While spending time in the mountains, exploring new rock faces and peaks and even climbing indoors has been severely restricted for most people over the past twelve months, the climbing community has been able to able to engage more frequently and actively online. Although no substitute for being outdoors, technology has made it possible for creative projects and collaboration to flourish. The UIAA has worked almost exclusively online for the past twelve months at an office,...
The 2020-2021 UIAA Ice Climbing season concluded with a World Cup event in Kirov, Russia on 6-7 March. Nearly 40 athletes took on speed and lead competitions at an ice tower which has long hosted UIAA-sanctioned events and training camps. The current season has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic with most competitions restricted to national athletes or those from neighbouring countries. WOMEN'S LEAD AND SPEED Daria Glotova, who won the U19 Lead and Speed World Championship...
Following last weekend's UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships in Tyumen, Russia again plays hosts to top level competition. The first and only World Cup of a much disrupted 2020-2021 UIAA Ice Climbing season will be held in Kirov, a regular competition host. Travel restrictions and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has had an obvious impact on the entry list. However, nearly 40 athletes from ten nationalities are though expected to take part. The official schedule...
The UIAA Covid-19 Crisis Consultation (CCC) Taskforce, set up nearly a year ago to provide guidance on subjects related to climbing and mountaineering throughout the lifespan of the current pandemic, continues to meet regularly online with its members providing updates from their federations and countries. Below is a summary of resources and information from different countries provided during meetings held since the turn of the year. Please note that information published below is subject to change. General...
The annual UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships took place in Tyumen, Russia from 26-28 February. Nearly fifty youngsters in U16, U19 and U21 categories took on speed and boulder competitions. Owing to travel restrictions and the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of countries able to send athletes to the event was impacted. Five nations were represented - the Czech Republic, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and hosts Russia. Those who did attend braved the...
While spending time in the mountains, exploring new rock faces and peaks and even climbing indoors has been severely restricted for most people over the past twelve months, the climbing community has been able to able to engage more frequently and actively online. Although no substitute for being outdoors, technology has made it possible for creative projects and collaboration to flourish. The UIAA has worked almost exclusively online for the past twelve months at an office,...
In response to the growing issues faced by mountain workers and guides in the expedition and trekking industry, a situation further exacerbated by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UIAA – International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation – is establishing a Mountain Worker Initiative (MWI). The MWI, guided by the UIAA Mountaineering Commission (MountCom), will seek to establish, disseminate and support guidelines for ethical trekking and mountaineering practices worldwide with a focus on the lives of...
The annual UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships will be held in Tyumen, Russia this weekend. Youngsters in U16, U19 and U21 categories will take on speed and boulder competitions. Currently 35 athletes are registered. The UIAA will provide a livestream of the speed and boulder finals on Sunday 28 February. Qualification for both events takes place on Saturday. Action will be broadcast on the UIAA YouTube channel. Please subscribe for updates. Live speed results will be...
Throughout the past twelve months, UIAA Commissions have embraced online technology as a means of meeting more regularly. The Mountain Protection Commission (MPC) is no exception. At its first meeting of 2021, the MPC focused on priorities for the year ahead while delegates provide updates on sustainability initiatives within their own federations. 2021 PROJECTS The revised timeline for the 2020-2021 UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA), partnered by Bally, was recently communicated. The application portal has remained open throughout...
Two regulars on the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour – Pauli Salminen and Mira Alhonsuo – took the plaudits at the 2021 UIAA Ice Climbing European Cup event (FINICE) held in Oulu, Finland on the weekend of 21-22 February. Salminen dominated the 25-strong men’s competition topping during each round. Fellow Finnish athletes Albert Kaikkonen and Henri Toivola joined him on the podium. Alhonsuo held off determined pressure from fellow World Cup athlete Enni Bertling. The pair matched...