CANMORE – Seven Canmore climbers, across three age divisions, have scrambled, dynoed and side-pulled their way into the Western Canada bouldering regionals that take place in Calgary this January.
In order to qualify for the youth and junior regional championships, the climbers points from their top two local competitions and provincial points were added together. The top 10 in each division then qualified for the competition.
Alexa Vanier was the sole climber from Canmore to qualify in the youth B female division, claiming top spot ahead of her toughest competitor and training partner from Calgary, Siena Mar.
“I am really happy to have qualified [for regionals] again especially in an older age division – and against tougher competition this year,” said Vanier.
Climbing against stronger competition and training with Mar has helped shape Vanier into a more formidable climber and has given the 13-year-old an edge, which she says will help her in the regionals and potentially nationals and worlds.
“It’s been a huge benefit to me to be able to climb with someone [Mar] I compete against. You learn how to look at the problems in a different way and that helps in competitions. I want to climb well enough to make nationals.”
In the competitive youth male B division, Louka Gay was able to set himself apart and climb onto the podium finishing in third.
Finishing just outside the crucial top 10, was Noah Folliott who claimed the 12th position.
A trio of climbers in the youth female C division also climbed well enough in the provincial competition to claim a berth in the regional championships. Oceane Gelinas, 12, who swept the local competitions was bested for the first time this season as she settled for second.
Ella Ricci finished sixth and Lane Baty rounded out the C division for Canmore climbers with an eighth-place finish.
At the youth A female division provincials the pair of Ruby Baty and Ry Anne Advice finished in eighth and ninth respectively.
The Western Canada bouldering regionals take place on Jan. 25-26 at the Calgary Climbing Centre Chinook.
