Troll ambassadors - current projects, aims and challenges
Team Troll cover a range of climbing and mountaineering disciplines, each with their own unique aspirations. Find out what they've been up to lately, and what they're working towards.
Ambassadors
Ambassadors
MEET TEAM TROLL
We're very proud to work with our ambassadors and be part of their individual journeys. Our team cover a range of climbing and mountaineering disciplines, each with their own unique aspirations.
Stephen Keir
I have climbed for around 10 years now. I love climbing in it’s entirety but have especially focused my efforts on competition climbing, representing GB in the youth competitions for the past 4 years. I have become British youth bouldering champion, placed 4th in Europe and made numerous other national level podiums on the youth scene across all disciplines. I now set my sights on the senior scene and aim to carry on and improve on my current achievements as well as spending more time on real rock too.
Outside of climbing I am also currently studying Law at Dundee university and with the free time I have I love playing and listening to music. My Christian faith is also a big part of my life and is something that provides the foundation for my life.
Preferred climbing style: Bouldering
Jonny Bird
I’m Jonny, a climber/photographer living up in Northumberland and working full time as an electrical engineer. I’ve been climbing for 10 years or so, I like to dabble in a bit of everything from full day multi-pitches, winter mountaineering, to one move wonder boulder problems. Being based up in Northumberland is great for bouldering – there are so many hidden gems all across the county, often with no-one else in sight!
Besides climbing, I’m a keen hiker and will often be found up in the Scottish Highlands on a mountain ridge, or stomping round the Lakes with our Border Collie, Ardy! I love being part of the troll team – my first ever harness was an old school Troll, so its great to come full circle!
Preferred climbing style:
Everything… but if I had to choose, Bouldering or multipitch trad.
Oliver Parkinson
I'm a Yorkshire based climber and casual filmmaker. I've been climbing for 7 years and work in the climbing industry. I particularly enjoy moorland crags and establishing first ascents. I'm inspired by proud features and problems with enough height to make falling something that needs to be controlled and thought about.
Preferred climbing style:
Bouldering (very occasional sport climbing in the summer).
Anoushé Husain
Tried climbing when I was 8 but never took it up. Tried again as a way to rehabilitate myself after having cancer at 23/24 but climbing was just a hobby I did socially with friends for couple of hours every couple of months. Moved to the UK in 2013.
Restarted climbing socially in November 2015, got my first coach in Feb 2016, ranked 2nd in the UK in my category in UK Paraclimbing nationals that year. Was my first year competing.
Since then have been ranking 2nd-3rd every year until Covid. Indoor climbed Everest to raise money for Shine Cancer support in 2017 to commemorate my 5 years all clear from cancer.
Co-founded Paraclimbing London in 2018 (www.paraclimbinglondon.co.uk)
First outdoor climb in 2018 – we made a film called If I can https://youtu.be/gszaexqeI-8
Major illness and injury in 2020 during pandemic with surgery in 2021.
Working on multiple climbing projects now including returning to the competition circuit.
Preferred climbing style: Top-rope and lead
Solomon Kemball-Dorey
Used to do competition climbing but got drawn to outdoor bouldering over the last couple of years as it was more accessible for me, all national comps were 5-hour drive. Over the last year I have been doing lots of first accents due to the fact I have climbed most of the hard boulders in my area as well as repeating the other hard boulders that are about.
I also try to snowboard when possible, but my life is mostly focused around climbing.
Preferred climbing style: Outdoor Bouldering
Sallyann Parkinson
I am from New Zealand and have always loved adventures in the outdoors. I love climbing, snowboarding, hiking and I used to be a keen mountain biker (but I just can't fit it all in!). I love renovating houses, doing up furniture, gardening, travelling and signing (currently doing level 4 BSL qualification).
Preferred climbing style: Bouldering
Tom Pearce
Hi, I’m Tom Pearce. I’m a 15 year old trad climber based in North Yorkshire.
I grew up climbing with my dad, he would take me out after school to places like scugdale and the wainstones, and I just fell in love with the sport.
I was always fascinated by bold routes, however it wasn’t until July 2020 that I had my first taste of what the future could hold. Since then, I’ve worked my way through multiple hard moors routes, and do not intend to stop any time soon. I’m keen to keep challenging myself in both mental and physical ways, and I’m excited to see what will happen next!
When I’m off the rock I’ll tend to busy myself by exploring the moors and discovering what’s out there!
Preferred climbing style: Traditional
Anita Aggarwal
Paraclimber focused on GB Para Climbing National Series and international competitions.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis since 2009.
Auditory Processing Disorder
Climbing to me is more than just entering competitions. I got into climbing in 2008. Unfortunately, a year later I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (multiple scars). When I came out of hospital all I actually wanted to do was climb. I had no feeling down the left-hand side, which meant that neither of my limbs were working very well.
To me, climbing is a place where you can socialise and meet people, and a sport where age and fitness doesn't matter.
I became an Inclusive Climbing Coach bringing climbing to all – working with all ages. I specialise in coaching people with conditions including Blind, Missing Limbs, ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Asperger’s, Depression, down syndrome, Learning Disabilities, Cerebral palsy and the LGBT+ and BIPOC community. I work with all levels of ability.
Preferred climbing style: Bouldering/Sport Climbing
Ciaran Tolan
Started off bouldering on my own. Decided to have a go at sport climbing in the Dales and had many, many epics on short single pitch crags as we didn’t know what we were doing. I got really into sport climbing and managed to tick a F7c+ in my first summer of climbing, I think I also managed a soft f7c boulder later that year too.
Trad is going to be my focus for the next couple of years, with bouldering and sport climbing mixed in to keep things interesting. My main goals grade wise for this year is to climb E8, F8a and f8a. In April I’m doing my RCI training so hopefully by the end of summer I’ll be able to start getting paid to take people climbing. Going to try my hand at winter climbing this year hopefully.
Apart from climbing I play the piano, draw, read, cook and hangboard on rest days.
Preferred climbing style: Trad but I like it all.
Cole Poppleton
I'm 15 and have been climbing since I was 7. I've competed regionally, nationally and internationally but recently realised that competing wasn't really what I wanted out of climbing so now I focus on climbing for the love of it. I try not to set myself too many end-goals, I just want to enjoy myself, explore new places.
Preferred climbing style:
Mainly a boulderer and sport climber but also enjoy trad.
James Ferguson
I first properly got into climbing when I started volunteering for CPS activities, an outdoor company that was running climbing classes at the Edinburgh international climbing arena for roughly two years and then worked as an outdoor instructor in England the following summer.
Since then I have started studying Engineering at university while working for the NHS, however I will shortly be leaving full time employment to focus on full time education and the outdoors so I can work towards various qualifications such as International mountain leader, rock climbing instructor and white water rescue.
Preferred climbing style:
Sport climbing is my preferred style however as I am working towards my rock-climbing instructor qualification I will also be branching out into trad and potentially outdoor bouldering as well.
