TAMWORTH Freestyle Bouldering Club is set to be well represented at this weekend's NSW-ACT Bouldering Championships in Sydney.
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More than 25 of the region's best athletes will represent the club in a variety of age groups and categories.
Boasting an impressive record at the same event in recent years, club founder Chris Eather said he was confident the club would give a good account of itself this weekend.
"The whole club has been involved in a pretty intense two-month training program in the lead up to this event," Eather told the Leader.
"It has been a pretty high-level program, too - it has been compiled by myself and our club coach Sasha Gerzha, with the backing of the Australian bouldering coach, so it has been pretty full-on.
"However, our entire community has really bought into it, and is feeling fresh and ready for this weekend."
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Eather said the weekend's competition was a "vital learning curve" for all of his club members.
"For us, this weekend is really about applying the lessons we have been focusing on in training and less about winning ribbons," he said.
"The collective support everyone within our club has shown for each other during the preparations for this weekend has been awesome and this is a chance to bring that full circle."
The club has seen already seen its fair share of success this year, when Nikala Murray, Freddie Eather and Archie Eather starred at the Sport Climbing Australia Youth National Championships in May.
"All of our younger members are really champing at the bit to compete and have fun," Eather said.
"The last event they competed in was a mixture of disciplines, whereas this one is strictly focused on bouldering, so it should suit them down to the ground.
"However, it is not all about winning and losing. For us, it is about learning and providing that holistic approach to health and fitness."
Eather said the club was likely to be the most well-represented club at this weekend's championships.
"Last year we were the most well represented at the championships in terms of numbers," he said.
"Since becoming a non-profit organisation recently we have helped develop even more climbers for this year's event, so I have no reason to believe we won't be the most well-represented club at this year's event.
"But, it's not about which club has the most numbers.
"It's about learning, having fun and improving."