Training in Austria

I have just returned from a fantastic trip to Austria. A small group from the GB team headed to Imst to get some experience on the new competition wall constructed last year for the senior world cup. It is a giant freestanding cave in the middle of a snow capped, mountain valley. The roof at the top of the 15m prow is 6 quick draws in length and then capped by a steep headwall, totalling 30m of super steep terrain. This wall makes the Ratho articulated wall look small!

Showing the Austrians how it should be done

We spent 3 days of onsight practice at the Imst Kletter Halle including forerunning routes for a regional junior competition; we could not have had better preparation for the upcoming World Championships.

Highlights of the trip was onsighting 7c+, demonstrating routes for the junior competition, bat hang drop off the top of the wall and meeting Mario Leckner, Jakob Schubert and David Lama casually doing a few problems down at there local wall.