Young athletes to represent N.B. nationally as bouldering climbs in popularity

The sport of bouldering is climbing to new heights in New Brunswick.

The province will be represented by a team of young athletes at the national level for the first time, with a group of 10 climbers set to compete at the Youth National Boulder Championships in Laval, Que. from May 19 to 21.

"I think it's so exciting and it's a great opportunity," said Allora Klinker, 15, who's competing as part of the team representing the Fredericton Bouldering Co-operative.

"And even if you don't do well, then it's still something to learn from."

Bouldering is a discipline of sport climbing where athletes scale a rock face or wall without the use of a harness or ropes.

The maximum height climbed typically doesn't exceed 30 feet, and climbers are protected by a crash pad on the ground.

Klinker is one of seven climbers going as a team from the Fredericton Bouldering Co-op, along with Emily Connor, Lauchie Macdonald, Lucy Cardoso, Annie McCaskill, Cole Magee and Jack LeBlanc.

Dawson Green of Fredericton, Will Bachynsky of Quispamsis, and Jonah Caldwell of Saint John are going independently.

"I just think it's going to be, like, a good experience for all of us... going from local competition to like a big competition," Cardoso said.

All of the athletes secured spots at the national event during provincial qualifiers held in Fredericton in early April.

Being able to do so was partly the result of growing popularity of the sport in the province, said Sophia Konermann, one of the coaches for the Fredericton Bouldering Co-op team.

Prior to this year, if a youth athlete wanted to compete nationally, they had to travel to Halifax to participate in the qualifiers there.

With increased demand and support from Climbing Escalade Canada, however,