Ambassadors

Jesse Dufton

Athlete Ambassador

Jesse is a blind rock climber. He is best known as the first blind person to lead climb the Old Man of Hoy, which is the focus of Alastair Lee’s multi award winning documentary ‘Climbing Blind’ and has been recognised as a Guinness World Record. The Old Man of Hoy is however only a part of the extensive roster of hard traditional a.k.a “trad” rock climbs he has completed. As well as this, he is also the first blind person to claim 1st ascents in the Arctic, and a world class competition climber representing the GB Paraclimbing team.

 

Nicky Spinks

Athlete Ambassador

Nicky Spinks is an inspirational British long-distance runner, specialising in fell running, who has set women's records for the major fell-running challenges the Ramsay Round, the Paddy Buckley Round and the Bob Graham Round. She went on to create history by becoming the first person ever to run doubles of each of these three Classic Rounds (involving 100+ miles and ascending twice the height of Everest!)

Finlay Wild

Athlete Ambassador

Finlay Wild is a Scottish hill runner and mountaineer best known for his ten-in-a-row wins at the Ben Nevis Race, his Cuillin Ridge Traverse record, and former British Fell Running Champion title. He is also a multiple times British Ski Mountaineering Champion and has had strong finishes in World Skyrunning Series races. In 2020 he broke the Ramsay’s Round record. He lives in Fort William, Scotland, where he is a GP, so brings an additional insight into the importance of finding a cure for cancer and helping people live with and beyond the disease.   www.gomountaingoats.com

Kenton Cool

Ambassador

Kenton Cool is one of the world’s leading high-altitude climbers and avid adventurers. He’s climbed Mount Everest 16 times along with many other mountain peaks around the globe, including the ‘seven summits’ – the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents. He is also the only Brit to ski down two 8,000m peaks. Kenton is an IFMGA qualified mountain guide and he revels in guiding clients up iconic climbs and to the summits of mountains all over the world.   [The attached photo of Kenton with his CAC t-shirt was taken at the South pole in -38c. Hence him holding it and not wearing it!]

Tom Livingstone

Athlete Ambassador

Tom Livingstone is a 32-year-old climber and writer. He is originally from the south of England. He has a penchant for trad, winter and alpine climbing - the bigger and badder, the better. Tom is an acclaimed outdoor writer, and you can read some of his published pieces here. His writing has appeared nationally and internationally, in print and online. Sir Chris Bonington said: ‘Tom Livingstone, one of the finest climbers in the world, always using the purest techniques.’ In 2019, Tom was awarded the Piolet d’Or (Golden Ice Axe) for his ascent of Latok I with Aleš Česen and Luka Stražar.

Stanislav Kokorin

Athlete Ambassador

Stanislav Kokorin is no small name in the speed climbing front. Kokorin's medal count is sky-high. As a 3 time champion in the IFSC World Cup, 2 time silver medalist and 3 time bronze medalist he has continued to display impeccable and consistent mastery of the sport. With a total medal count of 27, which is an assortment of gold, silver and bronze medals, his victories are no mean feat. His championships are not only limited to the IFCS World Cup but they go as far as the World Championships, World Games, European Championship, Asia X-Games, USA Championship, Central Asia Championship, Fajr Master Cup, Germany Speed Cup, Dubai Speed Cup and IFCS Rock Masters.

StaSa Gejo

Athlete Ambassador

Her father, Slobadan Gejo, is both a sport and an alpine climber. Her mother, Vesna Pavlovic, was successfully competing in sport climbing until 2006, and for her results on Balkan climbing competitions she is categorized as an internationally ranked athlete. Sister, Ana Gejo, is a mulitple National champion in sport cimbling and a winner of many medals in Balkan competitions. Stasa Gejo has been training sport climbing since a very young age (since 2004) in Nis's sports climbing club P.A.E.K. "Nis" is a Serbian national sport climbing team centre. She currently lives in Slovenia, in Maribor, where she is coached by Gorazd Hren within the C-team. In the last few years she is mostly focused on bouldering competitions, and in the outdoors she also prefers routes over boulders.

Manikandan Kumar

Indian Athlete Ambassador

29 years old and has won three gold medals, seven silvers and a bronze and is still not officially recognised by his home country of India as an athlete. At the age of five, Kumar was diagnosed with Polio leaving his right leg 30% weaker than his left. In just a few years, however, his disability has reduced by 4%. Once having to assist his weaker leg with his hands, he has now developed enough strength and technique to use the appendage on it's own. When asked when he discovered climbing in an interview with The News Minute, Manikandan said, "I started climbing when I was 15. I developed a liking for the sport after attending an adventure camp organised by the Association for People with Disability in my school. A few trainers who were there saw me and advised me to take up climbing." Mani now works at similar Adventure Camps training climbers in order to make enough money to compete. The Indian government has yet to provide any financial support, nor has he been offered any official sponsorships. Hopefully all of this will change with the announcement of climbing being accepted into the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan. Mani is by far the only para-climber qualified enough to compete at the event.

Alexandar Megos

German Athlete Ambassador

November 30, 2015 - The 22 year old German climber Alex Megos redpointed Demencia Senil (9a+/5.15a) at Margalef, Spain, on his second try. the route was established by Chris Sharma in 2009 and begins with a severe, roof-like bulge. Megos had climbed to the third bolt two years ago but said it "felt too hard". Not anymore. This time he worked the route carefully all the way to the top and then sent it next go. This is not the first time Megos has climbed 5/15a extremely quick. He did it with La Rambla at Siurana, Spain, in 2013 and in 2014 he climbed Realization at Ceuse, Francce, also 5.15a, on his third go. Megos also onsighted an 8c+/5.14c route, Victimes del Passat, at Margalef. In 2013, he did the world's first 9a onsight, motoring up Estado Critico at Siurana.

Emily Harrington

American Athlete Ambassador

Emily Harrington is a professional rock climber and adventurer who has been a prominent and leading figure in the climbing community since she was a teenager. Her early years were defined by her successes o the USA Climbing Team on the national and worls compeition circuit, including 5 US National Sport Climbing Championships and 2 North American Championships. Emily's true passion lies with outdoor climbing and exploring the mountains. Since shifting her focus from competition, Emily has completed numerous first female ascents of 5.14 sport routes, free climbed Yosemite's iconic El Capitan, summited Everest, and has been on expeditions all over the world attempting big wall free climbs and high altitude peaks in Nepal, CHina, Myanmar, Crimea and Morocco. Emily currenly resides in Squaw Valley, California where she focuses on training for climbing. She also strives to become a complete all-around mountain athlete through trail running and skiing.

Gautier Supper

French Athlete Ambassador

Gautier often bares his CAC colours whilst climbing both competitively and for fun. You will likely spot Gautier hanging off a rock face high up in the sky or sometimes up in the trees.