Anya Forino

Climbing and Bouldering

'It's not just about having every muscle in your body as strong as possible, it's also a mental challenge to work out the best way to climb it. It's about you and the wall or crag'

  • Anya Forina
  • Anya Forino
  • Anya Forino
  • Anya Forino
  • Anya Forino

Background

Anya was just four years old when she first tackled a climbing wall at her local fete. Totally hooked, she then joined her local climbing club, where she found that because she was so small, she either had to climb with weights so that the auto-belays would work or have an extra rope attached so that she could be pulled back down when she reached the top of the wall! As well as enjoying climbing herself Anya has also set up a climbing team at school and introduced others to climbing.

Training

Anya usually trains three evenings each week in Cardiff which involves a three-hour round trip, as well as one evening each week at her local climbing wall. In addition, there are competitions at weekends and schoolwork to keep up with. 

Anya stays on top of it all by using travel time to get homework done and continues to do well, both at school and in her climbing.

Future Goals

Anya has just been selected for the GB development team and would like to be selected to represent her country in the European and World Cups in 2017.

She hopes to retain her title as UK champion in the BMC YCS in April and compete in the Youth Colours International Climbing competition in Imst, Austria in June.

Looking further ahead, Anya would like to compete in the new Olympic sport - Climbing Triathlon, combining lead and speed climbing and bouldering - at the 2020 games and of course, win a medal!

Recent Competitions and Results

BMC YCS (British Mountaineering Council Youth Climbing Series) April 2016 - UK Champion - Category C (U14)

Climbing Works International Festival (CWIF) - 21st (U16)

BMC South West Region - 1st (for the 4th time)

GB Team Qualification Open Youth Climbing Competition - 2nd on countback Category C (U14) 

Welsh Climbing Championships  - 2nd on countback Category C

Irish Bouldering Championships - 2nd - Category C 

 

Images by Ben West and Simon Rawlinson