Álvarez and van Bergen Make Personal Bests

Mar Álvarez on Tripa de Conejo (8b+) in Rodellar

This week European climbers Mar Álvarez and Nikki van Bergen broke into new personal grades, sending 8c+/5.14c and 8c/5.14b, respectively. Álvarez climbed Mind Control in Oliana, which was previously sent by a couple of ladies, including Sasha DiGiulian and Barbara Raudner. At 8c+/5.14c, Mar is just one grade away from joining the ranks of the elite 9a/5.14d club, the hardest grade ever climbed by a few select women. Over in France, Dutch climber Nikki van Bergen was busy sending Hot Chill-X in Gorges du Loup. By the age of 20, Nikki has earned herself multiple national titles, a podium finish at the European Youth Cup, and now 8c/5.14b bragging rights. Congrats ladies!

Climb on!
-Mary

(Info and photo credit: 8a.nu, www.nikkivanbergen.com, www.cpfotografia.com)

Ashima Sends One Summer in Paradise (8B/V13)

Ashima bouldering in Magic Wood. Photo by Rainer Eder.

Ashima Shiraishi has done it again. This time it was One Summer in Paradise (8B/V13) in Magic Wood, Switzerland. She’s adding this send to a list of other 8B/V13’s she’s accomplished, including Crown of Aragorn in Hueco Tanks and Fragile Steps in Rocklands. On this trip to Magic Wood she also climbed Pura Vida (V12), The Left Hand of Darkness (V12), The Right Hand of Darkness (V11), and Super Supernova (V11). At just 12-years-old Ashima is the first female to boulder 8B/V13 and send 8c+/5.14c. Along with her, Mirko Caballero also climbed One Summer in Paradise (8B/V13) and a list of other double-digit boulders in Magic Wood. Congrats to both of you young guns!

Climb on!
-Mary

(Info and Photo Credit: 8a.nu and dpmclimbing.com)

Pack Review – Deuter Guide Lite 28 SL

Confession: I intended for this to be my “girlfriend pack”. Ladies, you know what I mean, the little 28 liter pack for carrying food, water, and extra layers of clothing, while leaving the rest of the gear for my husband’s 50 liter pack. I know that sounds totally old fashioned, but there are some aspects of chivalry that I will gladly take advantage of. Regardless of my intentions, this pack has proven large enough and versatile enough to fit everything I need for a day of sport climbing without the help of my husband’s larger pack. Here’s how the Deuter Guide Lite 28 SL became my go-to pack:

Flannery Shay-Nemirow’s Solo Adventure

“Climbing is just so much a part of who I am at this point
that it’s hard to say how it’s changed me.”

This video, from Savage Films, features Flannery Shay-Nemirow in the Squamish forest where she finds some beautiful boulders and tells us why she decided to postpone college to travel and climb across North America. We love her youthful confidence to pursue her passion, even if it’s not the standard choice. So as we sit here working our day jobs, let’s take a tip from Flannery and stop thinking about the adventures we want to go on and start making them happen.

Climb on!
-Mary

Anna Stöhr Sends TWO 8B/V13’s in Rocklands

Anna on The Power of One. Photo by Reinhard Fichtinger|La Sportiva

25-year-old Austrian climber Anna Stöhr has earned two first female ascents of 8B/V13 boulders, The Power of One and The Vice, in Rocklands, South Africa. For the past 6 years in a row Anna has placed first or second overall in the ISFC Bouldering World Cup Series, but make no mistake, she is just as strong outside on real rock. In addition to her latest sends, she has climbed over 40 (yes 40!) double digit boulder problems. We are in awe of her strength and are psyched to watch as she continues to break into new grades and make climbing history. For more on Anna check out her website and watch this video from Red Bull.

