Coinciding with the opening of the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, Berghaus sponsored athlete Leo Houlding made his latest daredevil challenge by climbing the Printworks building in central Manchester today (9 November).
As well as launching the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, of which he is a patron, climbing a landmark building is just the sort of unusual stunt Leo specialises in. The festival takes place 10-19 November, and as someone who has often made films of his exploits before, the climb will unite Leo’s various interests and launch the start of the festival.
Film makers, adventurers, climbers, world-class speakers and thousands of enthusiasts gather in Kendal each year to take part in the internationally-known Mountain Festivals.
Over 60 films are screened in ten competitive categories. It’s not all extreme action – films include art-house drama, documentaries about mountain communities and wildlife films, plus there’s a huge lecture programme featuring international personalities.
There’s a parallel Mountain Book Festival celebrating the best in outdoor writing, the Arts Festival, plus the Extreme Film School for aspiring film-makers involving the BBC and other key organisations. Winning films go on tour around the world.
Leo’s Manchester climb will add to his ever-growing CV that, as well as a number of impressive traditional climbing feats and BASE jumping, already includes free climbing the Angel of the North and beating Jeremy Clarkson in a Top Gear ‘climber versus car’ challenge.
The 25 year old Cumbrian is now also increasingly well known as part of the Berghaus athlete team and features in an advertising campaign slack-lining at 3,000ft in Yosemite, California, putting his trust in nothing but his kit and sure-footedness.
Berghaus sponsors the Kendal Mountain Film Festival and the new Big Wall range embodies the spirit of the elite climbers who face the world’s toughest climbs. Audiences have been left speechless by the sight of Leo making the walk high above the valley floor in Yosemite, as onlookers were while watching him in an urban setting.
Leo said: “The Printworks is a landmark in Manchester and climbing it will be a different challenge to climbing on rock, but still testing. The Kendal Mountain Film Festival is all about showcasing extreme action and introducing it to new audiences, so the Printworks was an ideal location.”