A Mad 7 Days - Sam Butterworth
These 7 days may possibly be the biggest of Sam Butterworth's career.
On 22nd February he became British Lead Champion.
On 1st March he clipped the chains on Wild West 9a, his first of the grade, on what was a pre-planned consolation OR celebration trip to Margalef following BLCC’s. (We’ll be covering this epic achievement separately!)
Sam, in our very proud and biased eyes, is one of the most solid examples of what consistency and perseverance can yield. Being one of our longest standing sponsored athletes, we’ve been here to see the majority of his career. He has dealt with both immense failure and well fought success, experiences that craft a determined and balanced mind.
Being along for that journey we’ve seen it all but like all big achievements what the public eye often misses is the hard work and dedication behind the scenes. In a world where the youth comp scene is bigger than ever and social media paints a world filled with instant success, we believe the messages and learnings from Sam are worth airing. Plus with more of the IFSC stage being paywalled than free to watch we can share some behind the scenes stories.
We’ll be dropping the full video interview in the coming weeks and whilst we don’t want to take away from that, some of the core messages deserve written air time here:
What got you into climbing?
Like a lot of kids, it was at a birthday party when I was around 7. In the original Leeds wall actually! Shortly after I joined the Harrogate climbing centre academy run by Dave Barrens and Ellie Glennie (the origins of the Precision team).
What led to you focusing on comp climbing?
I think it was a product of my environment. I didn’t have climbing parents so there was no particular draw to outdoor climbing and as I grew up, the style of comp climbing was just beginning its change towards the more modern style of comp climbing we see nowadays. It was quite magnetic the draw of new moves every week.
Sam at BLCCs
What were some of the most pivotal step changes that led to results/performance improvements?
My physical training has always felt in hand and so for me all of the key changes were mindset.
Patience and belief - Understanding and believing that even the most painful failures carry learning points and ultimately bad results are key to fuel the fire to improve. You come away with a list of areas of improvement that are actionable. Having the perspective that climbing is bigger than a single result, and it will continue being a big part of my life long after my comp career has ended, is a grounding and important reminder of where the fire is born.
Becoming more open minded when it came to beta reading. There are times to double down and there are times to be more open to re-reading and considering alternatives. In a high pressure comp setting this is most crucial.
Breathing (mindfully). This is something I’ve worked on loads over the years, it forms part of my pre-climb routine and has helped with head game, nerves and overall performance. I’ve found I climb better in a calm state, I don’t often need to psych myself up and so this can help restore some calm to difficult situations.
Wild West 9a
Keep an eye out for the video of Sam’s interview, as there’s much more to come! Overall, a big congrats to Sam from the GEKCO team!
