The stoke was high at JACKALOPE’s first boulder comp in Mississauga, in collaboration with Up The Bloc and presented by Arc’teryx! As climbers gathered for a day of intense competition, standout moments and impressive feats quickly took center stage.

One unique aspect of the competition was the rush format implemented during Open Finals. In this format, the six competitors per category who qualified for finals are divided into groups of three. Then, each group had a brisk 8 minutes to tackle their four designated boulders. What set this format apart was the allowance for athletes to strategize together, discussing beta and observing each other’s attempts, allowing less downtime for spectators between climbs.

However, the high-speed nature of the format wasn’t without its challenges. With competitors sharing beta, there was always the risk of someone misreading the sequence or misjudging a crucial move. This was the case on Men’s 4, for example, where one of the two groups, including Matthew Rodriguez and Ian Tan, misread the sequence of the boulder. That being said, on Men’s 2, Matthew and Ian also found a break in the intended beta by bypassing a press into a bad crimp and getting a left foot on the starting volume instead, making the move less risky.

It’s this break in the beta that likely helped Matthew and Ian make the podium, in both 2nd and 3rd respectively, with two tops each. However, it was Leo Santoprete’s efficiency with his attempts that ultimately stood out and allowed him to top three out of the four boulders, clinching the top spot in the men’s category.

 

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Overall, the Open Comp was an incredible showcase of thrilling athleticism and fierce competition. For the women, Reena Gao, hailing proudly from Mississauga and repping her Up The Bloc jersey, emerged triumphant in the closely contested category, followed by Maddison Richardson in 2nd and Evangelina Briggs in 3rd.

Open Podium Men:

1: Leo Santoprete (Tops: 3, Zones: 4)
2: Matthew Rodriguez (Tops: 2, Zones: 4)
3: Ian Tan (Tops: 2, Zones: 3)

 

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1: Reena Gao (Tops: 3, Zones: 4)
2: Maddison Richardson (Tops: 3 in 5 attempts, Zones: 3)
3: Evangelina Briggs (Tops: 3 in 9 attempts, Zones: 3)

 

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The DYNO Comp, similar in concept to the “Trick for Cash” contests in skateboarding, added an extra dose of spectacle to the weekend. Led by the charismatic MC Pete Woods, climbers were encouraged to showcase their most audacious dynos—launching themselves dynamically from hold to hold in gravity-defying leaps. If Pete liked a move, he would generously award the athlete with cash prizes of his choosing from the purse of $1,000. Spectators cheered as competitors threw caution to the wind, aiming for both height and style in pursuit of the coveted cash prizes.

Last but certainly not least, the week-end also featured the Citizens Comp, offering climbers of all levels a chance to compete without the pressure of facing the open athletes. Meanwhile, the Scramble Pass (which sold out twice!!) provided local climbers access to try the boulders for fun, and enjoy the excitement of the weekend. In a memorable twist, even some of the police officers working security for the event couldn’t resist and joined in on the fun, attempting some of the boulders alongside the competitors.

Citizen Podium:

1: Wataru Aoki
2: Brandon Nguyen
3: Eric Gu

1: Sydney Park
2: Jacqueline-Ming Lafond
3: McKenna Ure

All this to say that JACKALOPE’s first boulder comp in Mississauga was an unforgettable weekend of competition and pure climbing passion. As we reflect on the thrilling moments and the incredible community that came together, we can’t wait to see what next year brings. Until then, let’s keep the stoke alive and the chalk flying!

Next stop, JACKALOPE Montreal!