Episode 186: Sean Bailey – The New Old School.

On Episode 186 of the Enormocast, I sit down with comp climber, boulderer, and sport climber, Sean Bailey. Sean’s outdoor feats include an ascent of Biographie/Realization (5.15a) in Ceuse, France and Joe Mama (5.15a) at Oliana, Spain. His comp results have put him on top of Nationals in both bouldering and lead, not to mention a space early in his career on the USA youth team as, wait for it, a SPEED CLIMBER. Sean admits that there is a bit of a conflict between climbing outside and training for comps. Nevertheless, he does his best to unite his passion as a competitor and passion for outdoor climbing. We also discuss Sean’s reluctant but necessary participation in social media. A little bit punk rock, a little bit hip-hop, Sean Bailey may just be the vanguard of a new wave of young, serious, slightly disaffected climbers ready to crush the old’s expectations.

Episode 180: Claire Buhrfeind – The Tao of Claire.

On Episode 180 of the Enormocast, I sit down with Team Texas Alum and current comp climber, Claire Buhrfeind. Claire was born and raised in Plano, Texas, far from any form of rock or mountain climbing, but she found the sport anyway. Claire started climbing in the gym at age 5, and as she grew up, climbing and Team Texas became her second family. Annual trips to the Red with the team also solidified Buhrfeind’s love of the climbing community and lifestyle. 2018 was highly successful for Claire with wins in speed and sport at US Nationals, but 2019 has been more trying due to illness and injury. Nevertheless, Claire is working through letting the rest of 2019, the Olympic trials, and her future unfold as they should.

Claire at BD

Episode 177: Allison Vest – Trashcans and Try-hard.

On Episode 177 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a parking lot with Canadian boulderer and comp-climber, Allison Vest. Though Allison grew up in the heart of the Canadian Rockies’ alpine gnar, competition and plastic were her heart’s desire. She made her mark as a youth climber, and after a wayward year in Edmonton, and the worst Southeast Asia sport climbing trip anyone has ever lived to tell about, Allison buckled down to become Canada’s National Bouldering Champ in 2018. Following this interview, she won the Canadian 2019 Open Lead Championships. Now, after struggling through injury last year, but tasting recent success in 2019, Allison is poised to find her true potential training in Vancouver and looking to the future beyond the 2020 Olympics.

Allison on Instagram