Following the fundraising efforts of Henry Wang and The Edge Climbing Gym yesterday, Daniel Poggi, owner of ClimbBase5 climbing gym in Coquitlam, and others, have organized a fundraiser from climbing communities across the county to help with the efforts.

“We are following Henry Wang’s lead, as are other gyms from coast to coast. During the weekend of January 24 and 25th, 2015, we will be donating a percentage of our sales to the family of Elena Cernika.”

The following gyms will be donating a portion of their sales next weekend (23rd – 25th) for the cause.

Climb Base5, Coquitlam, B.C.
The Boulders Climbing Gym, Central Saanich, B.C.
Project Climbing Centre, Abbottsford, B.C.
Coastal Climbing Centre, Surrey, B.C.
Cliffside Climbing Gym, Kamloops, B.C.
Beyond The Crux Climbing Gym Inc., Kelowna, B.C.
Allez Up Climbing/Escalade, Montreal, Q.C.
Wallnuts Climbing Centre, St. Johns, NL

“For an updated list of participating gyms in your community, I encourage everyone to follow the Facebook Fundraiser for Elena Cernicka event page.” Said Poggi.

Said Wang, “The climbing community is a strong one. I hope everyone can take some time this Friday and next weekend to reconnect with your climbing friends, make a donation, and remember a truly wonderful person. Our hearts and thoughts are with Elena’s family at this difficult time.”

Donations can be made here for the family. There is also a Celebration of Life at Holy Trinity School gymnasium today, Saturday Jan. 17th, 2015, from 1pm to 3pm.

This past weekend, over 115 climbers descended on the Boulders Climbing Gym in Central Saanich to participate in the last local bouldering and first local speed and difficulty competitions of the Sport Climbing BC (SCBC) calendar. Affectionately called the “triple-header” the event was conceived as a way to get athletes to try a climbing discipline they may not otherwise compete in. The event, running from January 10-11, used an on-site format for the competitive/ranked categories for difficulty/lead and bouldering, and the world record format for speed. Results were taken from qualifying rounds, making it easier to fit the three different disciplines in to one weekend.

Spectators looking down at the action. Photo courtesy of Ken Chow ©.

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It has been an exciting two weeks in the climbing world. A renewed faith in the impossible and a testament to the love we have for our sport. Watching Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgenson top out today while texting those who were cheering them on was a special moment for climbing. Here are two (one and two) on the latest from the New York Times that we enjoyed the most.

European climbing does not always get a lot of local coverage in North America. Often, we hear all about the big players in the game but rarely do we keep tabs on those individuals who continue to push the limits in their local areas.

This spring, I had the opportunity to hang out with Manuel Brunn in Joe’s Valley, Utah. Manuel Brunn is a climber from Germany who has lived in the Frankenjura area for the past 15 years. First, and foremost, Manu is a really fun guy to hang out with and always up for a laugh. He is a major proponent of time off from climbing and values new experiences above all other pursuits.

This being said, Manuel Brunn is no stranger to difficult climbing. Manu has had multiple ascents of difficult routes and boulders, including The Essential (9a), The Elder Statesmen (9a), and Montecore (8c) in the Frankenjura. He recently sent From Dirt Grows the Flowers (8C) in Chironico. Squamish Climbing Magazine had the chance to ask Manu a few questions about his recent send, his philosophy around rest, and future plans. Here is what he had to say.

Manu on Baroness (8c) in the Frankenjura. Photo by Markus Bauer ©.

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For those of you who have been in anticipation of the Vancouver International Film Festival, the committee just released the films they will be showing this year. The film festival takes place from February 13th to 21st, 2015. There are a few notable nights for climbers and we have listed them below.

Monday, Feb 16th, 2015 – VIMFF Climbing Show

This one should be on everyone’s calendar, as it is the first time (that I know of) that Adam Ondra has spoken in Vancouver. This night also includes the films Project Mina and African Fusion. For those who missed our review of Project Mina, you can still find it here.

Wednesday, February 18th, 2015 VIMFF Raw: Rock, Air, Water

This night features Jim Martinello and is really worth a look. Although rather elusive, Jim has played a major role in the development of climbing in the Sea to Sky corridor. I am sure he has a lot of interesting things to say about his adventures. He will be presenting a four part series featuring an adventure that includes the likes of Tim Emmett, Sean Leary, Jimmy Marginally and Trevor McDonald.

Saturday February 21st, 2015 VIMFF Finale

The final night of VIMFF features the always entertaining Sonnie Trotter along with a number of climbing films Stone Free and Sufferfest II: Desert Alpine. This one will also be worthy of a good night out!

Stay tuned for more on the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival from Squamish Climbing Magazine. The full list of the event can be found here.