A former local resident is preparing to climb at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
Gord McArthur, 33, will be competing in a demonstration of ice climbing with the goal of having the sport named a medal competition at the next Olympics in South Korea.
“Our goal is to make this a medal sport,” McArthur said in a telephone interview from France, where he is competing in the fourth World Cup for the Union International Association deAlpinism (UIAA). He’s currently ranked 10th in the world in a group of 80 competitive ice climbers.
According McArthur, who now lives in Cranbrook, British Columbia with his family, the sport known as “mixed climbing” combines rock faces with patches of ice.
Climbers can compete at two levels: technical, where technique is judged, and a speed competition that pits two climbers against one another.
“Speed competition is basically running up a large wall with speed ice tools,” McArthur said.
Climbers secure a rope as they climb, known as “lead climbing.” Secured to a harness worn by climbers, the rope will help break any falls from the face climbs, which are generally about 100 feet.
McArthur has been interested in climbing since he was young and spent time climbing at the Guelph Grotto climbing gym.
He took up ice climbing after he moved to Cranbrook, where he works in his spare time as a graphic designer.
McArthur has even transformed his backyard with a 30-foot climbing wall that allows him to practice daily, said his father Gordon, who lives in Fergus.
McArthur also takes advantage of nearby mountains to hone his sport.
“It (ice climbing) is never ending, it’s always changing,” the athlete said of his enthusiasm and dedication to the sport.
The elder McArthur will be watching the Sochi games and expects there will be a segment on ice climbing on CBC, which is broadcasting the Olympics. The climber said the CBC has already interviewed him about the sport and he also expects the CBC will broadcast a segment on the sport during the actual Olympics.
As a climber he is confident the sport will be accepted by the Olympic committee for the next Olympics, particularly because it will be in South Korea, which is known for its top-notch climbers in international competitions.
“The Korean Alpine Club is very interested,” McArthur said.
In 2011 he built a climbing facility on a street in Cranbrooke to raise money for a young girl suffering from cancer.
“I climbed for 24 hours to raise money for Charlotte Amsing,” he said. “We raised over $20,000 for her and Ronald MacDonald House. Unfortunately she didn’t make it.”
The climber’s father said he has never worried about his son getting seriously injured in the sport he loves.
“I never worry about him because I try to think positive. He’s confident and he knows what he is doing,” the father said.
The athlete has secured sponsorships that help fund his trips around the world for competitions, including the Sochi Olympics.
The opening ceremony for the Olympics is on Feb. 7 and the games will run until Feb. 23.
