Sportclimbing And Wanaka Put On The Map

PRESS RELEASE – 10/10/06

Sportclimbing And Wanaka Put On The Map Thanks To Oceania Sportclimbing Championships

Increased interest in sportclimbing and Wanaka as a climbing capital has emerged thanks to last weekend’s Oceania Sportclimbing Championships, held at BaseCamp Wanaka.

The three-day event involving more than 120 competitors from Australia and New Zealand has lifted the profile of the sport nationwide, New Zealand Sportclimbing Federation president James Maguire said.

“The event was a great success. I’ve already had people contacting me wanting to get involved with the sport, and a couple of people are wanting to set up more new climbing facilities in New Zealand. We think the competition has helped boost climber numbers even more than before.”

BaseCamp Wanaka director Toby Johnston said the sport was rapidly becoming more and more popular amongst children and young adults, and the new indoor climbing facility would help lift the standard of promising athletes to an international level, as well as make people more aware of the various genres within climbing in general.

“Just as Wanaka has world-class snow sport development facilities that make us internationally recognised, the same may happen for our sportclimbing athletes. Over time, people from this region ought to be able to compete at the same level as European sportclimbers. It’s fantastic that the Oceania winners are off to compete in the World Cup event in Spain next year.

“I’d also like to thank all the people who helped make this a great event and the hundreds of people who came along to watch – it really shows that sportclimbing and climbing in general are gaining in popularity,” Johnston said.

BaseCamp Wanaka is still undergoing construction. The grand opening will take place on November 18-19.

ENDS

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