Here’s Who Just Won Britain’s Bouldering Comp Return

Serious Climbing, a UK-based hold distributor, hosted the British Climbing Cup at the newest comp wall in the country called Rock City. It’s the first major national comp since the covid lockdown in March.

The wall itself was designed and built by the head routesetter for the Olympics, Percy Bishton. He and a crack team of routesetters from across the country built a series of boulder problems for 40 of Britain’s best boulderers.

Prior to the comp, organizers said: “It’s set to be a closely fought battle with some of the biggest names in British climbing competing. The women’s field is packed full of big names including 2019 British Bouldering Champion Holly Toothill, and young guns Louise Flockhart and Pippa Watkin. The men’s competition is equally stacked with multiple time British champ Dave Barrans, internet superstar Louis Parkinson and European Youth Champion Toby Roberts.”

Podium Women/Men

1. Holly Toothill / Jim Pope
2. Robin Casey / Max Milne
3. Thea Cameron / Louis Parkinson

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What a day! ?in the British climbing cup. Huge congrats to @hollytoothill_ for taking home the win and @thea_climb for third!!! Also massive well done to @gwynethuttley , @rfrugtniet and @louise.climbs for their performances in the finals! And a huge thanks to @rockcityclimb and @british_climbing_cup for running such a fantastic event, it can all be watched back on bbc iPlayer sport. ?@domworrall. #moonclimbingteam #irishclimbingteam #latticetraining

A post shared by Robin? (@robin_caseyx) on Sep 27, 2020 at 4:11am PDT

Canadian Comps

In Canada, most, if not all, comps have been cancelled for fall/winter 2020 due to covid.  Christiane Marceau, executive director of the CEC, recently published the following letter about the 2020 season. For more info on the 2020 season, visit the CEC here.

Now that climbing facilities are opened all through Canada, athletes and coaches are understandably anxious to return to training. Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) is committed to the health and safety of its participants, athletes, coaches, and members. As the COVID-19 response varies from location to location, there can be no standard approach that applies to all Provinces, climbing facilities, club teams and coaches.

CEC has developed the “CEC Return To Climb Guidelines – Supporting Athletes and Coaches in their Return to Training plan” as a tool to assist in developing a responsible return to programming.

These guidelines should never be interpreted as superseding or providing a justification for not closely following public health directives, government regulations or further climbing specific or general return to sport guidelines in a given member organization’s municipality/province/territory.

Additional COVID-related resources can be found on the CEC Website: http://climbingcanada.ca/en/covid-19-resources/

Coaches and athletes should expect the CEC Return to Competition Plan by October.

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Account Takeover Notice! @alannah_yip will be taking over the @teamcanada Instagram account tomorrow, September 23rd, to highlight the FACE grant program and the National Coaches Week. @alannah_yip se verra donner accès au compte Instagram @teamcanada demain, mercredi le 23 septembre, pour promouvoir le programme de bourses FACE et la Semaine nationale des entraîneurs. @petrocanada @coach.ca @climbcanada

A post shared by Climbing Escalade Canada (@climbcanada) on Sep 22, 2020 at 1:09pm PDT