Mike Foley on Livin' AstroGlide: 5.14c/d

Make sure you watch this beast in HD!

Livin' AstroGlide (5.14c/d) from David Wetmore on Vimeo.

Holy smokes, this past month has been busy. I've finally had the time to sit down and edit. Here is a video of Mike destroying Livin' AstroGlide (5.14c/d). We spent some time up at Rumney this past month and he crushed it! I was able to put down a few as well, like Sinister 6000 (5.13d), Dodge the Lemons (5.13d), Cote D'Azure (5.13c), Tabdito (5.13c), and still super close on Parallel Universe (5.14a). I'm hoping to get out this week and give it a FINAL BURN! AHHHHHH!

In other news, I joined the LouderThan11 crew with Jon Glassberg and Jordan Shipman, so all my updates and videos will now also be available there (not quite ready yet)--very psyched to start stepping it up in the spray-o-sphere. I bet I can spray harder than you. I'm almost certain I can.

Cannot wait to head out to Salt Lake City next month to set for the United Bouldering Championships with the dream crew, Kyle McCabe, Brett Johnson, and Joel Zerr. More to come on that front...

Stop Number One: UBC Pro Tour at Earth Treks

Last week I competed at one of the biggest and most publicized climbing competitions I have ever been too. I made top 20 out an extremely strong pro field--Rob D'Anastasio, Daniel Woods, Paul Robinson, Chris Sharma, Magnus Midtboe, Matt Bosley, Vasya Vorotnikov, Carlo Traversi, Jimmy Webb, Matt Wilder, Ethan Pringle, Brian Kim, Julian Bautista, Chris Webb Parsons, Max Zolotukhin, and Chris Linder to name just a few.

The coolest part of the experience for me, other than competing among climbers who I more or less idolize, was the live video feed, allowing people all over the world to watch the action in real time. My mother, who doesn't know too much about climbing, was screaming at me over the phone after the competition, "Did you see that Chris Sharma boy pull those sloper things down so easily!? He looked like he was standing on the ground! Why didn't you do that?" Well, Mom, there are a lot of reasons. I'm kind of chubby and Chris is a stud-muffin.

Either way, it was inspiring to see such a high level of professional climbing accompanied by an equally unprecedented level of setting, media coverage, and organization. If my Mom can get into it, anybody can get excited about climbing. That's a good feeling--and a good point for what I'm eluding to here.

The Unified Bouldering Championship Pro Tour (UBC) and its team is without a doubt pushing boundaries of our sport. What does that mean? This series represents the cutting edge of competitive climbing, serving as a platform for the growth and progression of climbing in terms of sponsorship opportunities, media expansion, and public awareness.

The next stop is at the Outdoor Retailer on August 2nd. Jason Danforth, Pete Ward, and Kyle McCabe, are giving me an amazing opportunity to be part of the very select setting crew for this event, which means I will not be competing, but I think being part of this--what you might call a "movement"--will be just as exciting. I cannot wait...

Visit boulderingcomps.com for more information on UBC scheduling and general vision.

Speed of Life

This mega-classic V10 went down on Monday. The first day Neil and I tried it, I was a complete woose-bag, too scared to commit to any of the moves because it's, well, scary. Neil, who is also very close, made things look easy, and relatively safe, so I tried some more. It's definitely the most mentally challenging block I have done to date, due to the intimidating top-out and imposing landing.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD5u2pCMkvE for the full-size viewing.

Dark Horse Championship

Last weekend marked the Finale of the Dark Horse Series (darkhorseseries.com) at MetroRock in Boston, MA, where FiveTen athlete Michael Bautista came in Third (competing in a stacked field with Rob D, Vasya, Brian Kim, Stephen Meinhold, Max Zolotukhin, and many others) while newly joined FiveTen Athlete Francesca Metcalf won the whole caboodle with another FiveTen-er, Nina Williams, trailing closely behind in Second. Normally, these are the kinds of NorthEast comps I love to compete in; however, for this series I had the opportunity to serve as the Head Setter--a new perspective for me.

And I have to say, I don't know what is more exciting: watching all these talented, honed competitors pull on the problems you designed with your setting team over the course of 5 days (Thanks Kyle McCabe--you machine) and hoping everything works as planned, or actually competing in the event. Surprisingly, I feel much more pressure as a setter than I do as a climber, mostly because I don't want to look like a ding-dong if the top three competitors tied or if no one finished any of the problems. In the same way, competing can be equally nerve-wracking if you're worried about looking good in front of loads of spectators waiting for their entertainment. Fortunately, the show came down to the last Finals Problem in each category, exactly what we wanted. More photos, thoughts, and video coming soon at meaning2memorize.com.

Great job Michael, Francesca, and Nina--and too everyone else who tried HARD on Saturday. Had a blast and can't wait for next year.

Power Struggle: Prime Climb

Just when you think the comp season is over for bouldering, another event emerges from the hidden, darkened corners of places you wouldn't guess had climbing. Last weekend, it happened to be at Prime Climb down in Connecticut--a smoothly run comp with a three problem Finals Round. Competing on plastic is one of my favorite forms of climbing, which I guess deems me a dirty gym rat, but what makes it meaningful and interesting is when your up against good friends (read: Arch Enemies). As always, Vasya Vorotnikov, was there to fight (climb) with. We went head to head in
Finals after finishing up very close in qualifiers.





























I love those nasty little Dragons on the steep problems--you can dig in very hard on almost anything.

Anyway, he crushed all three Finals for the win, an outcome you could say I've gotten used to over the years, while I placed a close Second behind him, finishing up Problem #1, and falling two holds from the top on #2 and #3. Nice work broseph.






























Thanks for the pics and support Dad!

