The event went very well, and there will be an article describing the TdF appearing in Squamish Climbing Magazine (click HERE to check them out!). For those of you who don't regularly read SCM, here's an advance version of the article. Enjoy, and we'll see you next year at the 2016 TdF!
I moved to Lethbridge just over three years ago. In that time I have spent well over 100 days bouldering at the sprawl of limestone blocks that is Frank Slide. The proximity of Lethbridge to the boulders of the Crowsnest Pass is, in fact, one of the reasons I moved to the area, and the days I have spent there have had three important effects. First, I’m fairly certain that I now qualify as a Frank Slide “local”; in fact, none of the “locals” of the area actually live in the Crowsnest Pass. Second, it has allowed me to appreciate the unique attributes of bouldering at The Slide, namely crisp movement across smooth and ever-so-slightly sloping edges, relentlessly technical footwork, cryptic sequences, and appreciating the severe and zen-like beauty of the endless expanse of boulders strewn across the Crowsnest Pass. Third, given that Frank Slide is separated from Lethbridge by 85 minutes of asphalt, I have spent a lot of time piloting my trusty van across the grasslands of Southern Alberta.
Justin pulling on the devious slopers of Energitus (V8), on the Killer Boulder.
Conversations during the drive to the Slide and back are
predictably lively. “What problems
should we try? Which sector should we visit?
How much time should we spend on that project from last week?” One topic of conversation that crops up
regularly is ways that we can promote the climbing at The Slide. Out of one of these discussions was born the
Tour de Frank. Kyle Marco and I
envisioned the TdF as a fun-centric bouldering event that would get people out
to the Slide for a day of climbing and exploration. 2015 is the second year of the TdF, and this
year the event expanded substantially with great support from a number of
sponsors (including Awesome Adventures in Lethbridge, as well as Friction Labs,
Petzl, Black Diamond, and Flashed Climbing), and a more experienced
organisational team.
Dan Archambault from Edmonton above the crowd on Tombstone Right (V5).
The autumn is usually a beautiful time of the year to climb
at the Slide, with cottonwood trees blazing yellow and predictably dry and
sunny weather. The day of the Tour de
Frank would, unfortunately, be the exception that proves the rule, with
intermittent showers and sunny periods throughout the day. Fortunately, we had free coffee and pastries
available for all the competitors, and by 10:45 the crowd had swelled to about
50 visitors eager to see the event start.
After a brief orientation – which included an introduction to the
scoring system and handing out of free guides to the area – the horn blew at
11:00 to send everyone out into the Slide for six hours of bouldering!
Kyle delivering the gospel at the 2015 Tour De Frank.
Several climbers took advantage of Kyle’s workshop on ‘Frank
Slide Bouldering for Newcomers’, while the rest of the competitors filtered out
into the clusters of boulders that comprise the Healing, Riverside, Albatross,
Lipsmacker, and Prow Sectors. Climbers
from Lethbridge, Fernie, Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton had made the trip down
to the Slide, and it soon became apparent that even occasional showers couldn’t
keep them from having a great time. The
usually rough landings of the Slide were subdued by a profusion of bouldering
mats, as many of the area’s classic lines fell one by one. Gold
Leaf Slab (V0+), Chicken Little Arete
(V2), Healing Arete (V5), Graveyard Shift (V6), Energitus (V8), and Nintendo 69 (V9) all saw many ascents by enthusiastic groups of
boulderers. The late arrival of Josh
Bylsma to the event resulted in the first ascent of one of the open projects,
the so-called ‘Powerline Project’, for the first time in the two years of the
TdF. Several young climbers from the
Lethbridge Junior Climbing Team came to the event, and sent several classic
lines with style and authority.
At 5:00, the horn blew, and climbers converged once again at
the main desk to swap stories of the day and await announcements of the winners
of each category. Boxes of draw prizes
from our sponsors were handed out to the climbers as the results were tallied,
and many climbers were sent home with samples of Friction Labs Chalk to enjoy. In an impressive effort, Michelle Lee of
Calgary won the Women’s Open category, while Dan Archambault (of Edmonton) and
Mark Derksen (of Lethbridge) tied to win the Men’s Open. With the day winding down, Kyle and I thanked
everyone for coming out, and watched as tired but satisfied climbers headed
back to their cars. We hope to see
everyone back next year for the 2016 Tour de Frank, which will once again
challenge climbers… but in an entirely different area of the Slide!
RESULTS
Youth Male
(11 and under): Kolven Cook
Youth Female
(11 and under): Ciara Meadows
Junior Male
(12-17): Will Kwan
Junior
Female (12-17): Aspen Cook, Lauren Kwan, Myla Sept (tie)
Beginner
Male: Dain Galts
Beginner
Female: Morgan Lupka
Intermediate
Male: Dan Anhorn
Intermediate
Female: n/a
Open Male:
Dan Archambault, Mark Derksen (tie)
Open Female:
Michelle Lee
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