PENINSULA
NEWS
Established 1912
Airbound
Central Saanich offers cash
North Saanich Free Ride Park offers exciting annual general meeting, Page A10
Sidney gets some aid in helping the Peninsula’s food bank, Page A7 Watch for breaking news at www.peninsulanewsreview.com
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Wall of dreams Christine van Reeuwyk News staff
The Boulders Climbing Gym society said if you build it they will come. The promise was guaranteed as the project broke ground and the site announced to host World Youth Climbing Championships in August 2013. This Easter long weekend will see a warm-up as the world-class facility hosts its first major competition – Youth Western Regionals. What Kimanda Jarzebiak calls the “biggest outdoor stage in Victoria” will be filled with climbers for the weekend. B.C. climber Sean McColl, who finished the world cup season second overall, will be coming from France to compete. “It’s great for our climbers to see these top athletes in our facility,” said Jarzebiak, chair of the Boulders Climbing Gym Society. Spectators are welcome to gather in the field at Stelly’s secondary to watch as climbers compete in two disciplines, speed and technical climbing. Speed tends to be popular with spectators Jarzebiak said. Two climbers tackle a 15 metre route with a four-degree overhang. The route is the same around the world, meaning it can create a world record, which currently sits at 6.26 seconds. The Boulders record is 10.54 seconds held by Robert Stewart Patterson who comes with sister Alison from Kamloops to train at the Central Saanich gym. Students also made the move to the school this year from around Greater Victoria and as far off as South Africa as Stelly’s started its climbing academy in September. PLEASE SEE: Region gathers to compete, Page A18 Christine van Reeuwyk/News staff
Robert Stewart Patterson takes a practice technical climb at The Boulders.