Canadian Said “We Were Outlaws” as Police Arrive at European Comp
Gord McArthur just finished in eighth place at a European Ice Cup that took place in a country in Covid lockdown
The UIAA Ice Climbing European Cup didn’t happen last year due to Covid, but hopes were high that there would be a full schedule of tours this year. The Switzerland event went ahead, but as competitors arrived in Slovakia the country went into lockdown due to Covid and a planned cancellation.
Canada’s lone competitor, B.C. climber Gord McArthur, who finished in seventh in Switzerland, touched base with us after the Slovakia event, where he once again made it to finals and finished in eighth.
“We were outlaws,” McArthur said after informing Gripped the comp was interrupted by officers. “Police showed up half way and gave everyone a scare. We literally had to leave the country the second the comp was over.”
Slovakia declared a 90-day state of emergency and a two-week lockdown following a spike in cases that saw the country’s seven-day average of cases rise above 10,000. The Czech Republic and Hungary are registering a record daily rise in cases. Austria has already put a total lockdown in place and it’s going to make vaccination mandatory from Feb. 1 of next year, making it the first country in the world to do so.
McArthur is currently in the Czech Republic where he awaits word as to whether the next event will take place. McArthur will be returning to Canada after this competition. There’s no word as to whether the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup will go ahead.
“Lots of protests and riots of sorts,” McArthur said about the state of things. “It’s pretty wild over here.”
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