17th South Zone Sports Climbing Competition

17th South Zone Sports Climbing Competition was organized on 20th Oct and 21st Oct of 2011.

The event featured Lead, Speed and Bouldering competitions for Men/Women, Junior Boys/Girls and Sub-Junior Boys/Girls.

A photo log of the event.

Photographs Courtesy: Lloyd Nehemiah


Men Lead Observation



Men in Action





Men Speed



Women in Action



Organisers



Junior Boys in Action







Junior Girls in Action





Junior Girls Speed



Route Setters



Sub-Junior Boys in Action



Sub-Junior Girls Observation



Sub-Junior Girls in Action



Relief

16th South Zone Sports Climbing Competition 2010

Welcome the wonderful world of sports climbing

This year's South Zone Sports Climbing Competition was conducted in Bangalore at the Artificial Climbing Wall located in Kanteerava Stadium on 23rd and 24th of Oct 2010. Needless to say it was an amazing spectacle. It was an opportunity to see the climbing skills of some of the best climbers from the South Zone.

In the realm of sports climbing, time is limited, whether it is difficulty climb(5mins) or speed climb(hardly 10-15secs). This time limit brings out the best from the climbers, be it the planning of the route or the swift moves.


Junior Boys observing the lead route.


This year's competition had only Lead and Speed climbs for Seniors(aged above 16), Juniors(aged between 13 and 16) and Sub-Juniors(aged below 13) categories. Sadly no bouldering for this year.

Day1(23rd Oct 2010) was filled with the semi-finals for Lead and Speed climbs for all the categories. Finals took place on Day2(24th Oct 2010).


Nakul on his lead climb


More than 120 climbers from Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh participated in the competition. A descent number, which needs to grow many many times more in the upcoming years. Well, it was good to see climbers from Tamilnadu and Kerala, keeping in mind the fact that Karnataka has been the bastion of sports climbing in South Zone, or rather in whole of India.

South Zone has been winning the coveted National Sports Climbing Trophy for more than last 7 years. Bangalore climbers have proved it every year.


Sunil on his lead climb


Coming back to this years competition, there was excellent display of climbing from Mars Adventures Climbers.




Isha on her Top Rope climb



Divya on her lead climb



Aakriti on the Roof section of her lead climb



Uthkarsh on his lead climb



Flawless climb of Nishanth Patel was the start attraction of the Junior Boys Lead Category.



Nishath and Nakul on their speed climb



Kids getting a lesson from the Coach



Mars Team

An excellent performance by team Mars, with Nishanth, Uthkarsh, Swaroop and Divya being selected for the 16th National Sports Climbing Competition to be held on a new wall in New Delhi on 9th, 10th and 11th of Nov 2010.

GETHNA, the administrative body for sports climbing in Karnataka made some welcome announcements.
A new speed wall to be ready by next year end
A new covering roof for the existing wall
Platform up-gradation of the existing wall structure

Well, now its time for GETHNA to perform on the wall as well!!!

P.S. None of the final routes were completed, that's shameful. We definitely need better climbers, come on guys, you can do much better than that !!!

Climbing in Bangalore

In India, Bangalore is the most touted place for Rock Climbing and Artificial Wall Climbing. It is evident from the number of National Champions that Bangalore has produced. I think it has been an unbroken streak for more than 5 years now.

Bangalore is blessed with the ideal infrastructure for the Climbing and for nurturing National and hopefully World Champions. A 50 ft artificial wall structure is available for artificial climbing in Kanteerava Stadium. Its three faces are lined with walls of different difficulty grades.


Wall for beginners.




Wall in full use.




Second wall with two overhangs.




This is the main wall, with roof.

People of all age groups can be spotted on the wall. Right from 4yrs to 50+. Some people love the wall so much that they come to the wall everyday. I know it’s a big ask, but love is blind :D


Kids seem to enjoy the most. It gives them a whole new meaning to a sport.




Baby Spiderman




Devaki M’aam on the second wall. Btw she stood first in her age category, in this years Sunfeast 10K marathon. She is definitely a star.




Without any doubt John Sir is the age defying guy among us.



Purushottam on the main wall




Nagu crossing the roof



At top of the main wall.




Well, He is our instructor Kamesh, very approachable and not to mention, crazy about climbing. He is one of the guys who can bring out the best from people. He can be contacted at +91 9886664666.


This is really a sport which has no limits; it is limited only by an individual’s will.