🧗♀️🧗♂️ The best climbers in Europe are at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA) this weekend for the European Climbing Championships. Tickets for Sunday’s lead finals are sold out but a limited number of tickets remain for Saturday’s lead qualification rounds and speed finals.
A major event in the International Federation of of Sport Climbing’s (IFSC) calendar the European Championships are a great opportunity to see the best climbers on the continent in competition ahead of the sport’s debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The championships features the disciplines of lead and speed. Lead climbing is about how high a “controlled” hold a climber can achieve after making their way up a technically difficult wall. Speed climbing is about who can climb a route the quickest.
Competitors compete for titles in their individual disciplines, as well as an overall combined title taken from the overall ranking across the disciplines. These disciplines can be held in the same event or across different ones.
Taking place once every two years the European Championships are organised by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) European Council and the world-class climbing facilities at EICA: Ratho – Europe’s largest climbing arena – will provide the perfect backdrop.
Timetable for event:
Saturday – 9am-3pm : Lead Qualification ~ 4pm-5pm: Speed Finals ~ 5-5.30pm: Award Ceremony
Sunday – 10am-12 noon: Lead Semi-Finals ~ 2pm-4pm: Lead Finals ~ 4pm-5pm: Award Ceremony
Tickets in advance for Sunday’s lead finals are sold out but a limited number of tickets remain for Saturday’s lead qualification rounds and speed finals via the ‘Get Tickets‘ link.
Tickets on the day are subject to availability. A sell-out is likely, checking the EICA Twitter feed before travelling is recommended.
Travel tips: The venue is located on the west side of Edinburgh, just beyond the Newbridge junction of the M8 and M9, five miles beyond Edinburgh Airport. Situated on the B7030 which joins the A71 (Edinburgh to Livingston) with the A89 (which passes Newbridge) – the entrance driveway is marked with a big orange pillar at the end of the road.
Parking at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA): Ratho will be limited to 250 cars per day and there will be a £5 charge for parking on-site. By Bus there are services by Lothian Buses Baird Road Bus 20 (then a 1 mile walk along NCR754).