Ambassadors

At High Sports we’re immensely proud of our staff and their devotion to sport and the mountains.
We’re equally pleased to recognise our Ambassadors; Infectious enthusiasts, champions, elite athletes, our super stars, record holders/breakers/setters, first ascentionists, or whatever you want to call them…“our friends in extreme places”.

Whatever the outstanding achievements of our Ambassadors, their fun, friendly attitude and a willingness to share and support others with the knowlwdge of their experience has made them all natural representatives of the High Sports ethos.

	Ed is a local climbing legend, with hard and bold ascents across the UK and the rest of the world. He has climbed traditional routes of E8, sport climbed at F8a, battled up Scottish VI’s, scaled El Capitan, and done some pretty nifty bouldering to boot…Self Harmer E8, My Halo E7 (Slate quarries), Wonderful World of Walt Disney E6 (Dawes classic), De Quincey E7 (Bowderstone), The Cad E6 (Gogarth), Bac-Bee Tubin Fr8a, Murciana 78ED (Naranjo de Bulnes) Frendo Spur (Chamonix), Old Man of Hoy, First Ascent Cerces qui Bougent Fr7b ED (Ecrins with Nick Dixon)….
Mel is a hardcore fell runner. Not only the Shropshire ladies champion in both the summer and winter series, but also 2^nd female in the British championship 2011 and 2nd in the British Relay Championships 2012. Winning lady in the Breidden Hills Race, Batch Bash, Pontesbury fell race, Callow & Ragleth fell race 2012 and the Long Mynd Valley’s race 2013. 3rd place lady in the Cadair Idris….Racing for the Mercia Fell Runners, Mel holds the record time for the Caradoc classic race, has sped through a couple of Longmynd hikes and still has time to be a mother of two !
	It’s not just his red hair that denotes Tom’s fire and passion for his sport. His enthusiasm and outgoing character is infectious. Some may say it’s his height and reach that gives him the advantage on the rock, but those who know him or have seen his graceful yet powerful style will talk of a naturally talented climber who’s confidently notching up an impressive list of hard climbs…. Winner of the Midlands Winter Bouldering league 2011/12…. Tom is currently on an extended climbing tour of the USA and Canada after starting with an ascent of the Leaning Tower in Yosemite.
Local fire fighter and climbing instructor at Shrewsbury’s indoor wall, Neil is a valuable addition to the High Sports team and a conscientious and motivating instructor. The steady head old boy on the team!
	Pat is an Italian full-time mum and has been climbing for many years with her husband Jonathan Cain. Her favourite crag in the world is Nesscliffe because of its stunning lines, beautiful forest and historical setting. She is a keen supporter of High Sports and will be frequently seen chatting to Chris in the shop about a local walk or peak. Her other passion is photography and wherever she goes she always carries a camera.
Simon definately has the Cathcart ‘Hardcore’ gene! A list of bouldering first ascents including many desperate lines at Nesscliffe and Grinshill such as Subtilitas. He has already completed several major Alpine Big Wall routes including the Grau Wand, Kundalini, Boulder Highway, Bulnes West Face, N.face Aig Argentiere….and pushes E4 on limestone.
	Alastair is an exceptional boulderer/climber, skier and downhill mountain biker. An indispensable driving force behind the Shropshire Bouldering Guide and local scene he’s regularly out ‘scratting for new lines’, check out The Prow at Grinshill for just one example of his contribution to local hardcore bouldering.
Jonathan has been climbing for around 20 years. Since becoming a dad, he has taken to bouldering more seriously and can often be found training in his own purpose built climbing wall in his garage. He can also be frequently seen hanging around at Nesscliffe with his wife Patricia Novelli. Notable local routes that Jonathan has done include Il y a Stazi E8 6c, Berlin Wall E7 6c and Time for Tea (first ascent) E7 6c; all at Nesscliffe. Jonathan’s motto is “I work too much, climb too little” even though he’s alawys out craggin or training in his home rock gym.
	Nick is no stranger to hard trad climbs. Responsible for hundreds of first ascents and repeats of desperate climbs across the globe. Even though Nick has been at the forefront of climbing for many years his reputation enthusiasm, dedication and an unlimited ability to keep pushing the boundaries of rock climbing never seems to deminish. Climbing is truely at the core of Nick’s life. Climbs like the notorious Indian Face E9 6c, the first ascent of his own Face Mecca E9 6c, and more recently 1000 Setting Suns E9 7a at Nesscliffe added to his lively outgoing personality make Nick a valued High Sports Ambassador.
A mountain man with a strong road running back ground, Steve burst onto the fell race scene in 2007, now running for the Mercia Fell Runners. Steve’s good-natured, friendly character belies his seriously determined intention to regularly dominate the front end of any race he enters in the tough world of fell running. Results already notched up include; Skiddaw race winner 2010, 10th in the British Championships, Shropshire Summer & Winter Champion 2009 – 2011, Long Mynd Valley’s winner 2012 & 13, British Relays Champion 2012 and already Steve has his sights set on Alpine races, watch this space… But Steve still sees his running as “just having fun out in the hills”. He is a natural athlete and HS Ambassador.
	Big brother of Ed. It’s hard to separate them when it comes to enthusiasm for anything mountain based. Adam has yet to show signs of cracking under the relentless pressure of little bruv’s youthful drive, so in 2013 Adam is heading for the summit of Everest. A top performing all rounder for many years, Adam wastes no time capitalising on good weather days in the mountains with inspiring results and often in devastatingly fast times; on rock, ice, a bike or in the big mountains. Docter and Extreme Altitude Medical Researcher on the faculty for the UK diploma in mountain medicine. Favourite ascents include: The Nose on El Cap, Northwest regular route on Half Dome in a day, Murciana on Naranjo de Bulnes, Devils Appendix Central Icefall Direct, Un Poco Loco on Churchdoor Buttress, Ama Dablam, Mitelegi ridge on The Eiger, Electric Blue solo on the last day of my 20s, The Old Man of Hoy, Mandragora in Siurana, Fire Wall on Kalymnos and pretty much every route I’ve ever done in Pembroke!