Congrats Anna! Climb on!
-Mary

(Info Credit: 8a.nu, lasportiva.com)

Psicobloc Recap with Delaney Miller

Delaney Miller atop the wall at Psicobloc

Over the weekend pro climbers from around the world gathered in Park City, Utah to climb, party, and take 50 foot falls into Utah Olympic Park’s 750,000-gallon freestyle aerial training pool, at the Psicobloc Masters Series. Inspired by the first Psicobloc competition in Spain in 2011, this comp featured a 50-foot wall of 5.13c climbing for the women and 5.14b climbing for the men, with no ropes and only a pool to break their falls. Every type of climber was represented, from legend Lynn Hill, to young phenom Sacha DiGiulian, to powerhouse boulderer Alex Johnson. 16 female and 16 male climbers competed head-to-head in single elimination rounds until there was 1 woman and 1 man remaining. Here’s how it all shook out:

12-Year-Old Giorgia Tesio Redpoints V11

Back in April we featured 12-year-old Italian climber Giorgia Tesio in our Young Guns post as an up-and-comer to keep an eye on. She’s proven us right by sending her first double digit boulder, Paradigma (V11) in Val Ellero, Italy. Not only does this tween have some pretty sick bouldering skills, she’s quite the route climber too. In 2012 she flashed a 5.13b and sent two others. We can’t wait to see what she and the other strong youngsters out there do next! Congrats to Giorgia for breaking into V11!

Climb on!
-Mary

Info and Photo Credit: 8a.nu

Girl Crush of the Month: Barbara Zangerl

This month we’re celebrating boulderer, sport, trad, crack, and multi-pitch climber, Barbara Zangerl. As you’ve hopefully already gathered, this 25-year-old Austrian can pretty much do it all. She began climbing in the gym with her brother at the age of 14, fell hard for the sport, and hasn’t looked back. Well-known top boulderer, Bernd Zangerl (no relation to Barbara), took her outside for the first time and quickly became her climbing mentor. She took to bouldering right away, and in 2005, sent X-Ray (V11/V12) in Silvretta, Austria. If you’re doing the math, this means she went from beginner climber to V11/V12 boulderer in just 4 years! Barbara went on to gain the title of first female to send V13 on Pura Vida. The boulder was quickly downgraded to a slash grade of V12/V13. Was it because it was sent by a woman? Now, that’s a debate for another day.

Interview with Pro Route Setter Molly Beard

The gym’s route setting process often goes unnoticed, yet it is one of the most influential factors in competitions, indoor climbing, and gym culture. Earlier this summer, we talked with various female setters, which Missy coined “the unicorn of the climbing world” for their rarity. In today’s post we aim to shed light on one of the “unicorns” behind this route-setting process. Molly Beard is arguably one of the most experienced and well-known setters, male or female. Climbing for 20 years and setting for 18, Molly stands out among the rest, not only as one of the few female setters at the national level, but especially for her creativity, vision, and commitment to doing the work she loves. In her setting and climbing philosophy, Molly has a heart for all climbers and a desire to set for the youngest as well as the oldest, the V0 and the V10 climber, the kid who can’t reach and the 6’4″ climber. Read on to examine climbing from the setter’s perspective, and learn more about the creative route-setting genius of Molly Beard.

CXC: Your job seems very unique to us, especially for a female. What got you into route setting in the first place?

MB: I did some competing on my own and then began coaching a youth team in 1995. It was really obvious when the setting was good (as in equitable for tall or small, not bottlenecky, etc.) and when it was not. I got curious about how to set hard things that my tiny kids could reach, and so started to work on that concept by making routes for my team for practices. Near this time Tony Yaniro was in Portland going to school, and he hosted a setting clinic at one of the gyms. I was too poor to be able to attend, but asked him if we could trade: I would set for him for free at an upcoming Youth Regional Championship, if he would teach me. He agreed. I got completely worked, wrecked and schooled, and after sleeping a few days, was beyond psyched to learn more. I am constantly and profoundly grateful that he agreed to mentor me.

Dirtbags, Lifers, Number Chasers, we don’t care, we love you all! We created this for kicks and we hope you get a laugh out of it like we did. Click through for a larger view of the chart and enjoy!

xoxo,
Crux Crush