|
Daniel on stage during the awards ceremony, April 20, 2002
As I sit here looking at the last layer of skin on my raw and worn finger
tips, I cannot help but think, "what fun!" 2,000 miles after we embarked on
our journey through the southwest, the highlight, after all was seen and
done, was the world's largest climbing competition (indoor or out), the 19th
Phoenix Bouldering Contest.
Sure, the Grand Canyon was grand. The Arches in Moab were great fun to play
on. However, seeing Daniel do well at his first PBC was pretty awesome, looking
back across the miles. After all, the Grand Canyon will only get grander, and
we have many more PBC's to send us its' way.
The three day event draws over 600 climbers and boulderers from around
the globe to stay in a primitive camp-ground in the middle of no-where, sixty
miles east of Phoenix, Arizona. Some of these contestants will go home with
cash and "booty" in hand. Others, like myself, will go home bloodied and
bruised, yet with a great feeling of satisfaction, and knowing that it was
all just a load of fun.
Friday, the 19th, the day is pretty mellow. We check-in and get little
Amanda registered at the last minute. (She had not trained for outside
bouldering, but really wanted to give it a try.) The vendor booths are
selling their wares at ridiculously low prices... even giving items away as
the day goes on. The live bands are filling the air with cool tunes, giving
the event a great festival feeling.
A local band on the Rhino Productions stage
Saturday, the day of the contest, the event starts with a competitor's
meeting in front of the "Rhino Productions" stage. Then it all begins. The
competitors march out of the stage area, up the four-wheel-drive road that
leads to the competition area. Hundreds of climbers with "crash pads" on
their backs march toward a two-square-mile arena littered with large
rounded volcanic boulders and nearly 700 pre-set boulder problems to choose
from. From the younger competitors I hear the theme song to "Sponge Bob
Square Pants," as it is a peculiar sight to see so many 4-foot square
gymnastic pads with "legs" walking up the road.
Zach, Adam and Tommy hike to the competition area
Twelve-year-old Daniel has two goals in mind going in: to win the
13-and-under age category, and to rack up over two thousand points doing so.
His best friend and climbing buddy, Ben Roth, is there beside him as they plot
their strategy. Ben, however, being fourteen-years-old, finds himself competing
in the 14-to-19 age category -- a bigger mountain to summit.
Daniel and Ben plot, while Amanda totes a crash pad
Prior to the contest, all we heard was "don't expect to do well your first
time at the PBC." The rock we would be climbing on is formed from volcanic
tuff. It is very coarse and very sharp at times. It is notorious for
creating what climbers refer to as "flappers" -- literally flaps of skin
being ripped away from the hands. In previous years, competitors in
Daniel's category have only managed to complete a handful of boulder
problems worth only a few hundred points; often, only seeing points after
several frustrating hours of attempting even low-point problems. This is
the PBC legacy.
With cool temperatures in the 70's and not a cloud in the sky, Daniel finds
himself racking up points just minutes into the competition. Clark Allen is
there hoping to repeat his PBC win in 2001. Clark's sister, the thirteen-year-old
"climbing phenom" Tori Allen, is there as well. Daniel and Tori test each other's
skills as they attempt many of the same problems throughout the day. In the end,
it looks as though Daniel has met his match in Tori, as she is able to pull off a
very difficult 900 point problem that Daniel nearly gets, but is unable to finish
the last move. He now has a tremendous amount of respect for the gal from Indiana.
Tori signs-off Daniel's 400 point problem
The key to the PBC is: have a strategy! You cannot spend all of your time and
energy on one problem. Try it a few times, then move on if it doesn't "go."
The competition lasts six hours, but those hours go by fast --
especially when you need to get eight problems completed! It can take
fifteen minutes to hike from one area to another. The top eight boulder
problems are what make up your final score. The problems range in point
value from 1 to 6,000. No one ever seems to get the lone 6,000 pointer.
Few climbers even attempt the three 3,000 point problems. Most, like
myself, are thankful if they complete an 80 point problem.
Early on, Daniel sends a difficult 300 point problem in the "Atlantis II"
area after seeing Tori on it. Then he sets his sight on two 900 point
problems. On both problems, he finds himself just one move away from
completing them. On one, he tries one too many times, and rips a nice
flapper on his left index-finger. We put some "new skin" on it and he
climbs on through the pain until he finally surrenders to the rock.
Towards the end of the day, Daniel has under-his-belt two 400 point
problems, a 300 point problem, a 150 point problem, an 80 pointer (my
crowning accomplishment) and a 20 point warm-up. He is two problems shy of
eight, and running out of time. If only he had the two 900 point problems!
It's not to be. The cry goes out across the bouldery landscape for all
competitors to cease climbing and turn in their scoring booklets. Six
problems it is, then. Me? I am battling it out, down to the last 10
seconds. Like Don Quixote with a 150 point "wind-mill", I hang from the
dragon's massive rock belly then pull down on its' buttressy throat until
I see the finish hold atop its' rain worn head. On three occasions I make
it to this point, only to be spit off by the beast. It seems to be saying,
"train a little harder and come see me again next year!" Three problems it
is, then.
Back at the event center, we wait for the results while eating our
complimentary chicken fajita dinner, listening to some great live music, and
watching the very entertaining "dyno" competition that is for invitees of
last year's overall winners. Finally, around 10:00 PM, the awards ceremony
begins, and Daniel waits patiently to see if he will be called up on-stage.
"1st place, non-local, men's 13-and-under, with 1,350 points... Daniel
Woods!" Daniel coolly climbs up on-stage, shakes Jim Waugh's hand, and
stands there... shivering and yawning. (It's 40-degree weather, and past
his bed-time, after all.)
Clark, Ben, Daniel and Zach
With the event over, and our thoughts directed towards sights unseen, Daniel
sits in the back seat dreaming of returning next year and finishing up in
the list of "big guns." He recalls meeting Chris Sharma in passing, and
getting to say, "Hi" to a climbing super-star. He also recalls all of the
funny people dancing and falling down around the stage, and some staggering
back to their camp-site having celebrated too much after the competition.
Then he tells Ben, "I'm gonna train harder for next year." Me too.
Steve Woods
Longmont, CO
PS: Click the link to watch a video of our Phoenix
Bouldering Contest experience.
|
