The “Steel Angel” award concept

Our mission is to empower women to achieve their best in climbing, while promoting the sport to welcome new members into our community

Award concept and selection criteria. “Steel Angel”: women’s climbing award


Main goals / Key objectives:

  • Promote alpine ascents and projects performed by female teams through media.
  • Empower female climbers with unwavering support and provide a platform for sharing experiences and exchanging skills to establish a robust female alpine community. 
  • Educate on sustainable and responsible behavior in the mountains in regards to the environment and people in the alpine communities, promote clear ethical messages regarding our practices as alpinists.
  • Organize the annual Steel Angel award to recognize the most outstanding women’s alpine project of the year, reward individual and collective achievement.

Criteria for evaluation of ascents

When evaluating nominees for the “Steel Angel” award, the expert jury will prioritize ascents that best align with the following criteria:

BEAUTY

The consistency and uniqueness of the route line. The spirit of adventure and exploration.

STYLE

  •  Speed of route completion
  •  Preferably free-climbing
  •  Autonomy and absence of external support during an ascent, except in emergency cases
  •  Suitability of the route in light of objective dangers

NOVELTY

  •  New innovative routes
  •  Ascents of previously unclimbed peaks;
  •  Ascents in remote mountain regions.

INSPIRATION

Ascents that inspire other female climbers to take up the sport, foster a supportive and inclusive community, and push women towards new challenges.

PUBLICITY

Media coverage.


The criteria for nominee selection and the protocol for compiling the list of ascents outlined as follows:

  1. The longlist encompasses alpine projects executed by female teams throughout the year.
  2. The longlist is curated by the Organizing Committee of the award based on open sources and includes noteworthy ascents of the season.
  3. The shortlist is compiled by the Organizing Committee and the international Expert Jury panel based on the longlist, highlighting the five best ascents and projects of the year.
  4. Following the creation of the shortlist, the award organizer reaches out to the selected teams, requesting them to prepare presentations showcasing their ascents for presentation during the award ceremony.
  5. The laureate of the “Steel Angel” award is determined based on the results of preliminary voting by representatives of the Expert Jury. The Expert Jury makes the final selection on the day of the award ceremony, immediately after the nominees deliver their presentations. The teams are formally awarded during the official ceremony of the RMF.

 

Requirements for nominees:

Submit a slideshow or video presentation (5 minutes or less) to the Organizing Committee at least 2 weeks before the award ceremony.

Expert Jury of the Steel Angel award

The Expert Jury of the  Steel Angel award comprises leaders from the international outdoor community, including top-rated alpine climbers and sports journalists.