Photos By: Chris Noble

The 2008 Sport Climbing Series Adult national was held this past weekend at the Momentum Climbing Gym in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This comp decides who will be wearing a US jersey in World Cups throughout Europe and Asia. Only the top three climbers, male & female, from this event will be invited to join the US Climbing Team.

The Adult Nationals is usually a casual affair with limited spectators and even less competitors. But this year’s edition saw an explosion of participation due to the rise in comp awareness and World Cup fever. Holding the comp during the winter Outdoor Retailer (OR) Show doesn’t hurt to get the big names to the gym either.

And did they come! Over 400 spectators welcomed Chris Sharma, Dave Graham, Joe Kinder & Emily Harrington among others to Finals held Saturday night.

The Man Show

The show really got started when Jon Cardwell, who after qualifiers was in a four-way tie for 1st place roped up and stormed the wall. When he passed the high jug rest and headed into the final stretch the crowd went crazy and the DJ was drowned out by all the screaming spectators. Once he fell throwing for the finish jug the stage was set.

Graham reached one hold higher than Kinder but it was not enough to knock Cardwell off the top spot. When Sharma stepped up to the route the crowd was craving a send. And if anyone could do it, it was Sharma. He cruised the bottom section and at the high on-ramp jug he recovered for what seemed an eternity.

Once he set off into the crux the crowed was not breathing. Sharma threw for the finish jug, latched it but could not control the wild sideways swing and took a fall from the top. But that was enough for a first place win with Cardwell just 1.63 points behind.

The Woman Show

Perhaps the strongest Women’s field ever to be assembled on US soil was waiting in iso for a chance to join the US Climbing Team. When qualifiers were said and done there was a tie for first between young Paige Claassen and World Cup veteran Emily Harrington. After finals that tie was still in place when they both sent the route like they were out for a picnic.

Unlike the Mens route there were no on-ramps or off-ramps, just a steady controlled progression of difficulty until most girls were emphatically stopped at a high crux that involved a huge Stone Age crystal and a hard undercling match.

To the super final. Harrington and Claassen were put on a reach modified version of the Mens final route. And when the dust settled Harrington had won by just 2 holds.

Setters

USAC brought in veteran national setters Kevin Branford & Molly Beard to put on the show and separate the muscle bound field. Momentum also offered up Head setter Steven Jeffery who came in to sling up a few routes.

Molly Beard set the two men’s qualifier routes (Q1: 5.12c & Q2: 5.13b) to rave reviews from the competitors (even the ones that fell). She also set the women’s final (5.13b) but with an unexpected crux ended up with two ties, one for 1st and one for 4th.

“It was not cool watching girl after girl fall at the same spot. We ran that route many times and felt it was smooth with no cruxes.” Beard said after the event.

Kevin Branford set the burly men’s final at 5.13d. The route had a distinct lower crux which involved falling into a pocket (more nerve racking than anything) and a sustained mid section followed by an apparent jug rest before the final top crux section.

When I asked Branford if he was nervous about breaking a four-way tie between Sharma, Graham, Cardwell and Kinder he said, “I would be lying if I told you that I was not a bit nervous. Every so often I get nervous about how a route is going to separate any given field. I don’t think the nerves come from uncertainty about my abilities as a route setter, but rather about the field of competitors on a given day.”

Setters in Iso

It should be noted that in iso there was a bevy of professional and gym setters waiting to have some rare public glory. Mike Moelter, Mike Helt, Jeremy Hardin and Kyle McFarland were all vying for a shoot at the finals route.

But it was only Moelter & Hardin who made cut to finals and finished the day in 5th and 10th places respectively. It just goes to show that US setters are strong and have no problem throwing down with the big guns.

This event also showed that in the US, route comps are back!

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