Single Pitch Award Training.

This week we have been running our popular single pitch award (SPA) across Cornwall. This climbing course is a precursor to the SPA Assessment qualification. The single pitch award training course allows you to work as an assistant climbing instructor and assist spa assessed and more qualified instructors

What does the Single Pitch Award Training qualification consist of?

The EBO SPA training course lasts for a minimum of 20 hours and is spread over 3 days as a minimum.  We can schedule more training days if you don’t have the relevant limbing experience.  It  includes personal climbing, group supervision and the use of climbing walls. If you have an exceptionally high level of experience you may be granted exemption from the training course and proceed directly to assessment. To do this you must first register and tick the exemption application request box on the registration form.  Then you should submit the exemption application form together with a copy of your completed logbook

At the end of your training course you will agree a personal action plan with EBO Adventure. This usually covers a period of at least six months during which time you will record your climbing and supervising experience in your logbook. Hopefully you will progress onto the SPA Assessed Course.

What next?

Once you have gained the necessary experience agreed with us during your SPA Training Course you will be ready for the SPA Assessment.

SPA Assessment Course and Exam

Your assessor will ask to see your logbook when you book on the course to check you have completed the SPA training course (or successfully gained exemption from training), satisfied the consolidation requirements and have a current First Aid certificate. The assessment lasts for a minimum of 20 hours and includes personal climbing, group supervision and the use of climbing walls. After passing the assessment you should keep your logbook up to date and your First Aid certificate valid.

Once you have your SPA Assessment ticket you will be able to take clients on single pitch routes.

For the purposes of this scheme a single pitch route is one which:

• is climbed without intermediate stances 
• is described as single pitch in the guidebook 
• is non-tidal 
• is non-serious and has little objective danger 
• presents no difficulties on approach or retreat, such as route finding, 
scrambling or navigating.

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