A showcase for male and female athletes with the physical dexterity of a comic-book superhero and aiming to become the first vertical sport at the Olympic Winter Games, ice climbing is in its ascendancy.
Organized by the UIAA – International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation, the annual UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour is the major platform for the competitive arm of the sport. The World Tour takes place from mid-January to the beginning of March with five World Cup events on three continents. 2018 competitions were held in Switzerland, Italy, China, South Korea and Russia.
The UAE currently offers winter sports enthusiasts a range of cold weather activities, from Skiing on real snow at Ski Dubai, to ice skating on International standard rinks at places like the Dubai Mall. There are also a wide range of climbing towers in the cities and Outdoor locations but to date, there are no Ice-Climbing walls. With the fast development of all sports in the UAE and its desire as a country to be a leader in International sports it can’t be long now till somebody builds the first Ice Wall in the desert and trains a team of future Emirati Ice Climbing champions, after all the UAE Army has already conquered the highest Mountain in the World – Everest.
Around 200 athletes from 20 countries took part in the World Tour which comprises World Cup events in two disciplines – Speed and Lead. “Speed is the easier competition for people to understand,” explains the UIAA President Frits Vrijlandt. “It is fast, dynamic and a truly spectacular ascent of an ice wall.” The lead discipline is arguably more intriguing and technical. Speed requires raw strength, power and flawless nerves as one slip of an ice axe can lead to either elimination or injury. In lead, athletes negotiate technical routes held across a 30m structure which comprises various types of holds and ice fixes. The aim is to climb to the highest point possible in the allotted time but one slip, one false move, one moment of indecision and the athlete falls and their climb is over. “Lead ice climbing is about solving problems,” says Iranian athlete Masoud Zeynali, “In that way, it is a metaphor for life.” “In ice climbing, anything can really happen,” explains Noah Beek of Canada. “It’s a fair game, anyone can make a mistake and anyone can climb a route perfectly.”
“We are continually developing the sport,” explains Vrijlandt. “With our Olympic ambition in mind, we need to continue progressing from a grassroots level. This includes more continental competitions and events for younger climbers, an even stronger World Tour and the appearance of ice climbing at major multi-sport events.” ■
For further details on the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour: www.theuiaa.org/ice-climbing
