Jason Holowach is one of Canada’s best indoor climbers. Jason has been competing on the comp scene since 2002 where he took everyone by surprise with his technique and strength. In 2006, he took first place on the podium during the Canadian Bouldering Championships and was the second Canadian to ever reach a semi-finals in the World Cup series of Bouldering. Jason is the owner of Grip It climbing gym in Saskatoon, SK. Last week at The Hive, he came second place only by one attempt on problem #4 after a fantastic performance in Finals. Squamish Climbing Magazine tried to catch up with Jason before the Tour De Bloc contest this weekend in Edmonton, AB.
Photo courtesy of Ken Chow
So where do we start. Last Saturday you came out on Mens problem number #1 and really crushed. How did the day go overall and how were you feeling?
Last Saturday went really well. During the start of the qualifying round I felt pretty sluggish, but after an hour or so my body caught up to what my mind expected it to do. Overall the day fell together, except for problem 4 where my decision making fell apart a little.
You have been a part of the competition scene for a long time. What keeps you coming back?
Once a competitor always a competitor! My drive to compete has been there from the beginning, but its really the only chance I get these days to go hang out with my friends and climb.
Do you try to make as many stops on the tour as possible or how do you pick which ones to go to?
After my last season of competition I think the bug to compete is itching more so these days than ever. Im going to do my best to make it to as many comps this year as I can, mainly for experience, but again they’re fun!
Photo courtesy of Pam Eveleigh ©
Lets get a little background for our readers. How long have you been climbing and what got you into it?
My Mom and Dad got me into climbing. They have always been the adventurous kind, they were not afraid to try something new. Dad was always interested in mountaineering and climbing so when they found out about Vic’s Vertical Walls in Saskatoon they were quick to bring us there to try it out. My first time at the gym I believe I was nine I took a liking to the sport right away and Vic saw that spark that climbers have when they just get it. It wasn’t then that I got right into it, it was about 3 years later after a short speed swimming career and my 12th birthday party at a new and improved Vic’s Vertical Walls that I got really into it. The following fall I practically moved in, and since then my passion for this sport has only got stronger. 17 years later and here I am.
There are a ton of stories of a Saskatoon crew (including Nels Rosaasen) really crushing back in the day. Can you tell us about that part of Saskatoon climbing history?
Its been over ten years now since the Sask crew was all together. We trained hard and we played hard. Nels to this day I think is one of the strongest climbers I have ever come across. We would climb all the time, and every session we would push it to the max. I think it was our excitement for climbing and our naivety of training that led to strength and movement gains but had also led to our injuries.
Whats the deal with the Rosaasen farm? I remember a picture back in the day showing Nels campusing up the stairs of a grain elevator.
The Farm! That place could be a breeding ground for monsters. The walls are steep and the holds are hard. At the Farm the Rosaasens have two walls; one outdoor and the other in their calf barn’s attic. Nels is a former Teknik athlete and shaper so those boys have holds you will never see off the farm. With the combination of rope climbs and tire flipping you can work on the whole body to make you a beast.
Both you and Nels got injured at the same time? What happened?
Simply put, improper training and over use. Both injuries were pretty much the same however Nels had a worse case than I. We both tore our labrum, and we both needed surgical repair. The road to recovery from there was a tough and long one. I took 6 years off of competing before I was ready to go back, the same cannot be said for Nels, however I make it my mission every year after he is done harvest to get him back in the saddle.
Photo courtesy of Pam Eveleigh ©
Did you guys focus primarily on indoor climbing or did you make time to go outside on trips and stuff?
We were gym rats and I still am, I suppose now owning a gym in the prairies lends its self to that but that was my first passion so I really do enjoy it. Thats not to say, any chance I get to go on rock I would rather stay indoors. I love it out side and if i could spend more time on rock I would.
The Saskatoon climbing scene has changed over the years and you are the owner and operator of a local gym. Does that make the gym feel like work or do you still get a chance to train and climb with friends?
I would say the scenery has changed but the community has stayed the same, but yea running the gym now takes little away from how it used to feel but I still get a chance to train hard. I mainly train with my teams that I coach but I still get a chance every once and a while to train with my friends that aren’t on one of my teams.
Can we get a little plug for the gym so if anyone finds themselves in the City of Bridges, they will know where to go?
Grip It Climbing, located near downtown Saskatoon, is Saskatchewan’s only premier climbing facility. With over 12,000 square feet of wall space we are fully set up for the beginner to the expert, the boulderer to the lead climber.
Word on the street is you are in particular good shape right now in terms of strength. Anything you have changed up in your training or diet or ?
I would have to say I’m probably in the best shape of my life, and for being almost thirty (which is getting up there for competitors these days) I just hope I can keep my self feeling this good for many years to come. I would have to say the gym keeps me fit and on track, mainly due to the teams I coach as well as trying to lead by example for all the kids and patrons at Grip It.
Photo courtesy of Ken Chow. ©
Being one of the older climbers on the tour, how do you keep up with the younger climbers and has the scene changed at all?
Like the saying goes ‘with age comes wisdom.’ I wouldn’t say thats the only thing that I have going for me right now but I feel really strongly about great technique, proper movement and problem solving. The kids that are coming up the ranks these days are being trained smarter and harder, a recipe to create monsters. Its the progression of the sport that is lending the biggest helping hand to these new athletes, and that change is only for the better.
When was the last time you were in the World Cup?
My Last World Cup was in Vail Colorado in June. I didn’t make semis there but I was close, I was sitting on the bubble in 20th for two long before I was bumped out i believe I finished in 23rd. After that I had a few months off before my first world Championships which were held in Munich Germany just last August.
What is the World Cup circuit like? Does everyone hangout and have a laugh or did they keep to their camps?
The Circuit is like the Tour de Bloc on steroids. The pros that climb together/against each other every season definitely show some camaraderie but for the most part they stick to their teams. With that said Sean being the only Canadian in most world cups must be a little lonely so its about time we get our Canadian team killing it so he has a few fellow team mates to hang out with more often.
Whats next for you?
Next is to just keep doing what I’m doing and stay healthy. I really hope to make it to a few world cups again this year with hopes to move up the ranks, as much as I can by only attending a few. I also hope to make it out for route nationals and compete at one lead world cup as well. Those are my hopes and dreams but with a possible Grip It expansion around the corner who knows how much time ill have on my hands.
Thanks Jason. It was a pleasure talking to you and good luck tomorrow -Squamish Climbing Magazine
Jason is the owner of Grip It climbing gym in Saskatoon, SK. His sponsors include Evolv, Muscle Milk, and The Bee Lab
