60 students take on Fiordland's climbing wall in Otago/Sthd champs

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60 students take on Fiordland's climbing wall in Otago/Sthd champs

Jeanna Rodgers

14 October 2025, 6:18 AM

60 students take on Fiordland's climbing wall in Otago/Sthd champs

Senior Girls' winner and Wakatipu High School Year 12 student Alisa Schenk achieved 189 points out of a total possible 200. Photo: Jeanna Rodgers

Fiordland's Climbing wall was a buzz on Saturday (11 Oct) with nearly 60 climbers attending the Otago/Southland Secondary Schools Climbing competition.

This one was the biggest champs yet with students from James Hargest College in Invercargill, Queenstown’s Wakatipu High School, Lumsden’s Northern Southland College, Dunedin’s Otago Girls and Te Anau’s Fiordland College.

There was no hometown advantage in this competition as, in the week leading up to the competition, the wall was completely stripped and new climbs were created.

Thanks to some funding, FEAR Society was able to employ some experts - who put in some very long days - to set the wall up for an amazing competition.

FEAR Society and the Fiordland Climbing wall's Andy Magness praised the finished product and the team that had created it.

“[A] Huge thanks to the legendary Jon Seddon, the uber talented Nat Warburton and Oscar Wolff, and Dunedin Climbing's Tim Bartholomew for the top-notch setting."

Action aplenty at last weekend's Otago/Southland Secondary Schools Climbing competition at the Fiordland Climbing Wall in Te Anau. Photo: Jeanna Rodgers

"These young climbers are going to be challenged by some excellent routes, that's for sure,” Magness said.

A big variety of climbers from each of the five schools attended with some real beginners and others who’ve been climbing since they could walk.

The wall was divided into three sections for the day - Overhang, Slab and Bouldering.

Students completed 10 routes over the day, gaining points for how far they climbed.

One student, Josh Parkinson, Year 13 from Fiordland College, ended the competition with full points, managing to complete every route.

Senior Girl winner, Alisa Schenk, Year 12 from Wakatipu High School (WHS) also had a good day, gaining 189 points out of the possible 200.

Photo: Jeanna Rodgers

As this is a Secondary Schools Competition, this is aimed at Year 9 to 13 but both Fiordland and Northern Southland Colleges have been climbing regularly and brought along several year 7 and 8 students as well and they certainly showed their skills!

Fergus Oyston, Year 7 from Fiordland College was impressive on the wall and gained 122 points coming away with a well-earned Silver medal.

In the past this has been attended by mostly Southland students but it was fantastic to have Otago Girls join in this year and the girls enjoyed the challenge of the day and said they would definitely be keen to come next year.

Several parents watching praised the organisers and the volunteers who helped to run the event, saying how impressed they were to see the older and more experienced climbers encouraging and supporting the younger climbers.

Manager of the Wakatipu High School climbing team, Janet Briscoe, said WHS had fielded a record number of 20 WHS climbers, from relatively new to national level.

"Every student approached the wall in their own way - challenging themselves while supporting one another."

"It was a day that was about positive attitudes, participation, support, and friendly competition."

"Big thanks to the FEAR team for their dedication in creating such an inclusive and well-run event,” Briscoe said.

Fiordland College Teacher and climbing coach, Vaughn Filmer, said he was pleased to have had so many climbers during the day and hoped that this event would encourage even more to climb in the future.