BMC YCS 2014 (Issy)

Me on route 3

This year I competed in the BMC YCS 2014. I won all three qualifying rounds, therefore qualifyng for the finals in 1st position.

During the finals, 4 of us (Pippa Watkin, Emily Philips, Kitty Morrison and I) topped everything, however Kitty and I topped the final boulder on our seccond attempt. This meant that we had to do a superfinal, with Pippa and Emily climbing for 1st and Kitty and I climbing for 3rd. Our superfinal route was boys A route 3! I climbed the highest on the superfinal route and therefore came 3rd.

The final result was: 1st- Emily, 2nd- Pippa, 3rd- Me.
I am very happy with my result! I would  like to thank Ian Dunn for his training plan and fantastic coaching throughout the year.



Me on the podium with Emily and Pippa



BMC YCS 2014 National Final (Finley)




This year I competed in the BMC YCS 2014. I made it through all of the qualifying rounds in 1st place. The finals for London & South East were held at the Castle climbing centre in London. I won the final and qualified for the national finals in Ratho, Scotland in 1st position for London and the South East.

At the national final I flashed two of the routes and fell off my third route at the very top. I also did all my boulders first attempt.


I placed 2nd overall, missing out on 1st place by one hold. It was very unlucky. Ethan Fowler was 1st and Oscar Philips was 3rd.

I enjoyed it because my Mum, Dad and sister were there supporting me.

Thank you Ian Dunn for coaching me throughout the year. 

Me on the podium - 2nd place in the national final

Me flashing boulder 3

Me on route 3




















About my climbing (finley adams)

I started climbing when I was 4 and have been carrying on with this sport ever since.
I am now 9 years of age and I am onsighting 7a-7a+ and am atempting 7b+. I follow the footsteps of a climber named Adam Ondra. He inspired me when I heard that he was onsighting 9a+ and attempting some of the hardest routes such as the dura dura meanning the hard hard.

I started my first competion when I was 7 years old in the 2013 BMC youth climbing series. I won all the qualifying rounds in the London and South East region and came 4th at Ratho! I hadn't really started training and didn't have a coach - only my mum and dad, so I was happy with that and it gave me confidence in my climbing ability.

I also really like climbing outdoors.  I read an article in a climbing magazine about raindogs and have wanted to do this 8a since then. The outdoor climbs that I did on my first trip to Malham:

Rose Coronary 7a (lead)
Consenting Adults 7a (lead)
Begozi and the Ledge Lizards 6a+ (lead)

I am now working on Rated PG 7a+ and have started my long term project Raindogs 8a.

Finley Adams on Raindogs 8a

About Me (Issy)

My name is Issy Adams and I am 13 years old. I started climbing when I was 6 years old, and have loved the sport ever since.

Issy on 'Rated PG' (7a+) Malham Cove, July 2014

My ambition is to achieve a place on the GB lead climbing team.

Best Outdoor (so far)

• Seventh Aardvark, 7b, Malham Cove, 2014
• Rated PG, 7a+, Malham Cove, 2014
• Concenting Adults, 7a, Malham Cove, 2014
• Rose Coronary, 7a, Malham Cove, 2014

Best Indoor

• 7b onsight
• 7b+ redpoint

I competed in the BMC YCS 2012 when I was 11- my first competition. I qualified 3rd in my region for the national finals, and subsequently came fifth in the nationals. I was very pleased with my result. In 2013 I competed in the BLCC as a C. I achieved 6th in this event, which I was also very happy with. I also competed in the Welsh Climbing Championships, in which I came 4th, and the Youth Open Lead event, in which I came 5th.