He competes in both the Junior and Senior teams, was swept off Ao Nang Tower by the Tsunami and wants to be the best in the World. Graeme Alderson manages to pin down a restless Ben West.

At 18, Ben is one of the young climbers heavily involved in competitions and on the British Team. But like so many of the competitors, he’s into all types of climbing, just plain “mad for it.” Currently he’s in transition between the Junior and Senior levels so has the enviable task of being in both the Junior and Senior international teams and is one of the few young climbers able to hold his own in the Senior national competitions. A third in one round of the recent A5 British Bouldering Championships even saw him beating regular World cup finalist Mark Croxall.

How did you get into climbing?
It was just over four years ago on a school trip, I got hooked instantly and then started climbing with Guy Jarvis, and he’s helped me loads since then.

What’s your favourite style of climbing?
If I had to choose just one it’d be bouldering of course, but I love it all; trad, sport, multi pitch. Anything, it’s all good stuff.

What do you get out of climbing?
I can’t really explain, it’s so many things. Going away with mates, pulling down hard, running it out, partying. Everything - I’m just mad for it.

Had any decent epics yet?
Yeah loads, strangely enough they all seem to involve Steve Findlay who’s been another big influence on my climbing. Not always a good one mind! Three really stick in my mind. The latest was in Thailand over Christmas. We’d just finished a four-pitch route on the Ao Nang Tower when we saw the Tsunami coming in. We managed to get round the back of the sea stack and faced into the wave but it bounced off the stack and turned the boat over. That left us with hours of jungle bashing to get back to Ton Sai Bay. Then there’s last summer, I had a big fall in Freedom Zawn, Cornwall. I fell 30-40ft and hit the deck hard. I had to get airlifted out, but nothing was broken. Steve thought it was best I got straight back on the rock though, so not long after we went to Witch’s point and got trapped by the tide. Had to be body-belayed out on loose rock. It was nails - and definitely Steve’s fault!

Any special training tips?
Not from me. Just get out there and climb lots of different things and on all different types of rock.

How do the British Team compare with our foreign contemporaries?
Well the boulderers like Gaz Parry, Andy Earl and Mark Croxall are up there mixing it with the best. The Juniors have lots of potential too, and Lucy Creamer seems to be up there in the leading comps.

What does the future hold?
My ambition is to be the best. But I know I’ll enjoy climbing whether or not I get there. One thing is for sure and that’s that I will continue going on as many trips as possible - I can’t get enough of going away. As for the competition scene, it’ll probably keep getting bigger. But it’s just another part of climbing, so I can’t see any harm in that.

Thanks to:
Everyone who’s helped me over the years; Guy Jarvis and the rest of the Bristol Climbing Centre, in particular Big Ron. Steve Findlay, Gaz and Andy for their help. Bristol City Council for financial support, and my sponsors, Scarpa, DMM and Moon products.

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