Lead Magazine 1 | Page 22

Young Climbers they think. It also gives you a chance to witness other, better, climbers and learn from them. But still, despite the vast amount of opportunities, skills benefits from competitive climbing, they can still seem very daunting. “I find climbing competitions very daunting. Because of the nature of the sport: the skill combined with the level-headedness, a lot can go wrong on the day and nerves can really affect your performance.” In competitions nerves are always going to be a huge factor. While some get a ‘buzz’ from the whole experience, others become a nervous wreck. However, this is perfectly normal. This is why it’s important to try a range of competitions, as each one differs, and always think of them as opportunities to meet people and have fun, rather than a nerve racking torture. Anything can always become automatically more enjoyable when you do it with friends, so joining any clubs or squads at your local climbing gym is always a good idea to meet new people. And after all, climbing should always be fun, and it’s important not to take competitions too seriously. Evie says: “I think people shouldn’t take climbing competitions too seriously because the main thing in any competition is to have FUN. However, they should not be taken too lightly as they are good learning opportunities. I think the l