YCS Rounds 2018 Report

By Kevin Howett (Sports development Officer)
Well, that’s the YCS Regional Rounds for 2018 completed. The numbers competing are on the up again, which is a healthy sign after a dip since 2013, with equal numbers of children talking part (71) in both the North and the South Regions – quite possibly a first for the YCS in Scotland and a sign of the great advances being made in the north.

This year we employed more route setters than previously, which allowed for better route ‘tweaking’ to make sure they were fit for purpose (the correct grade in comparison to the rest of the UK and Ireland regions and the age categories). This is not an easy task, but I feel the setting teams this year have done better than in previous years: witness that the climbs and problems have been interesting (technical rather than burly), there was only one super final and the comps finish at a decent time!

The Scottish Youth Squad The changes brought in this year mean that the top-scoring climbers from each category in each region have now been selected (in accordance with the rules) to form the 2018 Scottish Youth Squad. As a result there are 70 squad members, consisting of 35 climbers from the north and 35 from the south. These squad members will be offered a series of coaching academies through the coming year to help them train and prepare for further competitions and will include squad REALrock weekends to just get out climbing in the fresh air! Scottish Youth Squad members are listed below.

The Scottish YCS Team The next step is to select a Scottish Team (of 30 climbers) from the squad to compete in the YCS Grand (UK and Ireland) Final being held at EICA Ratho in April. This selection will take place at a Team Selection Weekend to be held at EICA Ratho on the 24th and 25th March. Squad members are invited to the weekend, which will comprise a team selection competition on the Saturday and full squad coaching on the Sunday.

Well done to all the competitors for being such good sports and making the series an enjoyable event (and fun for us adults as well). Even if you did not make the Scottish Squad, remember there are more competitions you can take part in this coming year: the Scottish Youth Bouldering Championships (SYBC) in May, the Scottish Youth Climbing (SYCC) and Speed (SYSC) Championships in September and the Scottish Schools Competition (SSCC) in October and November. There are also the usual ClimbScotland REALrock days if you are interested in getting outside. And you are all welcome to come along to the Grand YCS Final in April to support the Scottish Team and see what this, the biggest competition in the UK, is like.

Thanks are due to the following, without whose support we could not hold the competitions:

• All the host climbing walls;
• Avertical World Dundee
• Glasgow Climbing Centre
• Inverness leisure
• Perth College Climbing wall
• The Ice Factor Kinlochleven
• Transition Extreme Aberdeen
• The ClimbScotland Competition Coordinators: Scott Forsyth, John Donaldson and Avril Gall
• All the volunteers who helped judge and belay

Check the results here. For further information contact Kevin Howett

Scottish Youth Squad 2018 members are:

Girls YE: Lorna Brown [N], Freya Boonzaier [N], Brogan Flockton [N] Boys YE: Isaac Bell [S], Rhairidh Goodall [S], Dylan Hill[S], Oscar Hamer [S], Edward Mills [N], Ryan Morrison[N], Craig Burton[N] Girls YD: Ava Hamilton [S], Kasha Ogilvie [S], Ingrid Ledingham [S], Erin Partridge [S], Holly Holmes [S], Victoria Reynolds[N], Charlotte Reynolds[N], Amy Matheson[N], Katy Wallace[N], Keira Lowe[N] Boys YD: Lachlan Ross [S], Tom Hamer [S], Ben Mueller [S], Kenzie Allan[S], Reuben Langlands, [N], Rhys Taylor [N], Alfie Cordiner [N], Cameron Maclean[N] Girls YC: Scarlett Smith [S], Rosa Arnold [S], Olivia Rowbotham [S], Rowan Johnston [S], Emma Heslop [N], Rachel McNicol [N], Natasha Smith [N], Fionn Sewell [N] Boys YC: Andrew Goodall [S], Luke van Impe [S], Jamie Cross, Cammy Adair] Archie Macintyre [N], Duncan Brown [N], Euan Loynd [N] Girls YB: Lisa Keen, Caitlin Connor, Niamh Doran [S], Stephanie Millar [S], Zara Whiteside [N], Rosalind Wilson[N], Emma Rendall [N], Cerys Jakeman [N] Boys YB: Max Arthur [S], Finlay Johnston [S], Max McGovan [S], Louis Langlands [N], Innes Watt [N], Will Bain [N] Girls YA: Emma Davidson [S], Lexi Dundas [S], Carla Garcia [S], Natalie Taylor [N], Tia Whitton [N] Boys YA: Mathew Fall [S], Cameron Wood [S], Scott Coulter [S], Angus Robb [S], Rhys Langlands [N], Ben Findlay [N], Tim Cox [N], Allan Player [N]

• ClimbScotland Competitions Information