The 2015 UIAA World Youth Ice Climbing Championships takes place this weekend (17 - 18 January) in Saas Fee, Switzerland. The annual event, which is in its third year will see at least 58 climbers aged 16 to 21 years compete in the Lead and Speed events in the same venue as the 2015 UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour the following weekend.

Urs Stoecker, president of the UIAA Ice Climbing Commission said: "The success of the youth event and the increasing number of athletes from new countries that participate in the youth ice climbing programme is a strong indicator that the future of our sport is healthy."

At last year's championships in Champany-en-Vanoise young GB Ice Climbing team member Emma Powell came 3rd! She will be out in Saas Fee this year flying the flag for GB, let's hope she can get higher up the steps of the podium in 2015.

Stoecker welcomed the presence of young athletes from the USA and Canada, who are competing in the youth championships for the first time, and said many national federations, such as the French Alpine Club, have now begun to focus seriously on the development of competitive ice climbing among youth climbers.

The first event was held in 2013 in Saas Grund, Switzerland followed by another in 2014 in Champany-en-Vanoise, France.

The long-term goal of the UIAA is to make competition ice climbing an event in the Winter Olympics.

For more information about the event, visit the UIAA website

See more photos on Facebook and watch the video below on the 2013 UIAA Ice World Cup Tour.

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