This term was a great start to the year for our Climbing and Bouldering Clubs! We saw a huge interest, which meant many more members, and even ran out of space in our bouldering club - apologies to those who would have liked to join. On a more mild note, the weather cooperated with us for pretty much the entirety of the term, which is a first in a very long while! Anyway, we used this cooperative weather to our advantage. We also introduced strength training to the club, helping our climbers to build muscle strength and endurance so they can progress in their ability. While we didn’t reach nearly as much interest for this term as maybe we would have liked, we will be continuing this next term with some assistance from a University student, so watch the notices for more information about this!
A Senior Lead Climbing session challenged some of our more experienced climbers to push their limits, developing their lead climbing skills and becoming more confident leading on our school wall. This was a great learning experience for some of us and an adventure for all of us!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Bivouac Outdoor, who hosted a Gear Night, where members could learn more about climbing equipment, ask questions, and purchase gear at discounted rates. 

Along with our regular Climbing on the school wall, we had a few trips and courses throughout the term. We often went to the Port Chalmers quarry with both the Monday and Thursday clubs. Another highlight was the Long Beach Trip on 30 March. This was a great day on the beach, tackling challenging climbs and taking in the stunning scenery. Most of us tried and learned something new on this trip, with the help of our guide. 

These trips were really fun and beneficial for everyone who came. Some of our new members were climbing outdoors on real rock for the first time. Our new members really pushed themselves out of their comfort zones, which they should be proud of! It is really special to watch as their talents bud. We are looking forward to seeing their progression through the rest of the year. While not a a trip, briefly near the end of term we held a bouldering session during school hours that was open to all Climbing members from Thursdays and Mondays. Many of the newer members found this an exciting new side of climbing, while others sought to use this time to build skills and take a break from school!

Next term, we have our first National Indoor Bouldering Series competition of the year and a weekend trip to Christchurch on the programme, and possibly more trips before it gets too cold. We are looking forward to more exciting climbing next term!