Against this backdrop, local authorities invited the UIAA Safety Commission<\/a> to Kalymnos in May 2026 to host a bolting workshop as part of its annual safety meetings. The commission, a voluntary body responsible for developing international safety standards for climbing equipment, shared insights from more than a decade of research into bolts, stress corrosion cracking and rebolting practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent discussions surrounding anchor failures<\/a> and corrosion have raised urgent questions about long-term route maintenance, materials, environmental exposure and local oversight. The UIAA\u2019s ability to act as a neutral technical voice, bringing together local authorities, bolters, route developers and community representatives, was viewed as an important contribution during a difficult moment.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe bolting challenge in Kalymnos is very big. We have almost 5,000 routes all over the island. About 1,000 of these routes are more than 20 years old and these routes start to have old material and are open to corrosion. We have to prioritise rebolting these 1,000 routes. The UIAA meeting in Kalymnos is crucial as it is a critical for the island as we move from stainless steel to a better material for longer-term sustainability\u201d<\/em>, says Aris Theodoropoulos of Rebolt Kalymnos<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Anchors](\"https:\/\/assets.bergundsteigen.com\/2026\/06\/2026-uiaa-safety-events-in-kalymnos_55330468135_o-1024x683.jpg\")