Cliffhanger has been cancelled due to monsoon conditions in Sheffield, but we're still going ahead with the British Bouldering Championships in Graves Park this weekend.

Cliffhanger is cancelled but the British Bouldering Championships are still taking place

Come along and show your support: it's totally free to watch inside the huge big-top marquee (just don't forget your wellies)

Or watch from the comfort of your lounge: the BBCs are fully webcast

This weekend, the UK’s strongest climbers are braving the weather and heading to Graves Park, Sheffield, to battle it out for the title of British Bouldering Champion.

If you follow the climbing news, their names will be familiar: Shauna Coxsey, Alex Puccio, Chris Parson-Webb, Ned Feehally, Dave Barrans. But you don’t have to be a climbing geek to appreciate their power and skill – a bouldering competition makes great spectator sport for anyone. 

There are four 2011 national champions: Ned Feehally (Senior Male), Shauna Coxsey (Senior Female), Sam Brannigan (Junior Male) and Tara Hayes (Junior Female).

Will anyone be climbing well enough to knock them off their top spots? All eyes will be Shauna Coxsey, who’s had a run of tremendous form over the summer – coming second no less than three times in World Cup events. But her good friend and training companion Alex Puccio is also entering. Alex is a super-strong American climber who’s currently living in Sheffield – could 2012 see an American British Bouldering Champion?

The Senior Male category is always unpredictable but it would take a brave person to bet against Ned Feehally.

The rules are simple: the person who gets to the top of the most boulder problems wins, and the ever-cunning routesetters try to judge the field exactly to give the audience a few hours of spills and thrills.

The event is split over two days. On Saturday, it’s the Seniors and the Juniors (the oldest of the four Youth age groups); on Sunday it’s the turn of the other three Youth age groups. Both days start with qualification rounds, followed by a final at 16:00.

For spectating, it’s all about the final. Here, the remaining climbers will be faced with four problems and the route-setters will pull out all the stops to test their forearms and flexibility to the limit: huge dynos, tiny crimps, impossible bridges, slapping sloper fests and – if they’re feeling particularly evil – hand-ripping overhanging cracks.

Your new British Champions will be the ones who make it through that gauntlet with the least amount of falls.

The competition is free to watch and takes place inside a huge (and dry) big top marquee. So, brave the rain and come and show your support. 

Competition timetable

Saturday
Seniors and the oldest of the four Youth Age Groups (called Juniors)
09:30 – 13:00 Male Qualification
12:30 – 14:30 Female Qualification
16:00 Finals

Sunday
Three Youth Age Groups (Youth A, Youth B and Youth C)
09:30 – 13:00 Male Qualification
12:30 – 14:30 Female Qualification
16:00 Finals

Full details of the BBCs

Results of the Senior event

Watch the BBCs on the web
This year, the BBCs will be fully webcast: http://www.247.tv/climbing/freestream

About Cliffhanger
The Cliffhanger Festival and Rat Race Basecamp have been cancelled due to the weather. Find out the latest here

Ticket holders who bought online will be contacted by RatRace on Monday and Sheffield City Council and Heason Events will be in touch with traders and exhibitors next week.  

The park is open and entry to the BBCs is free. The nearest car park to the BMC marquee is the Animal Farm car park

 

.

« Back