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St Peters set to rock the world
02Jul08
A member of the junior squad trains for the world championships at Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym, St Peters.
THE hammers and nails are out at Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym at St Peters in preparation for the world youth championships in August.
About 600 competitors from across the world will head to the inner-west rock climbing centre to take part in the four-day International Federation of Sport Climbing competition.
Gym manager Simon Stevens said they were building a new 13m wall for the event.
The centre has to host six climbs at a time and provide an isolation area so competitors cannot see how their opponents tackle the course.
"They have to come out and view the climb for six minutes, then they all go off into isolation," Stevens said.
"One by one they all get called out and they get one attempt to do the climb and it's whoever gets the highest."
The routes in the on-site category will range from 13m to 15m height, with a 3m to 10m overhang.
The actual distance will vary from 16m to 25m, depending on the route taken to get to the top.
The championships also feature speed events, which are contested on a 13m wall that isn't as steep or as technical as those used for the on-site climbs.
"It is who climbs the wall fastest, so it is quite exciting for the spectators, especially for those with limited technical knowledge," Stevens said.
The competitors from Austria, France and Italy are the ones to watch, as well as a few stand-outs from the United Kingdom and United States.
Stevens also hopes the Australian competitors, including some from his gym, will do well.
"In Australia it struggles at a competitive level but at a social or recreational level it absolutely booms," he said.
"By showcasing the sport we can maybe encourage some more sponsorship.
"I think at the end of the day your sport is as successful as the sponsorship it receives."
The International Federation of Sport Climbing World Youth Championships will be held from August 28 to 31.
Visit www.indoorclimbing. com.au for more details.
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