Ep. 13 - Industry Banter, Sept '17
I sit down with Maxwell Summerlee, Hannah Mandrish, and Shaun Hunter for a monthly session of Industry Banter. We talk about the Canadian team at World Youth Championships, backfill, autobelays, backfilled autobelays, gym-hopping in Toronto, and food service in gyms.
To volunteer at the Pan-Am Youth Championships, visit www.climbingpanam2017.com
The Metro Theatre, 5 years before Basecamp Climbing took over.
Basecamp Climbing's backfill autobelay.
A little guidance from Max to get you started!
Ep. 12 - Making Better Setters: SheSets Symposium
Nicole Brown (CEO of LEF Climbing, Mosaic Climbing, SheSets), Jackie Hueftle (Owner, Kilter Grips; Head Routesetter, The Spot Bouldering Gym), Danielle Goodspeed (Owner and Head Routesetter, Crimper's Climbing Gym), and Christine Deyo (Head Routesetter, Austin Bouldering Project) discuss the SheSets Symposium, what makes a perfect boulder, fostering female talent, and managing diverse crews.
Ep. 11 - ONE OF US: Shaun Hunter
This episode is the first instalment of ONE OF US, a monthly series that features industry professionals talking about their back story and their experiences in the world of plastic.
Shaun Hunter is a Toronto native who has lived the gym rat life 24/7 since he was introduced to it at 19, eventually training to be a member of Canada's national bouldering team while also being a Head Routesetter and Head Coach for a successful Toronto gym. After spending all of his 20s in the gym, he's starting consider what's next, and whether or not he can let go of what he loves most.
Shaun with athlete Dana Monteith at the Canadian youth training camp at Allez Up, in Montreal. Photo: Matt Chapman
Shaun's colleague Jonny Briggs lamenting what passes for "green." Photo: True North Climbing
Ep. 10 - Summer Round-Up with Malek
After quitting my job and spending the summer avoiding everything related to climbing, I'm back and ready to make Plastic Weekly a real thing! To get me back up to speed, Malek Taleb (Manager of the Canadian Bouldering Team and owner of Boiler Room Climbing) briefs me on the World Cup circuit, the new Innsbruck gym, and whatever else I missed.
Sean McColl consulting with his teammate Kyle Murdoch at Arco, following a finger injury the week prior on Munich. Photo courtesy of Climbing Escalade Canada.
Durations of Boulder World Cup Finals
With the season finally over, we can see if the 4 minute final rule change had any effect on the event. The sample size is very small, and made worse by having to exclude Hachioji and Munich because of gender-separated finals. Take from it what you will!
Ep. 9 - Water Cooler Chat with Malek, Matt, and Kaleb
In our most exhilarating taping yet, we dodge sprinklers and water bottle spills to record a group conversation with Malek Taleb (Manager for the Canadian Open Team), Matt Johnson (Head Coach at Bloc Shop), and Kaleb Thomas (Chief Setter at Canadian Difficulty Nationals 2017) Alannah Yip's first finals, Sean McColl's lacklustre season so far, a Chief Routesetter's debrief from nationals, and whether or not Montreal is Canada's best place to train. All recorded outside the brand new Bloc Shop 2 in Montreal.
Canadian Difficulty Nationals 2017 Finals at Canyon Escalade. Black at left for B Boys/Girls, orange/gray at centre-left for A/JR/Open Women, pink/black at centre-right for A/JR/Open Men, green/gray at right for C Boys/Girls.