UCD Mountaineering Club hosted the climbing intervarsities with great success recently and Saoirse Sheehy Ariff gives us her diary of the event. “This year’s climbing intervarsities were hosted by UCD Mountaineering Club. Over 200 competitors from 15 different universities makes it the largest climbing competition in Ireland.
Saturday was devoted to bouldering in Gravity Climbing Centre in Inchicore. Dublin based clubs arrived early in the morning while the rest arrived in the afternoon. After everybody had finished climbing we held a dyno competition, where competitors jump from one set of holds to one hold that gets moved further away after each round. This was won by TCD’s Darragh O’Connor. Following this we held the finals. The top 6 male and top 6 female climbers went into isolation as the routes were being set. Both male and female climbers would have to complete ridiculously difficult routes in front of a huge crowd. UCD’s Ciarán Ó Scanláin comfortably beat the other five male competitors to win the finals. Meanwhile Niamh Hebblethwaite also of UCD finished second in the female finals, narrowly beaten by Hannagh Hayes of UCC.
Sunday, held in Awesome Walls – Finglas, consisted of top-roping for the freshers and leading for the seniors. Each competitor would complete 2 qualifying routes and then 10 finalists were selected in each category to climb one final route. Like the day before a huge crowd gathered to watch. Conor Foy of UCD narrowly defeated Cormac Roche also of UCD to win the fresher male category. Niamh Hebblethwaite was again pipped by Hannagh Hayes. While Ciarán Ó Scanláin once again coasted en route to victory.
Rory Sullivan, former UCDMC Captain, was tirelessly working away calculating the scores and as a result of a strong showing by UCD in all categories we won the overall competition.
Conor Foy & Cormac Roche finished 1st & 2nd respectively in the Male Beginner category.
Niamh Hebblethwaite finished 2nd in the Female Senior category.
Ciarán Ó Scanláin finished 1st in the Male Senior category.
- Saoirse Sheehy Ariff
