.

In reply to Graeme Alderson:

>"1999"

Man, that's last century. You had might as well be telling us Edward Whymper held the title in 1859.

:¬)

In reply to UKC News:

Sounds p1sh. Its not even real climbing.

In reply to Graeme Alderson:

How hard are the routes - 6b, 7a, 7c? Do you get to practice on it first?

In reply to UKC News: That's a long way from my idea of what climbing's about. Each to their own.

In reply to UKC News:

Excellent, after last time watching the pimply-faced-youths run up the speed wall in 8 seconds I felt sufficiently fat and useless to get me back into the gym... Bring on the weight loss!

In reply to Adam Long: the routes are 6b+. I think (although I am not sure) that the IFSC standardised the speed routes a while ago, so the speed routes are now identical on all IFSC official speed walls all over the world? So if you want to practice then you have to find an official IFSC speed wall and I think the only one in Britain is at at Ratho. I may be talking rubbish though, it wouldn't be the first time!

In reply to UKC News: The IFSC homologated route at Ratho is graded at about 6b+ -it's pretty tough, with big moves!

In reply to wayno265: I thought speed climbing was slightly ridiculous until I ended up doing a bit of belaying at the European Youth Champs last year. I found it strangely inspiring. For the top athletes anyway, the same level of commitment to training goes into it as for say training for a 100 meter sprint event or similar. And most of the top speed climbers seemed to be pretty handy at 'normal climbing too'. I think it is a good thingn now.........

In reply to Natty B: percy reons it's only 6a+ though Nat

In reply to Graeme Alderson: That should say 'Percy reckons it is only 6a+'

In reply to wayno265:

Watching one mutant spider-child sprint up a 20m wall in 8 seconds is pretty cool. After about five minutes though you might as well watch a skipping DVD.

In reply to UKC News:

If you dont like speed climbing you dont need to partake or watch, to each their own.

In reply to UKC News: I'm not that bothered about speed climbing, for or against. Doesn't hurt me, so good luck and keep training those who are going for it.

However I am quite interested in how well Ed did at the world youth championships, hasn't seemed to have been much press but coming 2nd seems highly news/article worthy (especially as I'm pretty sure he's in the middle of a euro road trip and not specifically comp training). Could some one from the BMC or UKC throw something together please????

Many thanks,
Grant

In reply to grant727: http://www.thebmc.co.uk/News.aspx?id=4432

In reply to grant727: Ed is back in Sheffield training hard again

In reply to adie84: Cheers for the link
& thanks to UKC for the article, this is exactly the sort of thing i was hoping for.
Good to hear Graeme.