The Malta Tourism Authority and the Malta Rock Climbing Club have embarked upon an ambitious project to install equipment on various cliffs around Malta and Gozo in order to facilitate the increasingly popular sport of rock-climbing.

The MTA is to provide rock-climbing venues at a number of sea cliffs and inland valleys, sites that are highly attractive to European climbers, accustomed to climbing on routes equipped with safety anchors that minimise the risk of injury, inherent in any activity conducted on vertical rock faces.

Commenting on the sport itself as well as the project, Andrew Warrington, president of the Malta Rock Climbing Club (MRCC), said that �Malta and Gozo are particularly attractive to rock climbers from Europe and other northern countries. We have year-round weather that is ideal for climbing with warm days in winter and breezy sea-cliffs in summer. The islands have been extensively faulted, exposing mile upon mile of cliffs. Where the rock is sound and the cliffs stable, rock climbers delight in their sport, using natural features in the rock such as cracks, pockets, edges and wrinkles to pull themselves up the cliff face to the top. The thrill of exposure is tempered by the expert use of safety gear to protect the climber.�

In Europe a trend has developed over the last three decades to equip popular climbs with permanent safety anchors at intervals along a rock-climbing route up a cliff. This allows the climber the peace of mind and confidence to push the limits of their ability and tackle ever more difficult ascents. Alongside this trend, a healthy market for climbers to travel and visit different climbing areas has developed and all the countries around the Mediterranean now sport fully-equipped climbing areas that are funded and supported by the local councils to encourage traveling climbers to visit and spend their holidays there.

Some months ago, MRCC president Andrew Warrington and MTA executive chairman, Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud, came to an agreement whereby the rock-climbing sites would be identified, equipped and managed by the MRCC, while the MTA will be providing the necessary funding and other material support, both in completing the work and in promoting Malta among the estimated 1,000,000 climbers in Europe.

The scope of the whole project is to equip various crags to European standards so as to begin to develop Malta�s potential as a centre of rock climbing for visiting climbers. Mr Lungaro Mifsud said that: �With hundreds of climbs already established on the islands, the vast potential offered by the miles of virgin cliffs, excellent climbing weather and easy access to the cliffs, Malta has the ability to develop a regular market of rock climbers, especially during the shoulder months when mainland Europe is too cold for climbers to practice their sport. This project will also help the local climbing community to develop and grow using these new facilities.�

Work has already been completed at the Ghajn Abdul site, limits of San Lawrenz in Gozo, whereas works at another site in Gozo, precisely at Kercem, are due to be completed by next month. Another five climbing sites in Malta are earmarked for full-equipping by the end of the year.