Page 49 - AMA Summer 2023

The first day consisted of qualifiers attempted by all competitors and featured a steep and technical final route which easily split the field of 100 climbers. The difficulty picked up on Tuesday morning with separate semi-finals to establish the line-ups for the afternoon’s finals.
The novice category was decided on count-back to the qualifying round scores, identifying new talent where their final route had failed to split the field. The male and female open categories saw some familiar names joined by OCdt Sophie Brining (NW OTR) in only her second competition and Pte Kyle Flaherty (6 Regt RLC) in his first!
The male elite is the culmination of the ASCC and the route climbing season and, proving age is no barrier, current Army head coach Col Pete Skinsley made the podium in 3rd place whilst Lt Josh Thorn in his second ASCC finished 2nd. Leading the pack again, and apparently so confident he left the trophy at home, the Army’s only international competitor, LCpl Andy Mawhinney took the gold.
1st – LCpl Mawhinney, 63 Wks Gp RE 2nd – Lt Thorn, 4 Regt AAC
3rd – Col Skinsley, DE&S
1st – Lt Hargreaves, 11 EOD Regt RLC 2nd – Pte Flaherty, 6 Regt RLC
3rd – CSgt Gray RM, DSEME
1st – Capt Palmer, RRU St. Athan 2nd – Lt Parker, 37 Sig Regt
3rd – OCdt Brining, NWOTR
1st – Capt Webb, HCR LAD 2nd – OCdt Goldie, CEUOTC 3rd – Name Withheld, MAB
1st – Col Skinsley, DE&S 1st – Lt Thomas, ITC 1st–5BnREME
THE INTER-SERVICES SPORT CLIMBING CHAMPIONSHIPS
(IS 23)
ASCC 23 led directly, after a 24hr rest into the Inter-Services Championships 2023 with the following individuals selected to represent the Army at IS 23:
Senior Team
Name withheld, MAB
Lt Thorn, 4 Regt AAC
Cpl Price, 1 REME
Maj Selman, HQ Fd Army
WO2 Meehan, JSMTC
LCpl Mawhinney, 63 Wks Gp RE Capt Ledsom, AMS Sp Unit LCpl Myers, 8 RIFLES
LCpl Limbu, 3 REME
Sgt Spooner, R Gibraltar Regt Cpl Pearce, PAGC
Lt Smith, 101 Regt RA
Capt Walter, 5 REME
Name withheld, MAB
Sgt Dop, 6 AAC
Development Team
Lt Stubbs, 4 R YORKS Lt Davis, 4 MI Bn
Lt Thomas, ITC
2Lt Clegg, 2 REME
Female Team
Capt Mattock, PJHQ
2Lt Parker, 37 Sig Regt
Maj Gallagher, EMUOTC Name withheld, MAB
LCpl Hordern, NW OTR LCpl Kwong, HAC
Capt Palmer, RRU St Athan OCdt Makins, EMUOTC
Inter-Services 23 was about to start as this article went to press, you can expect an update in the next journal – we are hopeful of an Army win!
LOOK FORWARD
The 2023/24 fixtures list will be published in late Summer on the Army Sport website and across AMA channels; see Defence Connect (and a promised update to the AMA website).
A 6-round AFBL will return from September 23 to February 24 with the final round located in Sheffield and the Army Bouldering Championships running alongside Round 1 in Swindon (don’t miss the first fixture!).
CWAC will evolve into the inaugural Inter-Services Bouldering Champion- ships (CWAFC?). Army (North) and Army (South) are likely to go ahead in early spring as qualifiers for the UK hosting the European Military Climbing Champion- ships alongside IS 24.
The Army Individual Championships will be subsumed next year into the first ever Inter-Corps Team Championships. Contact your Corps Climbing Secretary now to get involved!
The very best of the Army Team continue to provide the bulk of the UKAF team, competing in National events against the best civilian athletes, shout-out to Capt Baz Whale on making the podium at Round 1 of the British Para-Climbing Champion- ships, and a clear competitive pathway is becoming embedded in the sport.
As always, talent-spotting occurs throughout the fixture list so get yourself in the mix (trad ninjas welcome) and you may well find yourself invited into the Development Squad; anyone already on-sighting 7a/V6 (or females/U25s at 6b/ V5) are encouraged to contact the Army Sport Climbing Secretary.
Army (South)
Category
Male Elite
Winners
Male Open
Female Open
Mixed Novice
Masters (over-35s)
Development (under-25s)
Team
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