At the beginning of March this year, climbers from around the country flocked to Swinburne in the Free State to commemorate 20 years since Rory Lowther’s passing with The Roaring Rory, and what a very special weekend it was!
Check out the feedback report from the Lowthers and some snaps from the day, fill out the feedback form if you attended and haven’t submitted your response yet, and keep your eyes peeled for the next one…
EVENT GALLERY
Photos from Jessica Jardim-Wedepohl and Tim Jardim.
ABOUT THE RORY
For those unfamiliar with the local history, Rory Lowther (1984–2004) was a talented and passionate climber who made a lasting impact on the community during his years on the rock. He began climbing at 16 years old and quickly made a name for himself, ticking hard grades, enthusiastically sharing his love for the sport, and bolting and establishing many new sport climbs around Gauteng, notably in Chosspile’s Harry Potter sector and the Radioactive area near Pelindaba. At just 19 years old, Rory teamed up with Andrew Porter to compile and publish the Crags of Gauteng route guide.
Rory was trad climbing in Swinburne, an area very special to him, on 3 February 2004 when he fell 20 metres (his protection failing to catch him), and sustained serious injuries which quickly claimed his life. In February 2005, the Lowther family hosted the first edition of the Rory Lowther Memorial Challenge (which soon became known affectionately as “The Rory”) to honour their son and brother, and create awareness about the importance of proper safety practices in rock climbing, particularly among young mountaineers – the Rory’s number one rule has always been that every competitor needs to wear a helmet.
A huge thank you to the Lowthers for putting together this fantastic event and giving so much to the climbing community over the past 20 years – we believe that Rory would be exceptionally proud.
Pop an email to info@therory.co.za if you’d like to help out with future events, and stay safe out there!
