IRCRA Multi-Centre Trial

The IRCRA is pleased to announce the first multi-centre trail regarding climbing abilities and tests to assess performance.

Files may be found in RESOURCES / IRCRA MCT

The test battery document should have all the details required to complete the testing at each centre involved in the study. If though you have any questions, please email Nick Draper directly (n.draper@derby.ac.uk) and he will address the point raised. In addition, an excel file will be uploaded, which will be used as the data collection file for the study. If you can enter all your data into this file that would be excellent, then at the end of the study we will be able to merge the files.

The study will require all climbers to visit the laboratory on three occasions (with 7 days between each visit). This is to create sufficient recovery between tests such that each can represent an independent test of climbing ability – for subsequent modelling when we have collected all the data. In other words, if we had run the tests all in one day, the effort required for some of the tests would have an impact on performance in later tests which would therefore weaken the evaluation of each subsequent test. The aim of the multi-centre trial being to assess the unique contribution of each test to assess climbing ability – as measured through self-report (which is included as one of the questionnaire sheets).

We plan and wish to report the results of the trial at the 2016 Rock Congress and so wish, as highlighted in earlier emails, to collect data between 1st July 2015 to 31st March 2016. If you are able to join the study and be one of the test centres we will include your data and team in the multi-centre analysis and all publications. We plan to report findings at the Rock Congress and submit to a high-ranking international journal.

Jirka has also agreed that a contact of his will be able to provide a climbing hold/rung that will be essential for tests 3, 4 and 5 in the battery. If you are going to continue to be part of the multi-centre trial can you please contact him directly (email address above) to request a rung to be sent to you directly to assist in the reliability of data collection for the study. Thank you Jirka for this very generous and helpful offer.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me, it would be great also if you can let me know if you are planning to be involved – it will be wonderful if you will be able to – and also keep me updated as to your progress. You are welcome to complete your study anytime from the 1st July 2015 onwards, but if you can send to me (n.draper@derby.ac.uk) your competed data file (excel spreadsheet) before 31st March 2016 that would be excellent.