This year we were excited to sponsor paraathlete Dylan Retsek, and he has been traveling the world competing on big stages and representing our small Central Coast community. We asked our setting director, Joe Maier, to talk to us about what he’s been doing to help Dylan get ready for the competitions.
Can you tell us about Dylan?
Dylan Retsek has been a dedicated climber in our gyms for many years. Even before we became known as The Pad, he was climbing at our non-profit bouldering facility, SLO-Op. Climbing competitions come in various forms, including bouldering, lead climbing, speed climbing, and paraclimbing. Dylan competes for Team USA in the AU2 Upper Extremity Amputee category. This is specifically designed for athletes with one upper limb that has reduced function below the elbow and no functional wrist joint.
Adaptive climbers get classified into their respective divisions by a dedicated board of medical professionals and the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). Athletes in the AU3 category, who have impairments affecting their hands, as well as those with lower limb impairments, visual impairments, and neurological or physical disabilities, all compete in their own divisions. Each category has its own podium and a set of routes designed to challenge athletes at the highest level within their classification. Competition climbing goes beyond basic feats of strength; it tests climbers’ abilities to read and execute complex routes in a single attempt to reach the highest point possible. Our Director of Setting, Joe, created routes to help Dylan prepare for some of his major competitions in locations such as Korea, Austria, and Salt Lake City. If you climb at our San Luis Obispo facility, there’s a good chance you may have tried some of these routes yourself.
Have you ever set for a para-athlete before? What’s that experience been like?
During my time setting, I set for a few adaptive climbers. However, focusing on competition-style routes has a new challenge. Preparing a climber for a major competition, such as what Dylan is doing, compared to someone wanting to climb El Capitan in Yosemite, requires a very different training approach. Additionally, climbers with prosthetic legs face a distinct challenge compared to those with upper limb impairments.
I have had a great time creating competition-specific routes for Dylan. These tend to focus on using large volumes, very three-dimensional body awareness, and complex route reading. I have learned a lot during the process by watching Dylan climb these routes. Dylan is a true competitor and has figured out sequences I did not predict, and easily uses holds I thought would be really tough, like tiny screw-ons on volumes. I had to become tougher in my later renditions, asking questions that would challenge him significantly more.
Generally, these climbers enjoy the same commercial sets that we all climb on. Figuring out beta that works for Dylan is different than the beta that might be easiest for me, but that’s true for most people of different heights or strengths.
What do you do differently when setting for Dylan?
I strive to replicate an experience more akin to what he’ll find at the World Cups and in our modern age, that means using giant features and insecure, tricky movements that don’t rely solely on strength. I focus on choosing the perfect combination of hold type, terrain, and difficult-to-read sequencing. Typically, the terrain is slightly overhung, which naturally makes the climbing more difficult and provides a level playing field for climbers of different heights during competitions. Using holds and 3D protrusions on volumes enables climbers to better utilize the crook of their elbow in very steep terrain, allowing for powerful sequences, particularly in the AU2 division. I have also found that large, flat, or sloping macro features naturally provide very insecure, unobvious sequences, where a small mistake sends the climber flying, and are great for replicating the reality of competition climbing. The amazing features on the walls, and the extra time spent fine-tuning, tend to make these routes challenging favorites for everyone.
What’s your advice to other setters who want to make their gyms more inclusive?
It’s easy if you’re willing to go talk to those community members. Ask what types of holds they find more enjoyable, easier, or impossible to use, and while climbing alongside them, you will get to learn a lot, seeing what works for them and what doesn’t. This advice goes beyond setting for adaptive climbers, though. Not everyone is bold enough to compete on the world stage, but creating an environment where people with vastly different goals can prepare for their objectives is an ongoing goal of mine. There are many directions you can take climbing, from going up El Cap to competing in front of huge crowds. The types of routes we set and the training tools we provide have to change. We continually adjust our routes and incorporate feedback from the community to determine what best meets the needs of our local climbers.