Scarpa Announces S-Factor Winners

Scarpa has announced the winners of its S-Factor competition for young climbers where the outdoors footwear brand offered four places on its climbing team for a year.

The winners get a year's placement on the team along with associated product and coaching benefits, so they won't be worrying about wearing out their rock boots for the next 12 months.

Steve Roberts, the Simon Cowell-like Swengali behind the competition, was amazed by the quality of the contestants:

"The standard of applications was very high," he says. "And it provided a huge challenge to only choose four. However we are very confident the winners will add significant value to the existing exceptional Scarpa team."

So who are the lucky quartet? Visiting Aussie Ben Cossey, 23 has already made a bit of a name for himself in the UK, with his head torch-lit ascent of Parthion Shot E9 and solo of Gaia E8. Zoe Ogden, 24, is a member of the British team and a talented boulderer and sports climber.

Daniel Kennard, 22, is a Huddersfield-based climber with an impressive list of climbing achievements and Leah Crane, 17 - pictured - has already been described by Planet Fear as "the UKs most promising female rock athlete!". She's already a member of the British bouldering team and looks to be going places.

Congratulations to all concerned. More information on the Scarpa team and the company's range of both rock climbing footwear and walking / mountain boots at www.scarpa.co.uk