The Berghaus team of sponsored athletes has two new
recruits in the form of the very talented Andy Kirkpatrick and
Leah Crane.
Andy - below, looking cerebral - is one of Britain's toughest climbers,
specialising in extreme big wall ascents and hard core winter
expeditions to demented areas like Patagonia and Alaska. He's soloed
El Capitan in Yosemite twice including a 12-day ascent of the hard
Reticent Wall.
Right now Andy's in Patagonia with Ian Parnell attempting winter
ascents of extreme routes. He's much more than just a climber though,
being arguably the UK's most entertaining climbing lecturer, a
talented writer and a respected gear guru.
Leah Crane meanwhile, is one of the country's most promising
female climbers, has been part of the British bouldering team since
last year and is currently our number one female boulderer. She's
been climbing from an early age and red-pointed a French 8a route at
the age of 15.
Other achievements include climbing the long overhanging 7c route,
Tyrolean Air, in Thailand, being placed 3rd in the International
Masters Bouldering Competition in March 2007, and in the same month
being placed as the first British female at the European Bouldering
Competition.
Fellow Berghaus team member Sir Chris Bonington,
comments:
"Andy Kirkpatrick represents what is best in modern British
climbing: boldness, innovation, sense of humour, irreverence,
commitment, and an appetite for risk. Leah Crane has enormous
potential and already has a list of achievements that is the envy of
climbers of many more years of experience."
More about Berghaus at www.berghaus.com
plus more from Andy Kirkpatrick on his personal web site at
www.psychovertical.com
