31
Oct
2014
19:00
Come and join us to celebrate Halloween on Friday, the 31st October.
The best dressed (yerself!) and the best dressed pumpkin will each win £50 of prizes…
Here's some of the staff pumpkins from last year…
Prizes are a WS hoodie and a chalk bag of your choice, or swap for anything else in stock of same value.
The comp will run through the day – but if there are enough around at 7.30pm we will run a catwalk…
Cheers, the White Spider Team
22
Oct
2014
13:43
Ned "The Baker" Fehally is 3 times British Bouldering Champion. He has competed in bouldering world cups and has made finals. He's not a bad setter either! Ned came in to White Spider recently to set the boulder comp wall, and we caught up with him to find out a bit more……..
Ned on Zombie Nation, 8a, Albarracin
Name: Ned Feehally
Where are you from?: Sheffield
Favourite Climbing Music?: Anything with a beat
Favourite Crag Food?: Soreen malt loaf
How did you first get into climbing?: A friend of the family took my brothers and I out in the Lakes. I liked it and after that I started going to the local wall and eventually getting out rock climbing at weekends
How long have you been climbing?: 18 years
What is your proudest achievement in climbing?: Making World cup finals is probably the hardest thing I have done but I am pretty proud of some of my ascents on rocks over the years
What's your favorite problem/route you've ever done?: It has to be Careless Torque at Stanage
Why was it so good?: Amazing moves, good height, lots of history and it's in a great place
Where is your favorite crag- In UK?: St. Bees in Cumbria
Outside UK?: Fontainbleau
If you could give someone one piece of advice for climbing, what would it be?: Make sure you enjoy it!
Who or what inspires you, and where do you get your motivation from?: I get inspired by big, impressive boulders with cool moves on them. It's easy to train if you have a goals like this in mind
If you hadn't got into climbing, what do you think you'd be doing instead?: I'd probably have a real job somewhere. I like to think I'd still spend a lot of time outdoors tho
How long have you been route setting?: Maybe 4 years on and off
What do you love most about setting?: Trying to set interesting and unique moves
Where do you get your inspiration for route setting?: From rock climbing mainly, but also from the possibility of setting moves that you could never find outdoors
What's coming up next for you?: A bouldering trip to America hopefully!
Sponsors: 5.10, Arc'teryx, Wild Country, Beastmaker
Ned on Jack's Broken Heart, 8a+, Magic Wood
11
Oct
2014
16:23
Saturday 11th October
Screening: 8 pm
Tickets: £10 – Available to buy at reception or over the phone!
Raffle Tickets at £1 each – all proceeds to go to CAC Climbers Against Cancer
The Brit Rock film tour is the first home grown adventure tour to emerge from the vibrant UK adventure film making industry. Brit Rock comes right from the heart of the UK adventure scene, with liberal splashes of the inimitable British spirit.
Adding to the program are short interjections with observational and comedy breaks, from the likes of the leftfield author Niall Grimes and funny man Dave Halsted.
Headline Acts include …
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Wainwrights Record Attempt The unassuming Steve Birkinshaw is one of the great fell runners and fittest men ever to exist. Have your mind and arteries blown as Steve attempts to break Joss Naylor's 27 year old record by linking up all 214 Lakeland Wainwright summits in under seven days. A level of suffering breaching into the super human.
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Stone Free Julian Lines is the best climber you've never heard of. He is undoubtedly Britain's most accomplished free climbing soloist with world-class free ascents to his name. This deeply personal account of the archetypal anti-hero is a stunning portrait that will leave your jaw on the floor.
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All My Own Stunts Yorkshireman Rob Jarman is a downhill mountain bike specialist and professional stuntman. This gripping and emotional film tells the story of a near fatal accident and his road to recovery. Redoubtable, affable and hilarious, it's a compelling ride with Rob Jarman, on, and more often than not, off his bike.
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Project Mina Are pro climbers anything like you and me? Do they ever put lots of effort into training only to fail miserably at a comp and question why they bother at all, or is it all glory and sending? Project Mina is a look at the moments between the top-outs and success, following Mina Leslie-Wujastyk during the 2013 competition season. Filmed by the talented Jen Randal.
Raffle prizes include a Signed Copy of Jules Lines biography, some great prizes from Cotswold and …. more to come!
08
Oct
2014
13:32
Ben West is is top UK climber, route setter and climbing coach. He is part of the British Bouldering Team and competes at a World Cup level. He recently came in to White Spider set the lower bouldering mezz and we're excited to have him back again next Thursday 16th Oct to set some lead routes. We caught up with Ben last time he was in to ask him a few questions and get to know him better……..
Ben West Competing at Blokfest 2014
Name: Ben West
Where are you from: Bristol
Favourite Climbing Music: Anything electronic and generally with a beat
Favourite Crag Food?: Smoked Almands
How did you first get into climbing?: A school trip to Undercover Rock
How long have you been climbing?: 14yrs
What is your proudest achievement in climbing?: Climbing the FA of Helvetia 8c at Shipwreck Cove, The Gower
What's your favorite problem/route you've ever done?: Theres so many, Conquistador 8a+ has to be one of them in Chironico, Switzerland and obviously Helvetia
Why was it so good?: Conquistador is all about compression which is one of my favourite styles. And Helvetia because its the first thing I have really put any time in to.
Where is your favourite crag- In UK?: It would be a toss up between LPT, Shipwreck or Kilnsey
Outside UK?: Rocklands
If you could give someone one piece of advice for climbing, what would it be?: For those that haven’t tried it before, Do it! you won’t regret it.
Who or what inspires you, and where do you get your motivation from?: The youth of today inspire me, seeing how hard they work. I’m motivated by all styles of rock climbing, I love the fact that if you get slightly board of doing one thing or you fancy doing something else (say bouldering) you can move on to Sport, trad, comps etc. What ever floats your boat really.
If you hadn't got into climbing, what do you think you'd be doing instead?: No idea
How long have you been route setting?: 10yrs or so
What do you love most about setting?: Being creative and watching people trying to work out what you have set
Where do you get your inspiration for route setting?: I guess a lot of my inspiration comes from comps but also moves you have done outside. and my heroes would be the likes Jackie Godoff, Ian Vickers & Andy Long
What's coming up next for you?: Off to Font next weekend then I guess I better start getting back on the training for next years comp season
Who are your sponsors?: Evolv, Prana and Metolius

Ben West on "Helvetia" F8c