A Bend Endurance Academy climber takes on a wall at the Bend Rock Gym.

Six athletes from the Bend Endurance Academy have qualified for the USA Climbing Youth National Championships, set for Salt Lake City, July 9-16.

After nine months of qualifying events in the three disciplines of bouldering, top-rope/lead, and speed climbing, the top athletes in the nation head to Utah.

Bend climbers qualified for nationals by placing in the top six in their region, which includes all youth climbers from Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, according to a news release.

“The dedication, focus, and effort required to qualify for nationals is immense,” said BEA climbing director Cate Beebe. “These climbers have pushed themselves not only physically, through training and workouts, but mentally as well, through competition simulation, visualization, and tactical preparation.”

Nationals climbers from Bend Endurance Academy include Mathew Borne (speed climbing), Nathaniel Perullo (lead/boulder), Wyatt Perullo (lead/boulder), Quinn Nash-Webber (top-rope/boulder), Soren Hasselblad (tope-rope/boulder), and Coby Smith (top-rope). 

On the heels of nationals, BEA will open its new youth specific climbing facility in Bend in mid-July. The facility will not only help these climbers from the competition teams continue training to the national and international level, but will also allow expansion of BEA’s development programs for beginning and intermediate climbers.

For more information, visit bendenduranceacademy.org/rock-climbing.

—Mark Morical, The Bulletin