Korea and Russia leave mark on 2011 Ice Climbing season

The 2011 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup, which ended on March 8 with competitions in Kirov, Russia, will be remembered for the entrance of Korea and its athletes on the world stage. While Russian athletes continued to dominate the Speed discipline and perform strongly in Lead, all eyes were on the first event of the year held in January in Cheongsong, Korea since it was the first time the World Cup series had ever been held in...

Female Pakistani climber inspires women and youth

Mountaineering exploits by a Pakistani woman, Samina Baig, have been hailed as inspiring for women and youth of the country. Pakistan’s Minister for Sports, Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, congratulated Baig on her achievements which he said were unheard of in Pakistan. He assured the participants at a meeting in his office in Islamabad in early February that the Pakistani government “will extend every possible support for the promotion of mountaineering in Pakistan”. Attending the meeting were Baig,...

Tribute to the late Indian mountaineer, Balwant Sandhu

ndian mountaineer Balwant Sandhu died recently in a road accident. Sandhu climbed and trekked for over 50 yrs in most ranges of the Himalayas. He was principal of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering Uttarkashi for Five years (1980-85). He was president of the Himalayan Club [1983-84) and Vice President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (197-98). He was a life member of the Central Himalayan Environment Association, the Himalayan Club, and the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. In 2001...

First braking devices receive Safety Label

Petzl’s GriGri2 and four pieces of equipment from Black Diamond have become the first braking devices to be certified by the UIAA and can now bear the UIAA Safety Label – the only certification for braking devices worldwide. The Black Diamond devices are: ATC, ATC-Guide, ATC-XP, ATC-Sport. The UIAA Safety Commission has pushed back the date when the standard takes effect; it is now July 1, 2011. The decision to push back the date was taken due to minor modifications...

Sweden moves forward on Access issues

The Swedish Climbing Federation (SKF) has produced a sign on Right of Public Access that it will put up at crags throughout the country in 2011, in cooperation with local clubs. Through its Access Commission, the UIAA supports such moves by mountaineering federations to introduce Best Practices. In the following article, Jonas Paulsson of the SKF says climbing is becoming more popular in Sweden, both among Swedes and foreign visitors and he explains what impact this popularity growth has on...

We have all been waiting for this – Ice Climbing athletes

The men and women winners of the opening Ice Climbing World Cup event of 2011, held in Cheongsong, Korea, talk about winning, Korean hospitality and the challenge presented by the climbing structure. Can you describe what it is to win an event that is held for the first time in Asia? “I am happy. I could not complete the route, and that makes me sad. But still, I am always happy when I win.” Markus Bendler, men’s Lead winner “The event...

Alpine Club claims first ascents of six Antarctic peaks

The following report was sent by the UK Alpine Club: The Alpine Club Antarctic Expedition, led by Phil Wickens, has made the first ascents of 6 Antarctic Peaks, making it one of the most successful mountaineering expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula in recent years. After being dropped off by IAATO yacht Spirit of Sydney in Deloncle Bay (part-way down the Lemaire Channel), the team hauled sleds for 2 days up the Hotine Glacier to place a camp...

How to prevent Legionella infections in mountain huts

The UIAA Medical Commission has published practical advice targeted at operators of mountain huts to prevent Legionella infections. The expert panel of doctors specialising in mountain medicine decided to investigate the subject following the death of a Spanish climber in Italy in 2009 due to a severe pneumonia from a “Legionella” infection. While taking into account international guidelines, the paper, “Legionella in Mountain Huts, recommendation for prevention and control of Legionella”, keeps in mind the problems and...

To bolt or not to bolt, discussed at Mountaineering Commission meeting

UIAA Training Standards and attempts to find a global consensus on bolting were two of the highlights discussed at the meeting in Moscow of the Mountaineering Commission. The following report is from Phil Wickens, commission secretary: The UIAA Mountaineering Commission met in Moscow, Russia, in November 2010. The meeting was hosted by the Russian Mountaineering Federation (RMF) and was very well attended by 20 delegates from 14 different countries, and the UIAA President, Mike Morrtimer, again highlighting the increasing strength...

Can UIAA reconcile diverse demands of global community?

How well does the UIAA look after the interests of the world’s mountaineering federations and clubs? At the 2010 UIAA General Assembly in Bormio, Italy, representatives from around the globe voiced their desires – which are as diverse as the mountain cultures they come from. The following statements are excerpted from a small survey of presidents of UIAA Member Federations: Lee Injeong, President Korean Alpine Federation “The UIAA has up to now been focused on European countries. From...