That’s a wrap! The 2020 Longtucky Showdown is over and we can’t stop reminiscing (and rewatching the Finals livestream video, available here). It was a unique and exciting new take on our annual bouldering competition, with each competitor climbing in one of five 90-minute windows to ensure social distancing. Masks didn’t seem to hold our competitors back one bit, as they floated all the hard moves we could throw at them. Women’s Open finalist Stephanie Celommi even paused in a kneebar during finals to fix her mask before climbing on!
Men's Open
Congratulations to Hank Gaylord for winning our Men’s Open category. Hank took ample time to brush the huge, pink slopers before cruising through our steep Men’s Open finals problem. Toe hooks, insane core tension, and pure accuracy when completing big moves earned Hank the flash. Hank won a $250 cash prize and a lifetime membership to the Longmont Climbing Collective. Derek New took second place, winning a $200 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Everett Sloane took third place, winning a $100 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Jack Martinus took fourth place, winning a pair of Butora climbing shoes and a 5-punch pass.
Women's Open
Congratulations to Emily Herdic for winning our Women’s Open category. Emily rolled through shouldery moves and wrestled massive purple slopers before locking into a right kneebar and controlling a slick, undercling finish. She and Kylie both flashed our Women’s Open finals problem, sending them into overtime to battle for a highpoint on the Men’s Open finals problem. After already crushing hard boulder problems for hours on end, Kylie and Emily fought on more huge slopers until Emily reached the roof section (about halfway through our Men’s problem), securing first place in her category. Emily won a $250 cash prize and a lifetime membership to the Longmont Climbing Collective. Kylie Szilagyi took second place, winning a $200 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Stephanie Celommi took third place, winning a $100 cash prize and a 5-punch pass. Melissa Caid took fourth place, winning a pair of Butora climbing shoes and a 5-punch pass.
Youth Competition
Congratulations to Lukas Davis for winning our Male Youth category. After taking a large portion of his limited finals time to brush holds and strategize, Lukas floated through bubble wrap slopers, kicked into the volume (a dynamic move that he turned static), and took a moment to rest before making the huge jump move to the finish hold, flashing our Male Youth finals problem. Lukas won a 5-punch pass, an 8BPlus chalk bag, and 100G of 8BPlus chalk. Calvin Meymaris took second place, winning a 5-punch pass. Reed Garfein took third place, winning a 5-punch pass.
Congratulations to Klara Meymaris for winning our Female Youth category. Klara utilized an impressive mix of flexibility, creativity, and pure strength to take down the yellow balance testpiece. She avoided glossy footholds by setting her feet high and rocking over her hips, and then employed a muscle-y toe-hook/heel-hook combo to float right past the last few crimps, flashing our Female Youth finals problem. Klara won a 5-punch pass, an 8BPlus chalk bag, and 100G of 8BPlus chalk. Kestrel Pikiewicz took second place, winning a 5-punch pass. Ava Walsh took third place, winning a 5-punch pass.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Thank you to our headline sponsors Butora, 8BPlus, Maxim, Grossenbart, and The Roost for providing amazing prizes for our competitors, as well as refreshing beer and good eats (parents of competitors and adult finalists alike celebrated with hummus and cold pints once all the climbing was finished). Thank you to our amazing community for supporting the Longtucky Showdown and the Longmont Climbing Collective, even as we adjust the typical competition format and adapt to new realities. We can’t wait to do it all again and see who takes home the championship next year!
