on the wall practicing. In addition, adding
a proper strength and conditioning routine
to do in a separate, fitness gym was a way
to keep her muscles balanced while giving
her a refreshing change of scene. Beyond
physical elements, there is of course a men-
tal aspect to competition climbing which
Evans addressed. Based on her early years of
competing, Evans recognized her tendency
to self-judge, over analyze and fall into a
negative mindset during her rounds. In
her journal before a comp, she now writes
down her goals and positive affirmations,
and reads these over to herself while listen-
ing to her favourite songs. Exchanging a
smile or thumbs-up with a friendly face in
the crowd further encourages her to want
to perform well. All of these small rituals
allow her to get lost in a bubble of confi-
dence and psych which she carries with her
when it’s her turn to climb. And if a round
doesn’t go her way, she channels her anger
or aggression into jumping jacks and mov-
ing around to shake it out of her system.
Combining her many hours of training
leading to a competition with the mental
fortitude required to stay focused are an
integral aspect of competing for Evans.
The day of cec Youth Nationals Finals
began a little disjointed for Evans; the stressof having to change her usual one-hour
warm-up to just 15 minutes before the
preview threatened to throw everything
off. This was Evans’s first time compet-
ing in the ifsc format for finals too –
each boulder is climbed by every com-
petitor before moving on to the next one.
Evans’s coaches Andrew Smythe, Brandon
Barraclough and Mei Nagasako reassured
her she’d have enough time before and after
preview to warm up properly. Evans rec-
ognized that she was getting f lustered, and
drew on her good friend and coach, Mei, to
help keep things light in isolation by doing
acro yoga, wrestling, laughing and dancing.
During the competition, Evans used what
little bit of time she had to herself before
getting on the wall to either psych herself
up or calm herself down, depending on how
she felt in the moment. She put on her head
phones, prepped her gear and read through
her training journal. Looking out into
the crowd before the final problem of the
competition she spotted her Team Boulderz
coaches smiling up at her in the front row,
and felt a surge of positive energy. Climbing
through the problem itself she felt both in
the moment and somehow removed from
it; there was no finger or knee bothering
her, no heaviness or shakiness in her body,
no chattering in her head. There was move-
ment and flow and trust, and suddenly she
was matching the final hold, with the roar
of the crowd behind her.
In keeping with her goal-oriented mind-
set, Evans has a busy future ahead of her.
In addition to being a Team Canada ath-
lete and moving into more international
competitions, she wants to push her limits
outdoors and improve her hardest red point.
She’d like to try trad climbing, multi-pitch
and ice climbing, as well work on dynos,
wide shoulder moves and slopers. Part of
what makes climbing so exciting for Evans
are the many diverse opportunities it offers
her to learn and grow.
As I watched Evans secure her win at
Youth Nationals, I couldn’t help but marvel
at how far she’s come. She’s faced her set-
backs head on and used them to foster an
attitude of growth, discipline, mindfulness
and determination. At the same time, she
hasn’t lost that open smile or enthusiasm
for climbing that struck me years ago. I
appreciate the lessons climbing has given
Evans, as I see the same lessons mirrored in
my own experiences. So as I prep for the
Ontario season, I’ll remember to listen to
my body, laugh with my friends and stay
focused on my goals.Sabrina Chapman is a leading Ontario climber.Bea Evans at the 2014
Lead Nationals at
Allez Up in Montreal
Photo^Shane^ Murdochnorthern faces