Latest news with #bouldering
CBC
08-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Fort McMurray climber scales building to help put out balcony fire
A Fort McMurray man's climbing skills helped save the day, when a fire broke out on the third-floor balcony of an apartment building on Canada Day. Neal Barry said he was driving when he noticed a fire in an apartment building in the Gregoire neighbourhood of Fort McMurray. He pulled over, noticing some commotion in the area. Barry said he spoke to a woman near the building and could see the third-floor balcony was on fire. "We didn't hear any alarms. We didn't hear any way for people to be alerted in the building," he said. "So, myself and her ran around the building and tried to find a way to to let people know. We knocked on windows, tried to get to the front door. We tried to find the fire extinguisher." Soon after he retrieved a fire extinguisher from a resident on the second floor. Then, he hatched his plan. "I suggested climbing up and they can throw me the extinguisher and I could try to put the the fire out," Barry said. Barry has been a climber since he was 11, and his passion persisted into adulthood. He now co-owns a bouldering gym in Fort McMurray. "I felt confident enough that I could do it safely for myself and the minor risk that I'd be taking could have potentially helped a lot more in other regards." He successfully climbed onto the third-floor balcony, which was covered in "some flames," he said. "I committed to the fact that there was a potential that I could get burned. So I tried to climb up as quickly as possible and jump over." As he climbed on the balcony, the person who lived in the apartment came out and realized what was happening. He assisted Barry in putting out the fire out with buckets of water. When the emergency services finally arrived, the flames were completely doused. In a news release, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo said the fire was caused by "improperly extinguished smoking material." The news release confirmed that multiple 911 calls came in just before 4:30 p.m. on July 1 about an apartment fire, and that a bystander had scaled the building and helped put out the fire. Barry did sustain a minor burn on his arm. No other injuries were reported, the RMWB said. Acting fire chief Rob Van Hecke said in a statement to CBC News that Barry's actions are appreciated, but the fire service doesn't encourage people to take firefighting into their own hands. "The safest and most effective way to help is to call 911 and allow our highly trained responders to manage these situations safely and efficiently," he added.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top climbers from Europe compete in major championship in Gloucestershire
TOP climbers from Europe have competed in a major championship in Gloucestershire. The European Military Climbing Championships took place at 270 Climbing Park in Witcombe, with elite athletes battling it out over three days. More than 60 top-ranked military climbers from the UK, France, Italy and Kosovo took part, showcasing Olympic-style bouldering and lead climbing. The event ran from June 24 to June 26, with free admission, allowing spectators to enjoy the high-level competition. The 270 Climbing Park, located in Witcombe, offers a range of indoor and outdoor aerial adventure activities and houses one of Europe's tallest and most challenging ropes courses. By summer 2025, the park plans to open one of the UK's tallest climbing gyms, part of a £7 million investment in the centre.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Huge city centre Wilko store sat empty for years to undergo major transformation into ‘state-of-the-art attraction'
A MAJOR renovation is set to revive an empty Wilko store in a busy town centre. The Bristol-based site has been empty since the chain closed down in October 2023. 2 2 A new development project could see the 25,000 square foot derelict building on Union Street be put to good use. The vast space has been let to The Climbing Hangar, with the company planning to turn it into a state-of-the-art indoor climbing facility, complete with bouldering facilities, coaching, and a social space for events. In an announcement on their website, the company wrote: "Climbers in Briz have a lot to get excited about" as they expands into their 11th location. They added: "We're on a mission to inspire bolder living through indoor climbing and that means everyone gets in on the action whether they're a first-timer, or a life-longer." They've promised "hundreds of epic climbs" spread over 10 unique climbing grades, plus a 50 degree Kilter board and a 40 degree Tension Board. It gives climbers a range of options suitable for beginners to experts, with more than 300 climbs available in the 26,000 square foot climbing gym. In addition to all of the climbing equipment, the space will also feature a fully equipped strength training gym. Whether you're getting stuck in, or just want to sit back and relax, the space will also boast a cafe, and a calendar of events for the local community. The exciting new development is scheduled to open towards the end of summer. Commercial property consultancy firm Hartnell Taylor Cook arranged the deal on behalf of landlord AEW. Why are so many shops going bust? Richard Saunders, a partner at the firm, told Bristol Live: "We are delighted to have secured The Climbing Hangar for this significant city centre site." "This deal reflects the ongoing shift in large retail spaces towards experience-led occupiers and The Climbing Hangar will be a fantastic addition to Bristol, bringing fresh energy and activity to the area." The company first launched in 2011 in a Liverpool warehouse but has since expanded across the