The North Face and Petzl Climb Session

The event that covers as much climbing as we can cram into two hours: trad, sport, bouldering, ice, alpinism, plastic, competition… you name it, we’ve got it! Plus of course all the characters, tall tales and gossip that binds it all together. Mix in some extra films and fun, and you’ve got The North Face and Petzl Climb Session.

Steering the ship will be our brilliant co-hosts; Team GB’s Molly Thompson-Smith and the founder of Colour Up Bristol, Carlos Casas. 

After the recent amazing news that Toby Roberts is going to Paris 2024 - the first British male climber to qualify for the Olympics - we can confirm that Toby will be with us on stage, joined by the only other Team GB climber to have competed at the Olympics: Shauna Coxsey, who will commentate at Paris 2024. 

Also on stage will be Stefano Ghisolfi, one of the world’s top sport climbers. Stefano hit the headlines earlier this year with his first ascent of Excalibur at a proposed 9b+ and to put that into perspective, there are only three routes in the world graded harder. He’s also repeated Adam Ondra’s route Change (9b+) at Flatanger and Alex Megos’ Bibliographie (9b+) at Ceuse, downgrading it from its original 9c. For someone who started out as a mountain bike racer, that’s some CV.

Stefano will be joined by his partner Sara Grippo, an equally amazing climber and also a talented photographer. Hopefully we’ll hear how life really works for a climbing couple at the top of their game, plus a little about Sara’s profound life story.

Fay Manners is a British alpinist based in Chamonix. Fay’s recent ascents could fill a book, but highlights include the first female ascent (and likely the 5th ascent overall) of Phantom Direct on the Grandes Jorasses, the Cassin Ridge on Denali, and this summer with Iker and Eneko Pou first ascents in the Karakoram including a major new mixed route on Trango II (6,327m).

Fay will be joined by Mick Fowler, who actually has filled a book (several in fact) with his exploits in the high mountains. With Mick you know you’ll be hearing about an epic, and this year’s didn’t disappoint; co-starring Simon Yates, their trip to Tajikistan included being poisoned by freeze-dried food, subsequent starvation, deep snow, no summit, failed abseil anchors, and broken ribs for Simon.

We also have Poppy Walters and Molly Salter with us from the UK Paraclimbing Collective, a charity set up and run entirely voluntarily by a group of paraclimbers who feel passionate about improving access to rock climbing. Truly inspirational tales that demonstrate both why climbing has no barriers, and how the climbing community really brings people together.