Mountaineering competition to take place in the Pamirs

An international mountaineering competition takes place in the Pamirs July and has attracted teams from a number of countries including Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Belorussia, France, Croatia and Iran. The event starts on 3 July and ends on 22 July 2012 in the mountains of Zamin-Karor in Tajikistan and will involve pairs of mountaineers who will participate in competitions that take place in two stages. The first stage or “school” is a qualifying competition. Climbers have to...

Grivel to become sponsor of the UIAA

Grivel, one of the world’s leading mountaineering equipment manufacturers, has become one of the sponsors of the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation). "Grivel and UIAA have the same environmental and ethical goals,” said Grivel's owner Gioachino Gobbi about the sponsorship deal that was signed in March. “This is why Grivel made the decision to become partner of the worldwide UIAA program.” “We want to maintain our traditions, keeping in touch with our mountains and the men...

Access Commission meets in Chile

Public access to a proposed conservation area in the Rio De Olivares for the 5 million inhabitants of Santiago and the controversial HydroAysen hydroelectric project were among the issues tackled by the Access Commission of the UIAA in a meeting held in Chile earlier this month. The meeting was hosted by the UIAA member Federación de Andinismo de Chile (FEACH) and included a visit to the Rio De Olivares region, near Santiago, with Sendero de Chile,...

Piolet d’Or for Mark Richey

UIAA Management Committee member Mark Richey of the American Alpine Club and fellow climbers Freddie Wilkinson and Steve Swenson were the proud recipient of the prestigious Piolet d’Or (golden ice axe) award for the successful first ascent of Saser Kangri II, previously the world’s second highest unclimbed mountain. Richey, Wilkinson and Swenson received the award in a ceremony in March in Chamonix (France) and Courmeyer (Italy) for the alpine style ascent in August 2011. Saser Kangri II...

UIAA World Cup tour ends with new world champions

The 2012 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup tour which spanned five countries ended on 10 March with Italy’s Angelika Rainer and Russia’s Maxim Tomilov winning their first overall World Cup titles in the Lead discipline. Russian climbers Kirill Kolchegoshev and Maryam Fillippova were the winners of the Men and Women’s Speed disciplines. Overall rankings for 2012 and the final results can be found here. For Rainer, winning the overall World Cup title has been a dream since 2008 when she won...

UIAA led study profiles ice climbers

A UIAA led anthropometric study of the physical profile of competitive ice climbers is a valuable and necessary baseline for the sport as its popularity grows, says one of its authors Dr. Nenad Dickic, president of the UIAA Anti-Doping Commission. Dikic who is a cardiologist and baromedicine specialist from Serbia said the findings of the study that compared ice climbers to sport climbers showed ice climbers had weaker hand grips and foot rise (the ability to...

Final stop in 2012 Ice Climbing World World Cup tour is Kirov, Russia

The 2012 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup which only has one remaining stop in Russia in March has been a story of Russian dominance and personal comebacks. In the Men’s Lead competition Austrian climber Markus Bendler, after a disappointing start in South Korea and Switzerland, roared back to win a difficult route in Busteni, Romania. The Romanian win was personal vindication for the veteran Bendler but it won’t be enough to catch up with Russian climber Maxim...

Winter ascent of Damavand organized by Iran Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation

Climbers from Spain, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran took part in a January winter ascent of Damavand (5,671 m) the highest volcanic mountain in the Middle East. Located just two hours by car from the Iranian capital of Tehran, the mass climb of the South Face of the mountain was organized by the Iran Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation.The expedition was kicked off on 27 January and included 210 Iranian climbers and nine foreign climbers. The expedition was buffeted...

Acting UIAA president Jordi Colomer on the year ahead

Jordi Colomer who is the Acting President of the UIAA Board discusses the year ahead for the organization. Colomer comes from Barcelona, Spain and has been a member of the UIAA’s Expedition and Mountaineering Commissions; he was President of the International Ski Mountaineering Committee from 1999 to 2007. UIAA:  What do you see as your role as acting president until the 2012 General Assembly in Amsterdam in October? Colomer: This is a transient position. The UIAA board consists of...

Angelika Rainer and Maxim Tomilov win big as UIAA World Cup ends in Saas Fee, Switzerland

News Release 22 January 2012 Saas Fee, Switzerland  - The 2012 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland concluded Saturday with a second World Cup victory for Angelika Rainer of Italy this year in the Lead discipline and a dramatic display of skill and strength by Russia's Maxim Tomilov in Men's Lead. Rainer’s victory comes about a week after her win in Cheongsong, South Korea and is significant because the Italian athlete almost quit competitive climbing last...