Despite the numbers and ranks, I'm feeling the healthiest I've ever been (knock on wood) and look forward to the coming weeks--first stop of the UBC Pro Tour at Earth Treks in Timonium--right after a quick five days in the Red--and a slew of boulders before then. Hoping that Neil Mushaweh, my fellow rock sniper, and I can take them down. Speed of Life this Friday! Fingers crossed on the constantly changing weather cycles we have out here in New England. Looking perfect right now though...

New England's Premiere Bouldering Series: Dark Horse Round Three

Mike Foley wishing the slopers were crimps on Finals #2. The kid is a machine.

After what seemed like a hundred hours of setting and preparation, Saturday came barreling down the rails without fail and despite the deceiving weather, we had a fantabulous turnout. Little rock-star kids of the future threw themselves at micro-crimps like they were handle bars, an older crowd of masters proved to everyone that their steel-reinforced fingers still somehow worked, and a few ridiculous mutant-fied dingdongs pulled their way into Finals--a show that always brings a smile to my face even bigger than the Grinch's grin after he steals little Cindy Lou Hoo's Christmas tree.

The crowd was as loud as ever too, but that may have been entirely due to the fact that they housed both of our kegs within an hour. I'm hoping it was the sick Finals competitors and bomb proof problems though too! Well done.






















I was trying to make it look purty.

Thanks to everyone who helped us pull this event off for the third time. What remains? The Dark Horse Championship: March 26 and 27, weighing in with a $5,000 cash purse for Pro Competitors and loaded with even more prizes for the Novice, Intermediate, Advances, Masters, and Junior categories. Holy bajeezers, it's going to be the real deal folks.

Open Results:
1. Vasya Vorotnikov
2. Mike Foley
3. Connor "Big Mac" MacDonald

1. Francesca Metcalf
2. Nina Williams
3. Emma Chilton

Video of this last comp is in the making! Many more photos to come as well. Full results down lower. See you all in a few weeks for the Finale!
















Nina Williams, FiveTen Athlete, making dust out of the caves tufa feature on Finals #3.






















Good thing I don't look tired from the 70-hours of setting and forerunning.
















Mike Foley and I enjoying the plastic comp life. I love this stuff--you too Mike Foley. What?

















Mike Dondero amidst a sea of his own thoughts--and holds. Credit: Sean Harris

















I don't know his name, but he is 6-years-old and absolutely unbelievable to watch climb. He is the future. His name is FUTURE. Credit: Sean Harris

















Max "Boot-strap" Zolotukhin climbing his way into Finals. You're an animal and something else that I cannot say on this blog for fear that I'd get fired. Credit: Sean Harris

















Melissa Godowksi's hand on a sloper. What an artsy-fartsy photo! Naht. Credit: Sean Harris
















Neil Mushaweh "total destruction". Credit: Sean Harris


Results:

Open
Male:
1. Vasya Vorotnikov
2. Mike Foley
3. Connor MacDonald

Female:
1. Francesca Mecalf
2. Nina Williams
3. Emma Chilton

Advanced
Male:
1. Steve Patrick
2. Evan Paigle
3. Jon Haggerty

Female:
1. Robin Berk
2. Cora Harvey
3. Katie Bond

Intermediate
Male:
1. Alex Stange
2. Matt Shreve
3. John Felch

Female:
1. Aly Nesson
2. Caitlin Rivers
3. Talia Jaffe

Novice
Male:
1. Robin Chase
2. Jeremy Haber
3. Josh Locks

Female:
1. Emma Burgh
2. Kathryn Hansis
3. Barbara O' Connell

Junior
Male:
1. Mark Olchanyi
2. Evan Daniels
3. P-Funk

Masters
Male:
1. Alex Chenvainu

Female:
1. Kristi Chenvainu

Back in Action!

Six weeks after a lower abdomen hernia surgery, I'm back to training and climbing again. And holy moly, it feels good! Yesterday (Saturday, the 21st) was my first competition back at New York's largest bouldering series event: Feats of Strength.

The setting crew at The Cliffs in Valhalla did a stellar job, setting over 150 boulder problems for the day comp and 6 Finals for the second round. With over 200 competitors and spectators, the day comp--like always--was a battle. I ended up in the middle of the pack going into Finals with a tight line-up. Vasya Vorotnikov, Brian Kim, Rob D'Anastasio, and Andrew Kim, all of which were top place finishers at the 2010 ABS Nationals. The Finals round ended up being very close. I finished 4th, one hold shy of Rob D, while Vasya took the lead of the pack for the night. That Russian is monster. Anyway, psyched to be back at it--crossing my fingers right now for a few healthy comp months with my sights set on qualifying at the United Bouldering Championship Pro Tour (UBC) and having good outdoor season once the snows melts and temperatures get a bit warmer.

Sidenote:I have a lot of respect for each one of these guys. Vasya is a full-time student earning a PhD in Biomechanical Engineering who climbs about twice a week. Rob works his body into the ground day after day doing construction and demolition, still managing to train after long days of swinging a hammer and heavy lifting. Brian is recovering from a partial-tear in his shoulder and Andrew is only in high school--he's a youngster with an amazing ability to read and decipher quicker than most. All of these competitors still manage to maintain top form with the best in the country. Inspiring.























Trying hard to make the Finals round. Those blue, Team 5.10 shoes heel hook like no other. They do. Do it. DO IT.















Finals were a blast. The crowd was good and rowdy, while the problems were powerful and dynamic--just the way I like 'em.
















Focusing hard on Finals #1.
















Barely sticking the top out hold!















Brian Kim in the thick of it on Finals #2.















Vasya Vorotnikov and the classic "claw" on Finals #3.