A climber is making a climbing route in Bukit Batu Bujang Pahang (Brunei Darussalam). The formation is about 60 meter above the ground, lies close to Malaysian border. There is a kampong close to the cliff where we can find food and drink.

Today (8/20) at about 7am eleven mountaineers from Indonesia and Malaysia get the top of Rinjani (3.726 m above sea level). Some climbers can not reach the top got exhausted, and some are staying in the base camp for supporting. This expedition led by Roy (PMM) and Tedi Ixdiana (FPTI), 25 team members come from Malaysia while the remaining 27 for the host country.

This achievement will be a sign for new era of ASEAN mountaineering activity, where we do joint expedition under SEACF. Now we could have a dream to summit more challenging mountains, either in our region or other side of the world with wider public attention.

Today (8/19) more than 50 mountaineers from Malaysia and Indonesian start to reach the summit of Rinjani in Lombok Island. This activity is part of SEACF programe for the year of 2008. The aim of the activity is to promote mountaineering activity in the Southeast Asia region and to strengtening friendship among ASEAN mountaineers.

Next year SEACF will try to held the similar activity to summit one of the mountain in Malaysia which will attract more mountaineers from the region such as from Singapore, Filipina, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand.

Supported by FPTI and Indonesian Army, Tedi will run another ASEAN standard climbing course located in two cities, Cilodong (north of Bogor) and Citatah (close to Bandung). The course will be held on August 28-30. Participants around the country will attend this course, unfortunately due to limited equipment the organizer only accept maximum 30 participants.

Some courses to come will be scheduled to be held within this year, but precise date still uncertain. Harau in West Sumatra in the most potential one to hel soon, since there are many cliffs there which is one of the great attractor for climbers to come. Click here for the brochure of the course (377kb).

Two climbers reach the top of Batu Layar rock lies close to Nikoi Island (Indonesia) which is located in the South China Sea.

Tedi Ixdiana has successfully held the first climbing course sanction by Southeast Asia Climbing Standard (SEACS) in Indonesian. Due to non-existence of artificial rock the course was held in natural rock know as Batu Tumpang close to City of Garut, West Java.

The course could held by support from several bodies such as national local army force and local mountaineering club in the city. Total participant accumulated was 50 (fifty) climbers, all participated in sport climbing level one, which is conduct in 5 (five) batches in difference days which was end on June 25, 2008.

Next course will be held by Tedi in Lembah Harau (West Sumatera) in July 2008 and Bandung (West Java) estimated in August this year. If you are interest to participate in the course please contact your local federation.

SEACF in cooperation with Indonesian Climbing Federation (FPTI) will organise Rinjani summitting in August 18 - 22 2008. Each member country will have quota to send 20 mountaineers, except Indonesia. This activity is part of independence anniversary of Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia which are done all in month of August.

In addition to the climbing activity, there will be a social activity in Sembulu and Senaru. Semburu is our point to start, where we would held camp and provide a charity event to community nearby. In Senaru where we get rest after 3 days trekking, we could do another social event to comuunity.

All mountaineers will have a nite in Segara Anakan lake just after summitting the top Rinjani before getting Senaru. This event could be a first catalist to melt down ASEAN mountaineers, where SEACF aims to held joint mountaineering expedition annually.

A Site of Batu Cave rock in KL, Malayasia.

Below are list of some important targets to be achieved by SEACF during 2008-2012 terms:

Organisation

1. Number of federation members go up to be 9 (nine) members.

2. 4 (four) members represention in Asian level, 2 (two) members representation in international level.

3. Expand SEACF to other region.

Sport Climbing

1. Sport climbing part of SEA Games.

2. Sport climbing part of ASEAN Inter-university Games.

3. SEACF has at least 1 (one) international route setter, 3 (three) routesetters Asian level, and 5 international level judges . Each federation must have 1 (one) Asian level judges.

4. Annual climbing kids and youth competition all disciplines.

5. 50 (fifty) climbing instructors.

Mountaineering

1. Annual joint expedition.

2. ASEAN Joint expedition to Cartenz Pyramid (Indonesia)

SEACF Annual Meeting was held in Asia Hotel, Bangkok (Thailand) on March 30, 2008. All members were attend the meeting: Thailand, Singapore, Philipinnes, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei Darussalam.

The meeting results many important point for improvement of future climbing activity in the region, one of it is SEACF Vision 2008-2012 which will be the direction for the organization. Maman Hermansyah (INA) still got mandate to be SEACF president for the next term.

SEACF has proofed significant role for the development of climbing activity in Asia, and SEACF still committed to keep increasing his role also in international level. Support from all members is a key role of this achievement, each members has to maintain their own organization in align with the vision.

The meeting will be held in Bangkok (Thailand) on March 30, 2008. Five members out of six SEACF members already confirmed to attend the meeting, only BSCF (Brunei Darussalam) still unconfirmed.

The most important agendas of the meeting is implementation of SEACF label system which will be a hope for any climbing equipment producer of the region. Other issue are calender and organisation structure of SEACF to prepare the implementation of AFTA in 2010.