UK, including in Edinburgh, London and Southampton. Eager climbers can sign up early to get exclusive discounts on their monthly membership and the chance to win a free one year membership. With a passion for making the sport accessible, the company offer unlimited climbing for a monthly fee - with no signing on fees, no minimum term contract, and a cancel any time guarantee. With all of their existing stores boasting nearly 5 stars, Bristolians have lots to look forward to. One review for their Plymouth site reads: "I've been coming here for 12 months now and I can't recommend it enough! Climbs to suit all abilities." Another 5 star reviewer at their London branch said: "Incredibly friendly staff, very great vibes and everything is well kept and taken care of." Others praised the social element of the sport, with a range of community-focused events held in the spaces. One said: "Always a great place to hang out with friends and have a good time." The development promises an exciting addition to Bristol's town centre, as high streets up and down the country struggle to survive. Changing consumer habits post-Covid, as well as increased costs, have seen businesses shutting up shop as high streets are left derelict and empty.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
The truth about MALE breast cancer: As a man, I never knew I could get it... until I discovered these easily missed symptoms everyone must watch out for
It was after a climbing fall that Geoff Sweeney first noticed the lump. A keen boulderer, the 53-year-old charity director was scaling a practice wall in his local gym when his grip slipped, sending him tumbling down to the ground.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Women's bouldering goes to the wire after unstoppable Anraku dominates again in the latest climbing World Cup
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Naile Meignan won her first-ever World Cup gold in Curitiba. | Credit: Getty Images The fourth climbing World Cup competition of the 2025 season concluded over the weekend after two thrilling days of climbing in Curitiba, Brazil. Round four was the second bouldering event of the year. Advertisement Not sure how it works? Jump to the bottom of this article for a handy IFSC World Cup explainer. Women's competition The women's competition ended with a thrilling finish as France's Naile Meignan beat her compatriot Oriane Bertone by just 0.1 points. Both were near-flawless throughout the competition, cruising through qualifying and the semi-finals before their tense final encounter in front of 1,200 spectators. 21-year-old Meignan came out on top following two near-perfect performances, in which she notched up 99.6 points and Bertone scored 99.5. The knife-edge victory represents Meignan's first-ever World Cup gold, while Bertone, who's only 20 herself, earned her tenth podium finish. Advertisement "It feels amazing to win in my first competition of the year. I wasn't expecting to be this good, but for sure it feels great," an ecstatic Meignan told the IFSC after the event. 'I was a bit tense on the first boulder, but then I felt more confident and was able to flash the following three problems." This year's women's climbing competition looks a little different due to the absence of two of the world's best all-around climbers. 45-time World Cup gold medalist Janja Garnbret will miss most of this season as she takes time to rest, while world champion Natalia Grossman is recovering from long-term knee injuries. Men's competition The men's competition ended in a familiar fashion, as Japan's Sorato Anraku won his third gold of the season with a composed and powerful climb in the final. Advertisement The 18-year-old dominated the early rounds, leading in qualifying and the semi-finals, before racking up 69.7 points in the final, 10.8 more points than second-placed Mejdi Schalck of France. Victory in Curitiba puts clear water between Anraku and anyone else in the bouldering competition after another gold in the season opener in Keqiao, China. The teenage prodigy also tops the lead climbing table and is quickly establishing himself as the world's best multi-discipline male climber. "I'm very happy for my second World Cup gold in a row," he told the IFSC after the final. "I'm not thinking about winning the Series, I will focus on one event at a time, so now it's time to focus on Salt Lake City (the next event)." Advertisement Anraku burst onto the scene with an unstoppable run in last season's bouldering competition. By the close, he'd amassed a whopping 500 points more than anyone else, to claim his title as the world's best male boulderer. What is the IFSC World Cup? The IFSC World Cup is a year-long climbing competition that pits the world's best climbers head-to-head in lead climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering competitions. Sorato Anraku is leads 2025/26 bouldering World Cup table | Credit: Getty Images It takes place across 14 different World Cup stages, held across the globe and throughout the year. Points from each competition are tallied up, and climbers are ranked on separate leaderboards for each discipline. These rankings decide the eventual world champions. What's next? The world's best boulderers have little time to rest as the next IFSC World Cup is also a bouldering event and takes place from May 23 to 25 in Salt Lake City, USA. Advertisement You can also check out the first para-climbing World Cup of the year, which is also in Salt Lake City, on May 21 and 22. The upcoming event is the first of three para-climbing World Cup competitions this season and pits the world's best climbers living with disabilities against one another over two tense days of competition. For more on para-climbing, check out our expert guide.
