A Salt Lake native for the third consecutive year won the men’s title at the Bouldering Open National Championship, which was held Friday and Saturday at the Salt Palace.
Nathaniel Coleman, 21, won by climbing to the top of each problem in one go.
“It wasn’t planned,” Coleman told commentators after the competition.
“The high energy brings out the best in most athletes, I think. It drowns out our thoughts and lets us climb at our best,” Coleman said of the difference between his performance in earlier rounds and finals.
In bouldering, climbers move up shorter routes — called problems — without using ropes.
Alex Puccio, 28, of Boulder, Colo., took home her 11th national championship title in the women’s division of the competition. While it can be easy to win multiple times, Puccio told commentators, it can also put more pressure on an athlete to perform.
“You have to deal with that and try not to let it get to you, which it always does. But you have little tricks to try to suppress some of it,” she said.
Nationals will be held in Bend, Ore., next year.
