With sun drenched climbing walls, blue skies and a cheering crowd, you could have mistaken Gloucester for an IFSC World Cup event last week.  The European Military Climbing Championships 2025 took place between 24-26 June 2025 at the new 270 Climbing Park in Gloucester.  Hosted by the Army Mountaineering Association, the event brought together over 60 athletes from across France, Italy, Kosovo and the UK to compete in a Paris 2024 Olympic Combined (Boulder and lead) format event over three days.  With European and UK Inter-Services titles at stake the competition was fierce across all categories – both individual and team.  With the best UK Armed Forces climbers up against some of the cream from across the continent, including Italian World Cup athlete Marcello Bombardi, it lived up to its promise as a competition.

The UK hosted this event in 2010 at EICA Ratho in Edinburgh and in 2015 at the Beacon in Caernarfon and it was the turn of the newest climbing wall in England this year to showcase their facilities.  The competition took place on the outdoor boulder and lead walls at 270 Climbing Park.  With full size indoor and outdoor competition standard boulder, lead and speed walls the centre provides a world class venue for training and competition climbing and lends itself to hosting large scale events.

Day 1 saw the boulder qualifying round with five blocs each for men and women.  A full suite of climbing techniques were tested with dynamic jumps, compression problems, delicate balance moves on the slab, crimps galore and, to ensure the Europeans went away fully understanding British climbing, a two metre long crack for the men.  The route setters managed the perfect split with everything topped but no one flashing all five problems.

Day 2 dawned with the lead walls the focus of the action – two routes each for men and women on the 18m high, 6m overhanging outdoor wall.  Here the European talent started to shine through with both Cpl Marcello Bombardi (ITA) and Mckn Edwin Gaufres (FRA) cruising both men's routes through the steep.  In the women's event it was a tighter affair with three women topping both routes and only 0.1 separating ASP Margot Combe (FRA) and Maj Amy Johnstone (Army) going into the finals.

With the top 12 male and female athletes progressing to day 3, not even a light early morning shower could dampen the excitement.  A crowd formed early and stayed for the entertainment of the combined competition.  Following athlete introductions and viewing as the sun emerged the bouldering was first up.  Four blocs again set to test and split with two scoring zones – Marcello and Amy impressing everyone by flashing them all.  With a short break it was onto the testing lead routes to find the champions – two wandering lines through the highest and steepest terrain with the jeopardy of not scoring any points for the first four clips.  The men had to negotiate an early crack followed by poor pockets and a dynamic finish.  For the women powerful moves led to small delicate crimps and a pumpy runout.  It was a European podium top out with Margot and Marcello triumphing in the individual event but with a strong UK finish from LCpl Andy Mawhinney (Army – 2nd) and LH Simon Noakes (Royal Navy – 4th) securing the international team competition for the home nation.

A traditional curry evening after the presentations allowed the competitors, officials and spectators to reflect on the event and reinforce enduring friendships over a beer.  The event could not have taken place without the skill of the route setters, judges and officials to deliver a fair and impartial competition.  The Championships were very kindly sponsored and supported by Helix, EP, the Orange House, Enigma Climbing Solutions, Beta Setting, Silly Goat, British Forces Broadcasting Services, UKClimbing.com, Shirtworks, the British Mountaineering Council, Army Sport, the Army Mountaineering Association, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Mountaineering Club and the Royal Air Force Mountaineering Association.  BFBS covered the event and a report can be seen on their Forces News page and YouTube Channel.

Brigadier Andy Garner, President of the Army Mountaineering Association, said: "Sport is an essential component of Army life.  With the standard of military climbing at an all-time high, the talent competing this week is an inspiration to us all - becoming the European and Inter-Services Champion is no easy task.  The competition has provided a spectacle for the crowd and a challenge for the athletes.  270 Climbing Park is the latest climbing wall to open in England and we are privileged to be the first to use their new lead wall."

David Stevens, co-owner of 270 Climbing Park, said: "It's been incredible to see our new walls out through their paces during the European Military Climbing Championships. Hosting some of the best climbers in Europe was the perfect way to put the new facilities to the test ahead of our public launch in August. We're really proud to be offering something completely unique to the UK climbing scene."

Sport Climbing is rapidly growing across the UK Armed Forces.  All three Service teams run regular training camps and coaching and there is a year-round competition schedule with national and international events.  The UK Armed Forces teams will now have the summer off before the 2025/26 season starts in September with the annual winter bouldering league, followed by overseas tours to compete at boulder and lead competitions in Belgium and France in the Autumn.  It was an honour for the Army to host our fellow European service climbers and we look forward to doing it again in the future.

European Military Climbing Championships 2025 – Results

UK Inter-Services Junior Men (Under 25)

1 – LH Simon Noakes (Royal Navy)
2 – AS1(T) Rhys Hall (RAF)
3 – Pte Alex Copson (Army)

UK Inter-Services Senior Men

1 – LCpl Andy Mawhinney (Army)
2 – Sqn Ldr Dan Heath (RAF)
3 – Cpl Brandon Phipps (RAF)

UK Inter-Services Women

1 – Maj Amy Johnstone (Army)
2 – OCdt Isabelle Pouratt (Army)
3 – OCdt Libby Moor (Army)

International Men

1 – Cpl Marcello Bombardi (ITA)
2 – LCpl Andy Mawhinney (GBR)
3 – Mckn Edwin Gaufres (FRA)

International Women

1 – ASP Margot Combe (FRA)
2 – Maj Amy Johnstone (GBR)
3 – OCdt Isabelle Pourrat (GBR)

International Team

1 – Great Britain
2 – Italy
3 – France