So a few days after the European Cup I received an email inviting me to demonstrate speed climbing with multiple world cup winner Edyta Ropek and her coach Arkadiusz Kaminski. Unfortunately I'd been quite stupid and let my passport expire so I phoned up the passport office and after a rather boring day in Peterborough I got it sorted and within a couple days was on a flight to Bahrain!
I spent the first day relaxing and just having a look around the shopping shopping centres there, which are some of the biggest ones I have ever seen. After a look around I went back to the hotel, had a session in the gym then headed outside to the climbing wall which was being built outside the hotel.
 |
| A view of the wall |
Eventually the wall was finished being built and the holds put up, in the end it was decided not to put the official speed route up as the whole idea was to get people to come and have a go and we realised it might actually be too hard for most people as most the country had never experienced climbing before.
The first evening went by quite quickly, a fair few people showed up to the event and quite a lot of newspaper reporters as well. It was all a bit of a shock to the system being asked for so many interviews, photographs, etc. By the last day I was even asked for my autograph which was just mental! Unfortunately Edyta was still recovering from an operation so she didn't really manage much climbing. Because of this I had the honour of doing most the demonstrations which was quite exciting, as it was just a very easy route I managed to zoom up the wall quite fast leaving the crowd quite excited and wanting to have a go themselves. Eventually one man showed up who wanted a go, and he was quite good and got up the wall with ease. I spoke to him afterwards and found out his name - Omar Summar. And as it turns out he was the 2006 UK BeatBox Champion, so after the band had finished we got him to do a demonstration and honestly it was amazing. Everyone around just stopped what they where doing to watch him, you can see a short video of his performance on
Edyta's Youtube Page.
The next day I went to Martin and Sylvia's (The people behind Sportique88 which has ran the season of sport in Bahrain) home to have lunch and a swim in the pool. During lunch we spoke of different opportunities for climbing in Bahrain which will hopefully take off as a popular sport in the country. That evening we went back to the wall, set up and started letting people have a climb. We were shocked, after the first evenings news reports had gone up a lot more people showed up and were very excited to have a go. By the end we were shattered! But I was pleased to see people I recongnised form the first evening showing up again hoping to have another go, there was definitely a lot on young people who were very keen and had more attempts than I could recall! Afterwards we went back to the hotel and all had a drink together when suddenly we saw a newspaper which just so happened to have me on the front cover!
 |
| Me on the front cover of a local newspaper |
The next day was a very special day as it was also the last day of the exhibition, we got up early and went on a culture tour which had been organised for us. It started off by visiting a museum which also had an old fort which you could walk around and see, unfortunately as soon as we stepped outside to see the fort I realised it was just too hot for me so I went back to sit in the air conditioned museum while the others had a look around. Next we had a look around a shop selling handcrafted gifts, it was a short but interesting place. Finally we went to see the Grand Mosque, it was a huge and magnificent building. Even the doors where marvelous, reaching heights of up to 20ft and weighing around 1 and a half tones!
 |
| Arkadiusz, Myself, Edyta and my Mum at the Museum |
 |
| A photo of part of the main prayer hall |
We returned to the hotel had lunch and where then picked up by Martin who had a special treat in store for us. He ran the Bahrain International Circuit for many years and was going to take us for a tour around the place. Once we arrived he drove us round the track in his car and then even let us all have a drive too! It was an amazing experience and I still can't believe we where allowed to do it! I guess it pays to know the right people!
 |
| Me driving on the Bahrain International Circuit |
Finally we finished driving on the track and headed back to the hotel for a short rest before starting the final exhibition. It started off as usual, we set up gave a few demonstrations then let people start climbing! It was so exciting yet again, I saw many familiar faces, took photos, a few interviews and signed my first autograph! Part way through we were stopped so some certificates could be handed out for people from other events of the season of sport and then finally we were given ours, it was an honour to meet the Minister of Culture who was awarding the certificates. He seemed very interested in climbing and quite keen on the possibility of having a climbing center in Bahrain and holding the event again in the future! I'm very excited about the possibility of this and even more so to be part of bringing my sport to the country!
 |
| Had to pose for lots of photos! This family was very keen on climbing! |
 |
| The Minister of Culture and Myself |
After the event finished we went to the cafe opposite the wall to have some food and a drink, during this we chatted about all the possibilities this event has created and the future of climbing here. So you can look forward to all the exciting things to come of this.
The next day we got on the plane and on arriving at Heathrow said goodbye to Martin, Sylvia and their daughter Chloe who happened to be on the same flight home as us. And now I'm home and just trying to process everything which has just happened. I can't believe it all and am very excited about the future possibilities that this event has created!
 |
| Martin, Myself, Chloe, Sylvie and my Mum after the final exhibiton |
I'd like to say a huge thank you to Martin and Sylvia for inviting me to take part in this amazing event, I can never thank them enough for the life changing trip they have given me. The Ministry of Culture in Bahrain for putting so much into Climb Fever and the rest of the Season of Sport. And finally the many people of Bahrain who showed up and really made the event such a success!
Heres a few links to some news articles and reports of the event -
No comments:
Post a Comment