KIROV: YOUNGSTERS GIVEN PLATFORM TO PERFORM

The UIAA World Ice Climbing Youth Championships heads to one of the most emblematic venues on the World Tour, in Kirov, Russia this weekend 6-8 March.  The venue is a familiar one for athletes and officials alike having hosted the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup finale in 2018, the World Championships in 2019 as well as acting as a training base for a number of athletes.  An enthralling competition between some of the most talented...

FIRST UIAA YOUTH EVENT OF 2020 TAKES PLACE

This February, in Guillestre, near Briançon in the French Alps, the first meeting of the 2020 UIAA Global Youth Series took place. The event, held from 9-15 February, welcomed around 70 participants from across Europe and beyond, all under the expert tutelage and knowledge of the local instructors. International participants came from across Europe – Germany, Ukraine, Slovenia, Belgium, Great Britain as well as India and those from host country France, where youngsters from the Club Alpine Français,...

LAUNCH OF 2020 UIAA MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD PARTNERED BY BALLY

*Please refer to the updated communication on this subject and the UIAA Covid-19 portal for the last information. Since its conception in 2013, the UIAA Mountain Protection Award has proved an emphatic success. In the past seven years, the MPA has showcased and supported 118 projects from over 30 countries. The platform has enabled initiatives to receive international recognition, much-needed funding, exchange ideas and share best practices. Investment generated by the Award has helped projects advance...

REVISION TO UIAA STANDARD 101

The UIAA recently updated one of its core Safety Standards (101 – Dynamic Ropes). This is part of the UIAA Safety Commission’s commitment to ensuring its Standards meet the ever-changing nature and demands of the market and climbing and mountaineering world. The revision focused on correcting outdated and incorrectly organized information, as well as clarifying that the optional water repellency test needs to be carried out by a UIAA certified laboratory (see here for details on Accredited...

FFCAM ENJOYS PRESIDENTIAL MEETING

The Fédération Française des Clubs Alpines et de Montagne (FFCAM), a UIAA member association, were delighted to have recently had the opportunity to meet with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, during his Presidential visit to the Mont Blanc range. Owing to the Federation’s excellent relationship with the prefecture and local town halls, President of the FFCAM, Nicolas Raynaud, was invited by the Prefecture of Haute Savoie to attend a working lunch (13 February) at the...

UIAA AND UNEP SIGN MOU

The UIAA – International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation – is delighted to confirm that the MoU between the UIAA and the UN Environment Program (UNEP) has now been signed. The United Nations Environment Program is the leading organisation within the United Nations in the field of environment, having a major area of focus on conservation, protection, enhancement and the support of nature and natural resources worldwide. The MoU represents a huge step forward for the UIAA...

UIAA RESTATED PRIORITIES FOR 2020 AND BEYOND

Recent dialogue and meetings dating back to the UIAA General Assembly in Cyprus and involving the GA, the UIAA Management Committee and the UIAA Executive Board, have focused on collectively realigning the UIAA’s role, objectives and vision. Taking elements from the expertise which went into the publication of the 2019 UIAA Strategic Plan (produced by a dedicated working group), the resulting proposal is to focus on objectives which are more direct and specific, all in the...

TRAINING AND MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR ROCK CLIMBERS

A dedicated guide and programme for rock climbers - Adjunct Compensatory Training – has been created, spearheaded by UIAA Medical Commission corresponding member Volker Schoeffl as well as the worldwide trainer expertise of Dicki (Ludwig) Korb and Patrick Matros (Kraftfactory). The programme is sponsored by Adidas Terrex, and is available free here - www.act.clinic – to all climbers. The ACT programme consists of two sections. The first, the general section, focuses on preventative exercises especially for climbers and...

FRESH IMPETUS FOR THE UIAA RESPECT THE MOUNTAINS MOVEMENT

The UIAA’s Respect the Mountains (RTM) Movement continued to evolve and develop throughout 2019, creating more opportunities for collaboration between the UIAA, its member associations and other partners, greater access to events for mountaineers and increased visibility for sustainability-focused projects showcased on a new international calendar. The RTM movement has evolved since its inception in 2016. Since 2019 there has been a shift from the original model of UIAA-organised events – primarily located in popular European...