Climbing competition: rulers of Foundry ‘wave’ declared

Stu Littlefair climbing in the final of F-BO14. Image: Neil Bentley

Stu Littlefair climbing in the final of F-BO14. Image: Neil Bentley

Some of the UK’s leading climbers competed alongside keen Sheffield participants in the fast-growing sport of ‘bouldering’ in a competition at Sheffield’s Foundry climbing wall this weekend.

F-BO14 (the Foundry Bouldering Open) attracted many of the UK’s top competition climbers, including many current British Bouldering Team members, to test their strength and technique against its famous ‘wave’ bouldering wall.

The competition began with a first round of 25 boulder problems; the 72 competitors could have up to 4 attempts at each one.  The top scoring 6 men and 6 women then went through to a final where they each had to grapple with 4 more tough problems on the famous ‘Wave’ bouldering wall.

Eventual winners were Shauna Coxsey and Martin Smith – who each took home a £350 cash prize.

The winners of the juniors’ competition (aged 10 to 17 years) were Gracie Martin (who also came 5th in the women’s senior final) and Jack Ainscough.

Neil Bentley, the Foundry’s General Manager, told Sheffield Live that the competition had a “great fun atmosphere throughout with some amazing climbing by the determined competitors.”

Results

Men’s Final Results

  1. Martin Smith
  2. Ethan Walker
  3. Stu Littlefair
  4. Nathan Phillips
  5. Thom Arnold
  6. Cailean Harker

Women’s Final Results

  1. Shauna Coxsey
  2. Michaela Tracy
  3. Diane Merrick
  4. Ella Russell
  5. Gracie Martin
  6. Katie Maxwell

Full details of junior results and team results are available on the Foundry website.

What next?

  • Last year we interviewed Sheffield climbers Mina Leslie-Wujastyk and Lucy Creamer in our show ‘Steel Fingers, Steel Wheels’ – details are here