BMC Women in Adventure 2017: The Winners

Now in its third year, the competition was set up by the BMC, WomenClimb and the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival to try and get more women in front of, and behind, the camera. The deadline has now passed and the BMC TV elves have been busy uploading them to our competition channel.

Best Film

Three Women and the Three Old Men, by Sandro Gromen Hayes

'Three women and the three old men' is a story of three women's journey to climb three of Scotland's remote sea stacks in just three days to raise money for a local charity who provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths in climbing.

Best micro-adventure

In Peak Rock, by Sandro Gromen Hayes

A unique grit ticklist which takes you very literally in peak rock? Charlie and Ellie take on a small challenge, close to home on (in!) the grit. A selection of routes, from Severe to E1, takes them through wide chimneys and dark cave crawls and makes for a good bit of fun on a summers day in the peak! Charlie and Ellie have been climbing together since first learning three years ago, and have shared many a belay and an adventure. They are passionate about women in climbing and run Women's Trad Festival in the Peak District.

Best student film

The Life Cycle by Lizzie Gilson

The story of the UK's first 'home grown bicycle' grown in Cornwall, built in London, living in Cumbria and heading for South America to ride the length of the Andes on a biodiversity awareness campaign bike ride.

People's choice award

Stuck by Alice Hafer

Warning: this is not a send video. Boulderers Alice Hafer and Zofia Reych discover the joys of learning how to crack climb on a Peak district classic.

Thanks to our judging panel of WomenClimb’s Emily Pitts, Kendal film officer Claire Carter, and filmmaker Rich Heap.

WATCH: all the entries on the BMC TV playlist

Entries to the Women in Adventure Film Competition 2017

We know adventures come in many shapes and sizes, from the weekend warriors, the micro adventurers to the long-term travellers. Each adventure is unique and personal and the following films show the huge variety of adventures.

London to the Lakes shows Hannah and Lucy leaving the big smoke for a snowy, wintery Lake District adventure. It's sometimes easy to feel that we don’t have the time for adventures, living in the city we wonder how we could possibly fit in a trip outdoors with little time available. We love how this film shows how, with enough effort and desire, you can get yourself away from the inner city, and wake up on a Saturday morning on top of a snowy mountain ready for the day’s adventure.

Another film showing us the possibilities to micro adventure is Modern Day Escapism: My micro adventure under 48 hours & £100. Lucja Leonard says: "In a fast paced world that seems to be forever getting even busier and more expensive we are all seeking getaways that actually allow you to 'get away' without costing the earth or taking all your time." This film shows a truly remote adventure, in Inverie, accessible only by ferry, foot or helicopter.

More of a 'macro' adventure this time in The Life Cycle. Kate's planning an epic adventure in South America on the UK’s first home-grown bicycle. Armed with an infectious personality and a bamboo bicycle, Kate prepares to set off on a biodiversity campaign.

With little else but old photos and stories of their family's history, twins Christa and Camilla set off to Southern India to retrace their ancestral roots in the film Climbing Up The Family Tree, whilst also climbing in as many places as possible and talking to as many people as possible.

Who doesn’t love setting themselves a challenge? It’s a great way to motivate and push ourselves to do something outside our comfort zones.

Beauties and the Bog features four girls, Libby, Lisa, Bo and Ali, who have set themselves a challenge – and what better challenge than to run a 42 mile fell race, overnight and in winter, aka the High Peak Marathon! It’s a great story of four girls motivated by the challenge and supporting each other throughout their training which includes night training, throughout winter, through bogs, up hills, in snow

The next challenge is a unique grit ticklist which takes you quite literally In Peak Rock. Ellie and Charlie set themselves a challenge to climb a selection of routes, from Severe to E1 that takes them through wide chimneys and dark cave crawls.

Our adventures all have a personal meaning, we get something amazing out of them, the sense of achievement, overcoming our fears, the social aspect. Our next group of films focus on the personal stories of female outdoor adventurers.

First up is Woman Up, a moving account of Eilidh’s journey from ‘non sporty’ to 'outdoor adventure lover'. This is a very real and personal account of how Eilidh overcame her fears around doing sport to discover her passion and talent for mountain biking. We’re sure this film will resonate with so many people, the feeling of standing out doing sport, of not looking 'right' for sport, the fear of being judged.

There's a similar theme in the film Stronger, where Sam tells us where she started from with her struggles climbing Snowdon, and how she felt when she first started climbing. Fewer women participate in climbing (and other sports and activities) than men, body image and self-confidence can be a big barrier to women trying something new and getting active. With the media tending to show images of slim, toned, muscular women, in full make up and the latest figure-hugging gear whilst taking part in these activities, it’s easy to see why many women may not think the activity is suitable for them or why they may feel uncomfortable starting a new activity. Sam’s experiences have allowed her to see that climbing is actually a welcoming and open environment, in which anyone can feel a part of – it’s just about enjoying it!

Devotion features Libby Peters, one of the UK’s most respected climbers, with experience in expeditions, instructing, coaching and guiding around the world. Libby’s passion for the mountains shines throughout this film. Though life presents you with many inevitable changes, Devotion shows us how we can embrace those changes and remain true to ourselves.

Ever heard paragliding being called boring? Well it's one of the three words BMC ambassador Hazel Findlay uses to describe it in The Sky’s the Limit. However, that all makes sense if you watch it to the end. So much skill and nerve is needed for paragliding and these four have got truck-loads.

WATCH: The Women in Adventure 2017 playlist on BMC TV

📺 WATCH: All the films EVER entered into the Women In Adventure Film Competition

Any questions, feedback or ideas about the competition can be sent to emma@thebmc.co.uk