Major changes made to World Anti-Doping Code

Editor's Note: Dr Nenad Dikic and Dr Marija Andjelkovic of the UIAA Anti-Doping Commission update us significant changes between to the World Anti-Doping Code, with the new code becoming effective on 1 January 2015: The World Anti -Doping Code ("the Code”) is the core document that provides the framework for harmonized anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sports organizations and among public authorities. The ultimate goal is for all athletes to benefit from the same anti-doping procedures...

Successful ascents of K6 and Annapurna honoured at the Piolet d’Or

Celebrating mountainnering at the Piolet d'Or (Photo: http://www.pioletsdor.com/) Raphael Slawinsky, Ian Welsted and Ueli Steck are winners of the 2014 Piolet d’Or which was announced in Courmayeur, France on 29 March 2014. Slawinsky and Welsted made the first ascents of the northwest face of K6 in Pakistan and Steck was honoured for his solo ascent of the south face of Annapurna in Nepal. Planet Mountain reports on the winning climbs here: The Piolets d'Or 2014 goes to Raphael Slawinsky and...

Ethiopian conservation project winner of first UIAA Mountain Protection Award

The Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area is located in the northern Ethiopian highlands (Photo: Jeff Kerby for UIAA) The Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area (GCCA) situated in the northern highlands of Ethiopia is the first recipient of the UIAA Mountain Protection Award. "The Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area is an impressively-crafted project that effectively brings together a wide range of diverse stakeholders to preserve and protect the outstanding natural and cultural resources of this mountainous region of Ethiopia,” said Linda McMillan,...

Para-iceclimbing makes its debut in Ufa, Russia

Ice climbing may not be a part of the Sochi Paralympics which begin today but that didn’t stop a group of trailblazing Russians from showing how it might be one day. Witness what happened in Ufa, Russia, where the 2014 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup recently concluded. As part of the event, the Russian Mountaineering Federation invited a group of athletes from the local alpine club with disabilities to do some para-iceclimbing on the Speed wall...

Founder of Climbers Against Cancer smiles through his pain

John Ellison (in green t-shirt) surrounded by supporters (Photo: http://www.climbersagainstcancer.org) When British climber John Ellison received the news more than two years ago that he was ill with terminal cancer he realized he had a stark choice to make. A lesser person might have given up hope but Ellison knew, as he put it a recent speech: "We get to choose if we smile and laugh. We get to choose if we frown and cry.” Ellison chose to smile...

Service bulletin for inspection issued for Mammut / Snowpulse avalanche airbags

Mammut has issued a service bulletin for inspection of Mammut / Snowpulse avalanche airbags. The following is text from Mammut about their bulletin: Follow-up inspections have shown that there is an assembly problem affecting individual Mammut / Snowpulse avalanche airbags from the Winter 2011/2012 and Winter 2012/2013 production seasons. The problem is an improperly screwed in connector between the deployment mechanism and the venturi valve. Since Mammut cannot rule out that this problem could result in a...

Mountain Protection Award and proposed certification scheme present at ITB Berlin

The UIAA has a presence at the well-attended International Tourism Bourse (ITB)in Berlin where Erin Gleeson and Elvin Mammadov, a student from Western University in Azerbaijan, are promoting the inaugural UIAA Mountain Protection Award and other mountain protection activities. "Our main priority at the job fair to promote the Mountain Protection Award and potential for a certification scheme that emphasizes sustainable mountain tourism,” said Gleeson. Gleeson and Mammadov will also be conducting surveys from tourism and tour operators about...

Everest summitteers required to help clean Mount Everest by bringing out garbage

Mount Everest has been in the news lately as the busy spring season to climb it approaches. First there was news that the Nepal government had reduced fees to climb the mountain, which some said critics said would attract even more climbers and trash. This was followed by an announcement that security on the world's highest mountain would be strengthened following a high altitude fight between a few European climbers and some Sherpas last year. Agence France-Presse in Kathmandu is now...

Russians win all overall championship titles in 2014 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup

Russians win race for overall titles The 2014 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup concluded in Ufa, Russia today with new overall world champions being declared in four categories: Women’s Lead: Maria Tolokonina (Russia) Men’s Lead: Maxim Tomilov (Russia) Women’s Speed: Maryam Filippova (Russia) Men’s Speed: Nikolay Kuzovlev (Russia) For Maria Tolokonina, this is the second year in a row that she has been declared overall Lead champion, while Maxim Tomilov has wrested back the title he lost to Park Hee Yong...

New UIAA standard developed for water repellant ropes

It took ten years of research and testing to develop a new water repellency standard for ropes (Photo: UIAA) A new standard for water repellent ropes has been approved by the UIAA Safety Commission after almost 10 years of research and testing. "When a rope is full of water, it becomes heavy, difficult to use in belay devices and descenders,” said Michael Beal of Beal, a European rope manufacturer which worked with the UIAA to develop the standard. "It may...