Steele, Rinaldi, and Conlon Named in Team for IFSC Youth European Cup Curno 2024

The BMC today reveals the 16 climbers selected to represent the GB Climbing Team in the boulder event at the IFSC Youth European Cup Curno 2024 in Italy. The boulder event takes place across three days of competition from Friday 5 April, to Sunday 7 April 2024. This is the first international event of the 2024 season in which the GB Climbing team athletes will compete.

17-year-old Lucy Garlick, 5th in the world rankings for her age, will contest the U18F event. Last season, Garlick showed great form, securing 2nd place at the IFSC Continental Youth Cup in Graz and finishing 5th at the IFSC European Youth Championships in Duisburg. Joining her in the U18F category are seasoned athletes Fae MacDougall and the Bridgens sisters, Connie and Izzy who all had strong performances in this event last year. In the U16F category, 15-year-old Iggy Rinaldi will make her European boulder debut, with international experience already in the lead events, and a dominant performance at National Trials.

In the men’s competition, Tom Steele will be competing in his first year in the U18M category. The 15-year-old showed form in the 2023 season, taking 10th place at the IFSC Continental Youth Cup and 12th place at the European Youth Championships. 17-year-old Rhys Conlon, reliably making every Continental Youth Cup final last year and placing 5th at the IFSC Continental Youth Cup will be competing for the first time in the U20M category along with team mates Luca Martins and Jamie Jenkins.

The Team will feature debutants Tom Bouwknegt (U16M), Florence Nuttall (U16F) and Sam Hammond (U18M). Imogen Lilley was due to make her debut in the U16F but will not be competing due to illness.

Michelle Forrest, GB Climbing coach, said: “I’m excited for the start of the 2024 competition season. With promising performances at the recent National Trials and Team Trainings, the team is looking sharp and ready to compete. I’m looking forward to supporting the athletes in action this weekend”

Jon Garside, Acting Head of Performance, said: “The team are really excited about the season’s first competition. With experienced athletes building on strong 2023 results and debutants out for the first time, the future’s bright for GB Climbing.”

Results will be available via this link.

Watch the finals live via the IFSC Europe YouTube channel:

U-16: Saturday 6 April, 21:30pm CET

U-18: Sunday 7 April, 11am CET

U-20: Sunday 7 April, 14:00pm CET

Team in full:

Tom BOUWKNEGT

Constance BRIDGENS

Isabella BRIDGENS

Rhys CONLON

Emma EDWARDS

Lucy GARLICK