By Ben Arthur |
When University of Portland student Brennan Robinson straps on his yellow and black La Sportiva Solution climbing shoes and smears chalk on his hands, his mind quiets. His six-foot, 155 pound frame goes into a trance-like state when he gets on the wall.
His only focus is to complete the climb. He digs his feet into the first hold. After a moment of testing his balance, he takes a leap of faith. He lunges toward the next hold. And then another. Robinson tunes out the few hundred spectators as he makes his way up the wall.
Now, the whole world will be watching him climb at the Bouldering National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin on Feb. 5.
“I’m going to try and not think about it and just climb,” Robinson said. “Do what I love to do and not worry about anything else.”
Robinson, a freshman living in Christie Hall, has had a successful young rock climbing career. In just a year and a half of competing, he has become a nationally ranked sport climber. A fifth place finish at the divisional qualifying championships in Portland in early January secured him a spot at nationals.
A top six finish in Madison next month will land him on the United States Rock Climbing team.
During his freshman year of high school, Robinson and his group of friends wanted to try something new. They headed to the nearest rock climbing gym. Robinson fell in love with the sport immediately. He climbed until he was too sore to move. Then he did it all again the next day.
Robinson is well decorated, but his humble approach hasn’t changed. His mantra is the same as when he first mounted the wall: to just enjoy himself.
He can be found at the Planet Granite climbing gym in the Pearl District five days a week just hanging out. Sometimes he watches other climbers. Sometimes he will give a pointer or two.
UP freshman Jeremy Revlock, his tag-along to the gym, finds Robinson’s approach welcoming. He has never felt threatened by his friend’s prowess on the wall. Robinson often gives him tips to improve his rock climbing technique.
“We go to Planet Granite to just have fun,” Revlock said. “We never go to try and be better than everyone else there.”
Robinson’s easy-going attitude can be traced back to his childhood.
A native of Sunnyvale, California, he found creative ways to stay active as a kid. He played basketball, football, baseball and volleyball growing up. His talents in scootering, gained him internet fame. He started a YouTube channel displaying his tricks and the videos quickly took off, one gaining over a million hits.
It is because of Robinson’s curiosity and willingness to do new things that his older sister and Pilot volleyball player, Morgan, is not surprised that her brother has found success in his latest hobby so quickly.
“He’s always been the kind of person that will go out of his way to try something new,” Morgan said. “His openness has really helped drive him in the direction he is going today.”
Yet, underneath the shell of an adventurous character is an introverted kid.
Robinson competes indoors, but his true passion comes from climbing outdoors. His explorations have taken him to some of the world’s most exotic locations, but his favorite place to climb is the quiet community of Bishop, California. The town of less than 4,000 people is where he is most at peace.
He spends many school breaks climbing there with his best friend from home, Tim Kang. But it’s just the two of them. They’ll spend an entire day climbing the field of boulders known as the Buttermilks.
The inspiration to climb comes as soon as they drive past the 55-foot Grandpa Peabody Boulder at the entrance, one of the most difficult rocks in the world to climb.
“We push each other all the time and that’s the coolest part,” Kang said. “He’s a more powerful climber than me. I’m more into technique and footwork so we help each other get better.”
In Portland, Robinson has picked up the intensity of his training in recent weeks to prepare for nationals.
He’s started making a schedule for himself before heading to Planet Granite. He trains for an extra hour after climbing with friends. Extra laps on the ramp and creating difficult climb routes have become a part of the routine.
Going to yoga sessions twice a week with Revlock at the Rec Center has helped him too. Since starting halfway through first semester, Robinson says his breathing control has gotten better and helped him relax when he is on the wall.
“I am not very flexible as a climber and I have definitely seen improvements since beginning it,” Robinson said.
Robinson loved to climb trees as a child, but never did it cross his mind that rock climbing would be a part of his future. Now, four years after getting on the wall for the first time, he will be in a national spotlight.
But he’s no longer in the shadows of the Buttermilks climbing with Kang. Neither is he at Planet Granite with Hevlock.
The spectators will expect him to perform.
And he will do just as he has always done. He’ll clear his head and quiet his body. His hands will be powdered with chalk and his feet primed for action.
When he begins his ascension up the wall, his instincts will take over. “The simplicity of climbing is just amazing,” Robinson said.
Ben Arthur is a sports reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached by email at arthur17@up.edu or on Twitter @KingArthur_425
