Kids learn to climb early. It’s a natural progression, along with sitting, crawling and standing. As they grow up, some of them — like the teenagers at Boulders Climbing Gym this week — just keep right on rising to new heights.
A total of 474 athletes, ages 14 to 19, from 34 countries are in Central Saanich to compete in the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Youth Climbing Championships. Yellow-headed pins, marking the home countries of competitors arriving from as far away as Siberia and Australia, are stuck all over a world map hanging at the entrance to the gym.
Team Canada has 28 climbers ready to take on the world, including seven who train at Boulders Gym. Alison Stewart-Patterson, Elan Jonas-McRae, Robert Stewart-Patterson, Ryder Hoy, Tristen Gosselin, Cameron White and Elena Moss all will be scaling the walls as local favourites.
For the climbers and fans, it all begins with opening ceremonies today at 8 p.m. Instead of climbers dangling from harnesses, however, the ceremonies will feature an aerial performance by Aeriosa Dance Society.
The climbing begins with all-day qualifying rounds for the lead/difficulty competition, starting at 9:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The semifinals (9:30 a.m.) and finals (4:30 p.m.) are on Monday. The speed event runs from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, with finals at 4:30 p.m.
Admission is free, except for Monday, when it’s $5 a person.
Last Monday, while lizards scooted effortlessly up the outside walls, the Canadian climbers worked their way up the inside walls — a 15-metre speed wall and 18-metre lead/difficulty wall — for their final day of practice. Assistant coach Sean McColl, the reigning overall senior world champion, kept a watchful eye on his enthusiastic young climbers.
“Climbing is a very fundamental skill,” McColl said. “Most people, as kids, are excited to climb.”
The world event is a special one for Canada, as this marks the first time the youth championship has ever been held in North America. Other countries have had similar walls for the last 10 years. Boulders expanded to the current 1,208 square metres of climbing space in 2011.
In the lead/difficulty competition, the climbers manoeuvre up the wall, which includes overhanging sections, clinging to holds set in a route that gets increasingly difficult. The climber reaching the highest point, before hands, legs or minds give out, wins. It’s the kind of challenge that attracts a different breed of athlete.
“I was never good at anything on a team,” said Nanaimo’s Elan Jonas-McRae, 18. “I went to a birthday party at one of the climbing gyms, and I got into it.”
Jonas-McRae is the top-ranked junior male climber in the country. Teammate Robert Stewart-Patterson holds the Canadian men’s speed record of 9.6 seconds, and 18-year-old Marc Eveleigh of Calgary won the youth title at the Pan American championships the last two years.
“It’s unique, it’s always a new challenge,” Eveleigh said. “Every time there are new walls, new holds and new ways to get higher.
“There’s no other sport like it.”
On the women’s side, Alison Stewart-Patterson was barely walking before her dad, a mountain guide, took Alison and brother Robert climbing. Ranked the best female speed climber in Canada, she’s competed all over the world. Last month, Stewart-Patterson, her Boulders coach and event co-ordinator Kimanda Jarzebiak, and McColl were in Colombia represent Canada at the World Games.
“I tied with the [top finishing] Russians, so that was cool.”
Originally from Kamloops, the 19-year-old moved to Victoria in Grade 11, to be the first student to sign up for the Stelly’s new climbing academy in her senior year.
“Climbing up is just what we love to do,” Stewart-Patterson said. “I want to climb the best I can, and just enjoy it.”
