Five athletes from Eagle Climbing + Fitness traveled to Louisville to compete in the USA Climbing Lead/Top Rope Divisional Championship on May 31. The event, held at The Spot climbing gym, featured the top 13 climbers from Region 41 and Region 42, all competing for a spot at the national championships later this summer.
The Eagle team included Waylon Larson, Nora Pyle, Ella Regjo, Iris Sheldon, and Lakelynn Wahouske. For Larson, who placed fourth at the Region 41 Championship on May 10 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the divisional was another shot at reaching nationals after narrowly missing qualification last year.
“It went really good, I think, except for the first climb,” Larson said. He slipped early on the first of two routes but rebounded with a strong second climb.
Coach and gym owner Larry Moore said the Division 4 event is one of the toughest in the country because of the strength of clubs in Colorado’s Front Range. This level of competition, he explained, forces route setters to design extremely challenging climbs to separate top performers.
“It’s a really hard competition,” Moore said. He praised Larson’s strong comeback on the second route, where he posted the sixth-best score. Larson finished 15th overall, just two spots short of making the finals.
“We always talk about how it’s not just about placements,” Moore said. “It’s about your mindset, how you control your emotions, and what you overcome during the climb. Waylon showed incredible strength and mental toughness.”
Larson admitted he had mixed emotions. “I’m pretty happy, but a little bit angry because I probably could have made it if I did better on the first climb,” he said.
In the F15 category, Lakelynn Wahouske and Nora Pyle placed 21st and 22nd. In the F17 group, Ella Regjo came in 17th, and Iris Sheldon placed 22nd in the F19 category. Only the top six finishers from each category advanced to nationals, which are set to take place in Portland from June 26 to July 2.
Earlier in the season, Mary Friery, another Eagle Climbing + Fitness athlete, qualified for nationals in the F20 bouldering category on February 9.
Moore emphasized how significant it was for so many athletes to reach the divisional level.
“Just getting there is a huge deal,” he said. “And for them to perform so well is fabulous. I couldn’t be more proud.”
After wrapping up the seven-month USA Climbing season—which began in November with bouldering qualifiers—Eagle’s athletes didn’t rest. Two weeks ago, they were back in action at the GoPro Mountain Games. Around 20 climbers from the gym took part in the youth bouldering competition on opening day.
In addition to coaching, Moore also coordinated the event’s volunteers and oversaw the kids’ wall at The Hangout at Golden Peak.
“It’s been kind of busy,” Moore admitted. Many of his youngest athletes were competing for the first time. “They haven’t even seen what’s coming next with the professional climbers.”
The Mountain Games also featured a speed climbing event. Ethan Pitcher, a former Eagle athlete and current Canadian speed climbing record holder, competed in the sport’s debut at the games. He reached the semifinals before being eliminated. Moore said Pitcher began climbing at age 8 and taught himself speed climbing by watching others.
“He sat down at the speed wall, looked up, and said, ‘huh, maybe I should learn how to do this,’” Moore recalled. “Then he started googling and just learned by watching.”
In the Wave 1 youth bouldering event, Larson finished fourth. Dylan Hewitt led the local M17 field with a sixth-place finish. Tallulah Beauchamp placed fourth in F13, narrowly missing the podium. In Wave 2, Frankie Sanzaro (M13) and Mackenzie Sargent (F17) each finished second. Wahouske and Pyle placed fifth and sixth in their categories.
“We had a great showing today, regardless of final placements,” Moore said. “Everyone kept trying hard and climbing strong until the very end.”
