The 2012 BMC Open Youth Winter competition involved separate bouldering and lead climbing events. The events were also used as a selection event for the 2013 junior GB Lead Climbing Team.

The competitions were open to young climbers born between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2001 and who are eligible to compete for Great Britain (ie hold a GB passport).

Competitors competed in the international competition climbing categories for 2013, according to the year they were born in. These are as follows:

Youth C - born in 2000 or 2001
Youth B - born in 1998 or 1999
Youth A - born in 1996 or 1997
Juniors - born in 1994 or 1995

Team managers from both the lead and bouldering teams were also looking at performances in these events as they are used as part of the continuing monitoring process for the Great Britain Climbing Teams based on the selection criteria.

Saturday
Awesome Walls was rammed for the Lead Climbing competiton with many seasoned 2012 GB junior Team members jockeying to be re-selected for 2013 with several newer faces pushing them hard.

The routes set were massively difficult but super-finals were still required in both the male and female Youth B categories.  Buster Martin succeded in topping the male route - rumored to be 8a+/b!  While Elisaa Bryant and Becky Kinhorn both topped their route; with the result that they tied for first place.

Full lead climbing results are here

Sunday
The Bouldering Youth Open event was held  at the Climbing Hangar in Liverpool on Sunday.

It also drew huge numbers – both of competitors and accompanying spectators. The atmosphere was intensively competitive while still being friendly, sociable and relaxed.

The male qualifying categories climbed in the morning and the female categories in the afternoon.  The finals were held after the female qualifiers with the male finals taking place first so that female finalists could recover from their qualifying round.

It’s fair to say that there was some amazing climbing.  There was even a super final climb-off in the female youth B category.

Full bouldering results are here

GB Team selcection
At the end of each day a selection committee convened to select a team for 2013.

Selection report by Ian Dunn.

« Back