What went down (and up) at The North Face Climb Festival

It’s a drizzly Saturday morning in Canary Wharf and professional climber and commentator Cedar Wright’s voice is booming over the mic: ​“She’s cutting loose!” Across the water, two climbers cling on to a vertiginous 16-metre-tall climbing wall in a race to get to the top. Victory, or face planting the Thames, awaits.

We’re at The North Face Climb Festival, the brand’s very own get together joining the dots between clubbing and climbing. Last year, it was held in Chicago; now, it’s taking place in Shanghai, New York and London, offering anyone who’s brave enough the opportunity to compete against those at the pinnacle of the sport. Plus, for those who just want a dance, a lot of ace music.

The day began with a series of qualifying rounds as climbers got to grips with their route and steadied their nerves over the choppy waters below. Spectators started flowing in early, clad in activewear and shaking their heads in awe at the athletes scaling the wall. Many brought picnic blankets and flasks, ready to hunker down for the day.

By lunchtime, the sun had started to show itself, warming the climbers who had either jumped or fallen (in style) into the water as they trod around the festival wrapped in towels and rushing on adrenaline.

Some like Anna Soligo, who’d made it to the 12 metre mark, were preparing for the next round. So how did it feel? ​“I mean it’s scary but great! I was climbing next to Zoë Peetermans and at some point we were on a rest hold at the same time so we just stopped, had a little chat and were like to each other: ​‘Yeah, you can do it!” Competition in climbing, it seems, is very much healthy.

For the punters who, like THE FACE, didn’t particularly fancy tempting fate and clambering skyward, there was plenty to do. There was a mini The North Face store, a bouldering wall with workshops from TNF athlete Jacopo Larcher and a repair station where visitors could get their kit fixed for free as part of the brand’s new Renewed programme.

There were also a series of talks from the likes of professional climber Caro Ciavaldini, who screened her new film Kindness, and Rotimi Odukoya, the founder of Black climbing community Clmbxr. He had some wise words for those new to the sport: ​“Remain childlike, enjoy falling and record your climbs.”

By the afternoon, the bank was heaving and competitors were moving faster. To up the ante, there were sets from JJess, who kept the crowd two stepping to her RnB edits, and Laurence Guy, who soundtracked the pulse-raising finals. After Nathaniel Coleman and Julija Kruder were announced as the winners, Ross From Friends took to the stage to close the night with a peak-time set of thumping house and electro.

It was an exhilarating day and we even got a little tempted to chalk-up ourselves. But for now, we’ve only got one question: When’s the next one, The North Face?