Great Gadd-sby!
Men's Difficulty Ice Climbing
Thursday, January 14
CRESTED BUTTE --
The two alpiners from Alberta took the top of the ice wall today with
largely different tactics. They were the only ones to top out above the
plastic wall near the top of this massive X-sicle. The strikes (amount
of times a climber hits his axe in the ice before it holds) were against
Raphael Slawinski and Will Gadd took the win completely exhausted.
"This was a
really good route. I couldn't tell what was up there. It wasn't the best
way to get up there, but it was my way," Will said grinning. The overall
combination of ice and sport climbing took its toll
on the competition here today.
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""Don't f*&! around on the ice" was the quote that stuck..." |
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Slawinski proved his smooth style by attacking the ice
straight
up. He came to the overhanging obstacle with holds and kept going
straight.
Three hand holds and he was back on ice and looking at only several
strikes
against him.
Many a fearless climber followed, but none could realize the route
once the ice stopped and the hand holds began. Seung-Kwon Chung from
Seoul, Korea didn't realize he could use his axe
in the center hole of the hand holds and lost his energy attempting to
hang on with his hands while he figured
it out. Jared Ogden had a good look but not a strong hold and it gave
out
while he was inspecting an escape above. He did however pull off a sick figure four, hang forever and
throw
a thumbs up to the crowd before letting go.
Then Will Gadd stepped up with a chaulk bag on his harness. He knew
he would have to be inventive to get over the wall. He dropped his
gloves at the climbing section, hung his axe on the edge of a hold and
pulled sideways for support. Then with a few uncomfortable moves, made his way above the overhang and on top. Will won in the end with less strikes against him than Raphael.
Travis Spitzer got Will's chaulk bag, but couldn't transfer it onto
the wall.
"Don't f*&! around on the ice" was the quote that stuck. The ability to
climb the ice with stature and composure was unparalleled. It was the
overhang of plastic that stopped everyone in thier tracks. Nobody could
see the solution when allowed to look before returning to isolation
until their attempt. The crowd loved it and nobody could walk by this
spectacle in the sky with some guy twisting himself up the side. Can't
wait for the women..
Hans Prosl practicing alchemy for The Mountain Zone
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