A YOUNG climber feels on top of the world after reaching new heights to claim success in global competitions.

Clark Noone, who is a pupil at Clydeview Academy, placed third in the UIAA International Climbing & Mountaineering Federation's Ice Climbing Continental and Youth Open in Sutherland as part of the organisation's world tour this month.

This follows him finishing ninth place in the UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships in Champagny-en-Vanoise in France in January.

Greenock Telegraph:

Clark, 16, was delighted with his success in what is his debut year.

He said: "I'm pretty happy about it, as it was my first season competing."

The youngster does a mixture of ice and rock climbing using axes and plastic artificial holds to move upwards.

But it was a local facility at Ravenscraig Sports Centre that fuelled his passion for climbing.

He said: "I started climbing at Ravenscraig when I was about 10 and then in Glasgow. The Glasgow Climbing Centre held a dry tooling event and I really enjoyed that and got into it from there."

Greenock Telegraph:

Dry-tooling is a form of mixed climbing performed on bare, ice-free routes, with ice axes and crampons to ascend the route.

Clark, who is a member of the Scottish Dry Tooling Club, hopes to combine his interest in his pursuit along with a profession, using the skills he has picked up.

He told the Tele: "I  really like the physical activity of it and I am training three times a week up at the Glasgow Climbing Centre.

"Most of the competitions are indoors and I would like to do more more climbing on mountains and peaks.

"I would like to get an apprenticeship at college to work in tree surgery or as a rope access technician, but I want to keep climbing and do better next year."