‘Acta Austin sisiers shine

dan-Christian Sorensen
News Reporter:

Sorensen@nsn TES.COM

IN technical climbing,

5.0 is the numerical.

; grads. ascribed the asic

progress 10°
5.10,-when letter grades “A”.
through “D” are added. The -
umimit of the scafe.is 5.14
» the most challenging of of

all climbs. ” feels 5

“<* North Vancouver’

McColl has already redpoint- .
dor successfully ‘climbed _-

cans che “only ‘has
ore summits in front

ne Edge Climbing Facility in’
North : Van‘ and . a:-national,
climbing- team™ coach: “He
‘omes in and: it’s not just: ‘I’

ab today,” it’s “I.

“to tackle the “B”
5.14, a goal which he i hopes

= located in the . Vi

another national team coach;

Mike Doyle — ‘is gaining a
‘reputation for: turning out

_the cream of the Canadian.
“climbing crop. Last year, 17
members | o} ‘the. Canadian
team’s .40-person roster
hailed from the loca! gym.
--McColl’s now. in training
portion of .

to accomplish by: the end of ~
next summer. Only one.“B”
gtade ascent is located in all
- of Canada — in Nanaimo.
When he looks to knock

oe the “C”. and “D”. grades,
however, he'll have some

travelling to do..

The only “C” grade climb:
is. called’.“Necessary. Evil”,
‘River

Gorge in Utah. And the only

/ “D"-level climbs in the world
2 Oxist in Europe and Australia.
, is that: i
_ pushing the envelope doesn’t:

’ “The® problem

happn close ‘to. home: and -

"you have to start travelling,”

said Wilson...
McColl recently captured ©

his second straight title in the

Youchstone ” Internations:
Climbing "Invitational *
Berkeley, . California im:
October. - > we
Two’ other, “up:and:éom

g, climbers at the Edge are.

16-year-old |. twins’ Christine

cand Sarah . Austin, who - fin.

‘said Wilton, © “They're consis-

the’: i three. in

cir age group.”

> Wilson. runs wee a recre-
). competitive

at the Edge but said

: i's, 's not just the elite climbers -

that can hold -membership i in’
the competitive class.

-“Te’s:not- based ‘on ability.

¢ kids in my, meen

_ program, ho aren’t very tal-

nted ' but “are~ dedicated: to.

‘o:-become. :better *:

three and four years. Mos!

notably in terms of talent, Milt ~
chmidt.: He led the Boston
Bruins to Stanley Cup wins in

"1939 and "41; then was gone

the armed | services for

Wednesday, December 20, 2000 —

THREE local ‘climbers on n thelr way to the top: Sara Austin, 16 (from left), 1

North Shoro News - 31. |

; twin sister Christin ‘All three train at the Edge omens factilty in North Vanccuver.

years. He came back to play
‘an ther 10 seasons in w ich *:
he was a perennial all-star and

winner of the Hart Trophy

¢ Most Valiable' Play:

ay For everyone out there,
especially. those who have fol: .
lowed this piece to the end, a ©!
happy Christmas and a bright
New Year.:May your pluses
outnumber your. minuses.