The GB Junior Climbing Team for 2012 has been announced following an assessment day held at the Lakeland Climbing Centre in Kendal on 3rd and 4th March 2012.
GB Junior Climbing Team 2012. Copyright John O'Neill
All current team members, selected at Sunderland in December were asked to attend along with 7 other young climbers, who were hoping to push their claim for a place on the squad for 2012. Saturday’s event was used to assess how far the climbers had progressed over the past few months in order to select the GB Teams for this season’s European Youth Series rounds in Edinburgh, Moscow, Voiron, Linz and Imst, along with the World Youth Championships in Singapore. Those not yet on the team were also being assessed to see if they had reached the standards required since being invited to attend the event.
Buster Martin onsighting a 7c+ at the Lakeland Climbing Centre, during team GB selection day. Copyright John O'Neill
The British team’s top climber from last year, Ed Hamer, who has now moved up to the Senior Lead Team and Bouldering Team, attended the weekend and on the Sunday along with Luke and Jonny Stocking carried out fitness assessments of all the team members. 5 routes were set for each age category with the grades ranging from 7b for the Youth C and up to 8a for the Juniors. Each climber was given the whole day to attempt to flash as many of their climbs as they could. The team members were required to top 3 of the 5 routes to be eligible for selection and the invited climbers had to top 2 to be considered for a place in the squad for the 2012. There were several outstanding performances across the board with 3 climbers, Luke Tilley, Tara Hayes and William Bosi topping all 5 of their routes and quite a number of the others managing 3 or 4 of their allotted climbs.
GB Youth male Team A get serious about training. Copyright John O'Neill
John Ellison's, the team’s Parent’s Representative summed up the weekend ‘A fabulous success with some fantastic climbing on show at a lovely venue where really hospitable staff offered great help and support to everyone involved’.
GB Junior Climbing Team for the 2012 season
Junior Boys - Luke Tilley, Jonny Stocking, Jonny Field, Tom Bonnert, Paul Williamson, Calum Forsyth
Youth A Boys - Jonny White, Buster Martin, Connor Byrne, Luke Dawson
Youth B Boys - William Bosi, Jim Pope, Peter Dawson, Angus Davidson, Billy Ridal, Alex Whaterhouse
Youth C Boys - Dominic Vincent, David Taylor, Jack Graham, Aiden Dunne, Rory Cargill
Junior Girls - Kitty Wallace, Charlotte Garden
Youth A Girls - Sarah Pashley, Rachel Carr, Eleanor Hopkins
Youth B Girls - Molly Thompson Smith, Tara Hayes, Flo Tilley, Gracie Martin
Youth C Girls - Hannah Slanney
