Lead, Speed and Paraclimbing competition weekend at Awesome Walls, Sheffield
- Monday 5th October 2015
Oct 5th; 2015
Awesome Walls, Sheffield was ground-zero for climbing comps this weekend with the starring performances coming from Jim Pope and Molly Thompson-Smith.
Jim Pope winner of both Male Youth A and Senior Comps. Photo David Simmonite
The only BMC designated National Perfomance Centre, Awesome Walls, Sheffield is now well established as a venue on the British comp scene. This weekend, the climbing action not only featured the British Lead and Speed championships, but it was also the concluding round of the British Cup for Juniors as well as one of the events for the IFSC Paraclimbing cups.
Saturday was all about the junior stream with no less than four categories in both male and female up for grabs; Juniors (born between 1996 and 1997), Youth A (born between 1998 and 1999), Youth B (born between 2000 and 2001) and Youth C (born between 2002 and 2003). Two Veteran streams – male and female – were also held on the Saturday. Sunday was dedicated to the seniors (born between 1999 and 1971) comps – although many of the contestants had also climbed in the junior comps the day previously.
Molly Thompson_Smith winner of both Female Junior and Senior Comps. Photo David Simmonite
Arguably the two stand-out performances came from Jim Pope and Molly Thompson-Smith; both of whom won their respective age groups on the Saturday and then returned to win the senior comps on Sunday! Jim’s victory in the male Youth A on the Saturday was totally solid being the only competitor to top-out on all three routes. His victory over William Bosi in the seniors on Sunday went to count-back. Dave Barrans placed third. Molly’s victory in the female Junior comp on the Saturday was equally convincing but once again her victory in the seniors on Sunday was on count-back which edged her above Lucy Mitchell who came in second. What is astonishing is the depth that both Jim and Molly – as well as their fellow junior competitors - have in their climbing to be able to compete at the highest levels two days running.
Other stand-out performance came from Eddie Cooper and Joanna Goorney who both won the vets categories for the third year running. Emily Phillips also posted a very impressive weekend’s climbing easily winning her Female Youth C stream with three top-outs, as well as winning the speed climbing comp – this after winning the junior title in the DWS comp in Exeter last month.
To see more images from the event click through here to go to the Awesome Walls, Sheffield FB page.
For the full results in the Lead competition see below:
Male Senior
1- Jim Pope 2 – William Bosi 3 – Dave Barrans
Female Senior
1- Molly Thompson-Smith 2- Lucy Mitchell 3 – Jennifer Wood
Male Junior
1- Connor Byrne 2- Billy Ridal 3- Alex Waterhouse
Female Junior
1- Molly Thompson-Smith 2- Phoebe Nelson 3- Flo Tilley
Male Youth A
1- Jim Pope 2- Peter Dawson 3- William Bosi
Female Youth A
1- Rebecca Kinghorn 2- Jo Neame 3- Imogen Horrocks
Male Youth B
1- Kieran Forrest 2- Severin Domela 3- Joe Czubkowski
Female Youth B
1- Isabelle Adams 2- Pippa Watkin 3- Catrin Rose
Male Youth C
1- Hamish McArthur 2- Finley Wood 3- James Bateman
Female Youth C
1- Emily Phillips 2- Megan Wyatt 3- Hannah Smith
Male Vets
1- Eddie Cooper 2- Chris Forrest 3- Nick Colton
Female Vets
1- Jonna Goorney 2- Vicky Askrew 3- Phyllis Ryan