‘TIS THE SEASON…FOR CRUSHING THE COMPETITION //

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM AT THE TRIPLE CROWN

The Southeast’s Triple Crown bouldering series wrapped up on December 4, 2009, with the Stone Fort (AKA Little Rock City) comp in Tennessee. Wins went to the Chattanooga transplants Jimmy Webb and Kasia Pietras (click here for an interview with Pietras on her win). The event, scheduled for Saturday, was pushed back a day due to snow, but when it went off, it went off. The temps were crispy and cool, perfect for bouldering. Webb and Pietras, a couple, also claimed the overall 2009 Triple Crown crowns (a repeat performance for Webb). And while there’s no doubt the competitors give it their all every year at the Triple Crown, the focus of the series has always been on fun, community, and coming together to fight for access in the notoriously touchy Southeast, where climbing resides on a mishmash of public and private lands, each with its own unique access challenges. This year, the three Triple Crown events brought in thousands of dollars for access causes like the Asheboro Boulders annual lease, the Alabama Bouldering Fund (a new local climbing org started by HP40 guru Adam Henry), the Carolina Climbers Coalition (an LCO responsible for the recent purchase of boulders at Rumbling Bald), the Friends of the Cumberland Trail, and various other exceptionally good causes. A big tip o’ the hat goes to all involved.

TRIPLE CROWN STONE FORT OPEN RESULTS

His
1. Jimmy Webb
2. Brion Voges
3. Jeremy Walton

Hers
1. Kate McGinnis
2. Alex Johnson
3. Kasia Pietras

Visit triplecrownbouldering.org for overall results and more.

FROM THE SHADOWS COMES THE DARK HORSE

The Dark Horse bouldering series (darkhorseseries.com), put on by Boston’s MetroRock gyms, concluded its second event on December 12, 2009. MetroRock held the event at their Everett location, with Rob D’Anastasio and Francesca Metcalf taking fi rst place in the Men’s and Women’s Open categories, respectively. One more event remains, to be held in Everett on February 27, before the big showdown, a championship comp (March 26-27) with a $5,000 pro prize purse. Due to their performances on December 12, D’Anastasio and Metcalf will get to skip the qualifi ers and go straight to the championship round. The quiet crusher Brian Kim will likewise get a pass to the main event, as he and Metcalf took gold in the fi rst Dark Horse comp, held November 14, 2009.

DARK HORSE EVENT #2 OPEN RESULTS

Dudes
1. Rob D’Anastasio
2. Vasya Vorotnikov
3. Julian Bautista

Chicks
1. Francesca Metcalf
2. Melissa Godowski
3. Emma Chilton

Visit darkhorseseries.com for overall results and more.

COMING SOON FROM USA CLIMBING

Big comps from USA Climbing are on the horizon. Put these dates on your calendar:

• The SCS 2010 Open National Championships will be held at Momentum Climbing Gym in Sandy, Utah, on January 22-23, coinciding with the winter Outdoor Retailer Show. Looks like a lot of big names are already registered for the comp, including Paul Robinson, Joe Kinder, Alex Johnson, Emily Harrington, and Paige Claassen — they’ll be competing for $5,000, in Sport and Speed Climbing events.
  scsnationals.org.
  
• ABS 11 Regional Championships are going off on January 9, 16, and 23 across the country. Top performers will be eligible for the ABS 11 National Championships, to take place February 12-14 at the Sportrock facilities in Alexandria and Sterling, Virginia. A free web broadcast of the event is in the works.
  absnationals.org