Sasha DiGiulian ice climbing in Colorado

Last winter Sasha DiGiulian, one of the world’s leading female sports climbers with 9a redpointsto her name, decided she simply wanted to go outside and "try something new." The 22-year-old American decided to team up with expert Will Mayo and spend a fortnight ice and mixed climbing in Colorado and, unsurprisingly, the results came in very fast indeed.

While DiGiulian herself admits she is far from proficient, M10 on only her second day indicates that her learning curve is fast and, above all though, her attitude is laudable. "I’m here learning something that I’ve never experienced before. It’s cool to fail. And be open to failure. Why not?" Yes, why not!