"Age: (gulp) 31, Height: 175cm, Weight: 52kg. Country: Sydney, Australia. Profession: Equine Surgeon (veterinary surgeon) Favourite climbing areas - in Australia: Bowens Creek, Diamond Falls in the Blue Mountains. Overseas - Monsant (Spain), Arco (Italy) Sarah attempting to redpoint Hidrophobia, 8A, Montsant, Spain....her fave route... Favourite Route: Hidrofobia 8a (Monsant), Self Portrait 29 (Porters Pass, The Blue Mountains) Favourite food: Chocolate every time Favourite climbing shoe: X-cube (despite having sworn I would only ever wear lace ups!) Biography:
I started climbing 6 years ago. Previous to that I had rowed for Cambridge University in the Boat Races and having given up one fanatical sport, there was room for a new one! I got hooked on a kids climbing wall with spinning holds in 40 degree heat in Mildura (sort of an outback town in Australia) so climbing on rock was always going to be awesome for me! For the first 4 years of my climbing "career", I was completing my specialist training as an equine surgeon which didnt leave much time for training and certainly not for outdoor climbing. In that time I spent 6 months in Dublin where the only climbing facility was a 40 degrees overhung bouldering wall. I did laps and laps and laps and laps. When I returned to Australia, I won the Australian Difficulty National Championships! (2003). Once my surgery training was finished, I took up climbing! And injuries...I spent the first 10 months nursing tendonitis, sore fingers and a fractured joint. However, more recently I have achieved a healthy balance between training, climbing and working (the latter to finance the former and trips overseas!) I spent 6 weeks in Europe in 2005 and so far have spent 4 weeks there this year. In addition to competiting in World Cups, I take the opportunity to climb outdoors and meet as many like minded climbing souls as I bump into.. I am a better onsighter than redpointer. This maybe because I don't get much opportunity to return to crags to work routes, a victim of circumstance - mainly work and travel, so I tend to really give every new climb a good first attempt. My onsight grade is 26 (7b/b+) and redpoint 27 (7c) Climbing highlights:
"Achievements"
2003 Irish Bouldering Champion (my first ever boulder competition)
2003 Australian Difficulty National Champion
2005 Supercallousfragileextradosage - first 26 onsight
2005 Wrong Movements - first 27 redpoint
2006 2nd in Australian difficulty National Championships
2004/2005 Semifinalist in Shanghi World Cup + 2x onsight 7b in one day Some more bits and pieces....
Climbing at Monsant in Spain in 2006 was the best 4 days climbing I have ever had..the cliff is so new that many of the climbs are not even named. The highlight was definately trying hidrofobia (8a) on my last day.
If only I could have stayed longer to get the tick..The cliff is so imposing and inspirational (if you can be both together?!) and you would never get bored of the view - perched high above the valley. I have met a group of Italian climbers who take me to all their favourite spots in the Dolomites whenever I am in Italy. This ranges from the popular spots such as Erto and Arco (not really the Dolomites but...) and many lesser known places - many in national parks high up in the mountains. This group has such a positive outlook on life and climbing that I never have a bad day, even on days that I would struggle to climb a ladder! " To see more pics of Sarah in action Click here | 
