Wow…is all I can say….
I don’t think I realized what it meant to have Canmore host the World Bouldering Competition, until it actually came here and I watched it. As luck would have it Friday snowed and so my work was cancelled and I was able to attend day one of the competition. A good showing came out to watch the event, but the cold and wet weekday enabled the spectators that were there good views in the tent pretty easily. My friends and I were able to sneak up to the front to get an up close and personal view of the competitors working their magic.
After watching the mens rounds, I knew I had to come back for the womens. They did not disappoint as these ladies made short work of what looked near impossible from my vantage point! I returned home that day with sore cheeks. I haven’t smiled and cheered that much in a long time. Totally inspiring.
The next day I had to work and so I missed the semifinals, but luckily managed to get back in time just to see the finals. Watching this was a different story as now the tent was packed and even standing on your tippy toes barely got you a view. The crowd and intensity was amazing though and one of the men’s finalists was Canada’s very own Sean McColl, who placed 3rd overall…WOW!
I unfortunately didn’t have my camera on me for the second day. The final competitors though were incredible once again to watch. What amazed me most was to see such amazing athletes make things look easy… but also to watch how they figured these “problems” out, believed they could do it, and then TRY really really hard! Watching their success was also very rewarding. people hanging off the final hold, one arm, and pumping their other arm at the crowd, taking in the cheering, the congratulations, reveling in the moment. That is what I will take away the most…celebrating ones’ successes…owning it…one moment at a time…
Off to the Back of the Lake…hoping to do some arm pumps at the chains today:)