In just over a week, the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA): Ratho will once again take centre stage as it welcomes some of the world’s leading sport climbing athletes for the IFSC European Climbing Championships 2019.

Among those registered to compete are Women’s World Speed Champion, Anouk Jaubert (France); confirmed Olympic competitor, Alex Miroslaw (Poland) ;, Adam Ondra (Czech Republic), one of the best rock climbers in history and currently training for Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020; and Romain Desgranges (France), who won the lead final during the Edinburgh leg of the 2017 World Cup.

Other 2017 Edinburgh World Cup winners returning to EICA: Ratho are Anouck Jaubert (France) and Ludvico Fossali (Italy) who won the women’s and men’s speed finals respectively.

On the home front, Edinburgh local, William Bosi, will be joined by his fellow British climbing teammates Hamish McArthur, James Pope, Kieran Forrest, David Barrans, Joanna Neame, Molly Thompson-Smith and Rhoslyn Frugtniet. This will be the last chance to see the GB athletes competing on home soil ahead of Tokyo 2020.

Taking place from 4 – 6 October*, tickets for Sunday’s lead finals are already sold out but there are still a limited number of tickets available for Saturday’s lead qualification rounds and speed finals. Spectators will also be able to take advantage of free Clip ‘n Climb** as part of their ticket, making it a great day out for the whole family.

With climbing set to make its debut at Tokyo 2020, fans of the sport and those keen to get to know it better are encouraged to buy their tickets now and see some of the best climbers in Europe compete.

Edinburgh born climber, Will Bosi said: “’I am really excited about competing at the European championships in front of a home crowd! I have always climbed well when competing on the Entre-Prises built wall at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena in Ratho and I made my first world cup semi-finals here two years ago. Climbing in the semi-finals in front of my family and friends was a really cool experience which I am really looking forward to again this year.”

Lindsay Renwick, Head of Customer Operations at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We’re delighted that Europe’s largest climbing arena is once again able to show off our world class climbing facilities at EICA: Ratho. This event is a great family day out and a great opportunity to inspire our next generation of young climbers as well as helping to raise the profile of the sport nationally before it debuts at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”

The event is being organised by EICA: Ratho, in conjunction with the British Mountaineering Council, Mountaineering Scotland and with support from Edinburgh Leisure, City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.

To buy tickets for Saturday, 5^th October: https://eica.tickets.red61.com/saturday.php