Matt Pickles

22, Sheffield

Matt is quietly establishing himself as a significant player in UK sport climbing. Preferring clipping bolts to ‘smashing nuts in,’ when he’s not moaning about being injured he’s climbing hard routes in impressively quick time. In 2009 he climbed three 8bs in the space of a week; Waddage at Raven Tor and Full Tilt and La Connection at Kilnsey.

A former employee of the Climbing Works in Sheffield, Matt used his time there to develop his strength, both by training on the walls and a fulfilment his various lifting duties. He has gone on to make ascents of The Joker 8a at Stanage and Frogger 8a in Brione, Switzerland

Matt has high hopes of the year ahead, particularly of his primary goal to climb 8c. An introduction into the world of full time work notwithstanding, he also ‘wouldn’t mind’ bouldering 8b and flashing E7.