There's a new European Youth Champion and his name is Toby Roberts!

The 19th to the 22nd September saw a team of 11 GB athletes head to Brixen, Italy for the European Youth Bouldering Championships. In a packed weekend of competition both Toby Roberts 🥇 (1st) and Max Milne 🥉 (3rd) picked up their first International medals whilst Louise Flockhart successfully navigated her way to her first European Championship Final.

As is traditional at Championship events the proceedings started with a flag parade through the picturesque town of Brixen ending in the climbing stadium where climbers were treated to some local lederhosen clad dancers and music!

The GB Team ready to compete at the IFSC EYCh 2019

Three rounds of competition started on the Friday with the top 20 advancing to semi-finals and the top six proceeding to the showcase finals. The amphitheatrical Vertikale outdoor climbing wall lent itself perfectly to the spectacle with a 360-degree view of the newly built boulder wall.

Commenting on his win from the lower half of his age category Toby said:

“The Brixen wall was amazing to climb on in a comp with an awesome crowd. The setting was great as usual and the boulders were all different styles which made it much better.

Semi-finals went really well - I was one of only two people to top all four boulder and with less attempts I qualified for finals in 1st.

I thought attempts in the final would be important so was really psyched to flash the first problem although I couldn’t get the coordination dyno on boulder two which I thought might have been topped, so this was frustrating. However, no one topped boulder three and being last to climb I managed to flash it which put me in a really good place going into boulder four."

Toby Roberts at the Euro Youth Championships. Photo: Dimitri Mito

"The GB coaches (Manuel Rodriguez and Jay Jackson) and all the GB climbers were all at the front of the wall to support me and flashing the last problem to win was my best experience in a comp so far.

It’s great to know the training is paying off and although this was going to be my last international comp of the year, I’ve decided to go to the European Youth Lead Championships in Russia as I don’t want the season to end.”

Max Milne on the podium with his first international medal

For Max Milne this Championships was his last chance to leave his mark on the international stage as a Youth bouldering competitor, and crush it he did! After narrowly missing out on a medal at the World Youth Championships last month, Max won his first international medal coming in third in the Juniors in Brixen in an incredibly close final.  

Louise Flockhart, who recently climbed her way into the Ticket to Rockstarts final, pulled out all the tricks on her blocs, later reporting on her Instagram:

"Couldn’t have wished for more at this event! I feel really proud of my performance especially in semi-finals. 🎉 Kept it casual with a feet first top in semis and a figure of 4 in finals." 6th place for Louise marked her best international result yet!"

Louise Flockhart came 6th at the EYch. Photo: James Tewkesbury

There were also semi-final places for Tai Tewkesbury (13th) and British Bouldering Champion Holly Toothill (16th). Thanks to all the GB Coaches, sponsors and parents who supported the Championships at the weekend and well done to all the GB Athletes at Brixen. It was another round of excellent results:

Full GB EYCh Results:

Male Youth B

Toby Roberts – 🥇 1st

Zak Brown – 33rd

Female Youth B

Louise Flockhart – 6th

Gwen Morgan – 23rd

Matilda Collins – 35th

Tilly Vasic - 41st

Male Youth A

Tai Tewkesbury – 13th

Female Youth A

Marijke Booth – 31st

Katherine Macdougall – 34th

Male Junior

Max Milne – 🥉 3rd

Joseph Walmsley – 40th

Female Junior

Holly Toothill – 16th

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