2 March 2007
Sheffield's first 'Cliffhanger'.
Sheffield's proximity to the Peak District is to be celebrated in spectacular fashion this summer with a massive brand new outdoor-pursuits event.

"The inspiration for Cliffhanger came from the city itself. A third of Sheffield is within the boundary of the Peak District - there couldn't be a better place for it", said Kevin Cheetham, Sheffield City Council's outdoor events officer.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the Graves Park event on Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15.

Cliffhanger will include climbing walls and other outdoor sports for all ages; live music; a craft fair; an Alpine beer festival; demonstrations from mountaineering and caving organisations, white knuckle rides and much, much more.

Up to one hundred trade stalls are set to sell everything from climbing boots to kayaks.

Cliffhanger will also host the first ever outdoor British Bouldering Championships - staged on a specially constructed 20 metre (wide) x five metre (high) weather-proof`boulder'.

The event, billed as `Sheffield's Outdoor Event for Outdoor People', is organised by Sheffield City Council Parks and Countryside Department and Woodseats-based outdoor sports event consultants, Heason Events.

Another star attraction is set to be a Guinness World Record attempt in the shape of the Dyno Competition - an event open to the public.

"Sheffield, particularly the S7 area, is widely recognised as having the highest concentrated number of climbers in the world," said Heason Events' founder and managing director, Matt Heason.

"The British Mountaineering Council was keen to take this sport to a wider audience and Sheffield, with its close proximity to the Peak District National Park, was an obvious choice. The city is home to many ex-champions in the sport and thousands more enjoy the sport through local climbing walls. A new one, the Climbing Works, recently opened in Woodseats and had more than 10,000 visitors in just over two months, with 4,000 becoming members."

Up to 150 skilled climbers are expected to take part in the two-day event which has separate trials for men, women and juniors (aged up to 16).

Cliffhanger - Sheffield's Outdoor Event for Outdoor People, takes place at Graves Park on Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15.

There's a £5 entrance fee for adults but kids, parking and programmes, are free. More details will be announced nearer the event and posted on the website: www.cliff-hanger.co.uk

For more information, call Kevin Cheetham on: 0114 273 6433/0780 229 9562 or Matt Heason on: 0114 296 9114/0796 652 9219.

More information including images: http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/HTML/Admin.htm