Most of climbing equipment still use UIAA label although the UIAA has no been managing the climbing activity since January 2007 world climbing federations established International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC).

Since initial climbing development equipment provider dominate by European companies, which assist to grow by the popularity of the sport, especially for significant equipment such as carabiners, ropes, and belay devices.

This month SEACF will try to discuss possibility to implement SEACF standard for climbing equipment. With the label, companies from ASEAN could produce equipment and get standard from SEACF then could go to the ASEAN market.

The idea of SEACF label is based on the goal to stimulate outdoor equipment manufacturers from the region, beside it become one important financial source for SEACF. Of course in the next other region could get benefit from our effort in this field.

In the last Annual Meeting in Bandar Seri Bagawan eraly July 2007, SEACF will implement new format of competition. In each year SEACF will only held two climbing competition those are: ASEAN Climbing Championship and ASEAN Youth Championship. This format of competition should be taken due to tighter climbing competition in resepective level: world series, asian, and country local.

ASEAN Youth Climbing Championship will be implemented early December this year in Thailand in conjunction to some courses in judge and route setter and instructor, while ASEAN Climbing Championship will be start next year competition.

The committee hope that this new format will assist climbing activity in the ASEAN region could get faster development not only in sport technical achievement but also popularity from lay people.

Tedi Ixdiana, a climber from Indonesia, just finish create a sport climbing route in Bukit Batu Bujang Pahang in Brambangan Island, Brunei Darussalam.

He claimed that the route, later given title The Sultan Brunei 001 because the route created in same day of the first day Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah birthday celebration that is July 1 2007, has 5.11b with 14 bolts length about 30m.

Tedi said that the cliff could have about 20 sport climbing routes, with difficulty level vary 5.9-5.13, but unfortunately time available for him has not permited him create more route. The route could be created due to big support from Moh Denos HN Hj Jaya and Shamsul Bahari from Brunei Darussalam Sport Climbing Federation (BSCF). They planned to create more route there in the near coming future, and hope Tedi could participate on it.

We hope with the route Brunei climbing community could be more extend rather than today. Maybe next time Brunei could host international climbing competition and other internasional climbing activities such as course and training. If you will try to enjoy climbing natural rock in Brunei please contact our friends in BSCF.

Delegates from SEACF member are coming to Bandar Seri Bagawan to discuss the coming future of Asean climbing activities, the most important one is about climbing in SEA Games. Delegates agreed to participate in ASEAN Climbing Festival that will be held in the same time with SEA Games 2007 in Thailand. The festival will consist judge and route setter course, instructor course, ASEAN Youth Climbing Championship, SEA Climbing Circuit, and SEACF Executive Meeting.

Delegates from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and of course from the host country Brunei Darussalam held the meeting at Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah, Berakas, Brunei Darusallam. Other important points is all member keep going to make contact with their own national olympic committee regarding the movement of climbing in the SEA Games, and we hope when SEA Games held in Indonesia 2009 the dream already realise. SEACF member hope could join Cartenz Pyramid, one of the seven summit in the world, expedition that will be organized by FPTI within this year, and they will make this activity could be used to promote the Climbing in SEA Games Movement.

After the meeting all delagates visit the only one artificial climbing wall in Brunei Darussalam, which built about 1990-s in Tasik Park, Bandar Seri Bagawn. Tomorrow, a delegate from Indonesia (Tedi Ixdiyana) will visit some place for climbing in natural rock and try to set up some new route there. Before go back to Indonesia, Tedi will do the same in Batu Cave suburb of KL, Malaysia.

Thanks to Brunei Darussalam Sport Climbing Federation (BSCF) and all people of beautiful Brunei Darussalam for hospitality and hosted the successful meeting. And see you all in the next meeting in Suphanburi, Thailand in December 2007 during ASEAN Climbing Festival.

City of Yogyakarta still in the preparation process to held two competition in July this year. The end of last week Mr Musa Bin Atan of IFSC-ACC has done inspection of the competition venue, Mr Musa will pass his report to ACC Executive Committee and hope ACC will issue clearance for City of Yogyakarta to held the 2007 Asian Youth Climbing Cup on July 8-10.

Following 2007 Asian Climbing Youth Cup, City of Yogyakarta will held the 2007 SEA Climbing Circuit, for event lead and speed. Etty Hendrawaty, one of well-known speed climber from Indonesia, lives in this city. She has a kid now, and already start to participate in some national level competition.

This year annual meeting will be held in Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei Darussalam. The meeting itself will be held on June 30. Hope all members could attend this impportant event to the future of our organisation.

Agendas that will be disccussed in this one day meeting could be: SEA Games Issue, The Future of SEA Circuit, SEA Climbing Standards, and sport climbing development in other ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Campuchea, and Timor Leste.

Other issues that could be included in the meeting migth be IFSC-ACC meeting 2007 in Japan and the future of sport climbing in Olimpic movement.