The Boulder Field hosted its 2019 season ender in the first week of December with the Modern Climber: a dramatic culmination to the Master Series that once again put a twist on the finals format. In this game, called the “Level’s” format, executing under pressure and maintaining composure while simultaneously deciphering complex problems presents the path to victory. Within the video game style round, climbers start out in a pack of six and begin trying each problem based on their qualification ranking. Competitors only advance to the next problem once they have completed the first. The first climber to top the fifth problem wins.

“The ‘Levels’ format made for one of my favorite events ever,” wrote Youth Pan American Champion and US Team Member Cloe Coscoy. “Experiencing these competitions with close friends remind me why I compete in the first place.”

While each girl eventually threaded the needle through the first slab problem within a few tries; a dynamic foot-coordination lateral dyno into a slow-tension upper slab crux, the second problem anchored more than half of the group from advancing due to a high-risk step down into a tricky stem finish. Even the seasoned Maya Madere, who dominated the qualification round, couldn’t find the balance point on the finishing crux. Eventually every female competitor advanced to the feared ‘number three,’ but were quickly bottle-necked in their attempts to control the crux sloper guarding the finish.

“I really enjoyed the ‘Levels’ gaming format as it changed the mental and physical dynamic of the round,” wrote the leopard-zebra printed Sienna Kopf, a USAC Bouldering National Youth Champion and ‘World Cup Baller.’ “Mega props to Meagan Martin for making it past the elusive third boulder.”

The final power move of the third boulder thwarted the attacking competitors one after the other until Martin was able to punch through, allowing her to flash the off-width full body squeeze fourth problem while the rest of the competitors savagely threw their bodies at the third problem with reckless abandon. In the end, Martin cleaned up the round by just barely sticking the crux dyno on the fifth problem after repeatedly face-planting into the pads 10-feet below. 

On the men’s side, the round was equally fierce. Joe Diaz climbed with a keen ruthlessness that pushed him into an early lead. By setting the pace and intensity, he was able to quickly gain a mental edge over the field, typically bowing to the crowd after each problem as if he had just finished the performance of a magic trick.

“What an incredible competition,” wrote Diaz, the accomplished local crusher who helped the others through finals by unwittingly sharing beta. “I destroyed the first four problems, hoping to keep a solid lead through all of finals, but couldn't stick the last move of number five.”

The rest of the pack scratched and toiled their way through double-clutches and crimp-slots and up to the infamous fourth problem that entailed a knee-bar back-twister entry into a seemingly impossible exit.  But after struggling to maneuver the crimp-slot crux on number three, Colin Duffy went on a rampage and stomped both four and five like it was his cool down circuit while Diaz repeatedly melted off at the end. Kaito Watanabe, who ended up winning due to less tries in the qualification round, followed close behind with another impressive flash. This was the first time we saw competitors fail on something that wasn’t necessarily their style, continue to battle, and push through to make outstanding comebacks all the while maintaining that mental composure amidst a progressing pack. 

“Suuuuupa psyched to walk away with the win at The Boulder Field Masters my last comp in 2019!” wrote Kaito Watanabe, an elite level Japanese competition boulderer. “The final format was very unique and different from anything I've done before, but I loved it!”

And finally, what is a Boulder Field competition without the mighty Timothy Kang? He demonstrated his elite strength and usually dominant ability by taking first place in Qualifiers, but unfortunately was unable to shine as he was taken over in Finals. As always, he leaves us with a particular insight that inspires us all to be better this coming year. 

“I felt as though at each of these competitions, we were tested as athletes. I walked away from each round with a wealth of lessons I had learned and skills I wanted to practice,” wrote Kang. “This could have been for a variety of reasons such as good setting, format style, cash purse, etc. Overall, this made it my favorite competition series.”