In the last few years I have taken my climbing to ever-higher levels in the disciplines of sport climbing and bouldering. I have fulfilled many long-term goals of mine: tie or beat Sharma in a comp (not really), climb V14 and on-sight 5.14, and climb the enigmatic Realization.

My goals are to keep raising the bar for hard climbing, podium at a world cup, become a better surfer, live a eco-friendly life, go to college, cherish my family, friends, and animals, keep traveling, and enjoy new experiences.

Get to know Ethan Pringle

• Birth Date:
  May 30th, 1986
• Place of Birth:
  San Francisco, CA
• Current Home town:
  San Fran!!!
• Primary Sport:
  Rock Climbing
• Specialties within your sport:
  Clipping draws, wrestling pebbles, thrashing cracks
• Other hobbies or sports:
  Photography, basketball, snowboarding
• My favorite Mountain Hardwear products:
  Finder Pant, Peabody Tank, Kevalo Hoody
• How were you introduced to your sport?
  It was early autum, 1995 and my dad and I were on our way back from a roller hockey tournament that I was participating in at the old Bladium rink near the Ball Park in San Francisco and my dad stopped outside of Mission Cliffs, the new climbing gym that had just opened up in our neighborhood. I was tired and wanted to go home but my dad insisted that we go in and check it out since it was only four blocks away from our house… so we went in and, it was love at first sight for me! My parents got me a membership to the gym and I started practically living there after school and on weekends, and the rest is history.
• What inspires you?
  Art, music, photography, nature, justice… rocks? People on rocks?
• Which athletes or other individuals have been your biggest source of inspiration?
  I had a lot of local heroes when I was growing up, guys who took me under their wings and took me outside for the first times, like Brig Willis, Rowan Jimenez, Aaron Rough, Rob Jenson and Chris Bloch just to name a few. Also, there was a bunch of people I’d read about in the mags who I idolized (and later met) like Chris Sharma, François LeGrand, Yuji Hiriyama, Liv Sansoz, Dave Gaham, Jason Cambell, Boone Speed… mostly sport climbers. Also, these days, I am really inspired by people just doing what they can to survive, working hard, living simply, being kind and accepting to everybody and still making time to climb. One guy in the bay area comes to mind first- Eduardo Roy- if you live in the bay area and climb you’ve probably met him and probably remember him.
• What advice would you give to newcomers to climbing today?
  Be confident, don’t hesitate, stay relaxed- I think these are the building blocks to success in climbing. Also drink lots of water.
• What’s your favorite per-competition meal?
  I like some crunchy granola or Muesli with dates and figs and fruit and almond butter… Mmmmmm.
• What the first thing you look forward to doing after a long expedition?
  Eating a big meal, then sleeping, in that order.
• How do you balance your training schedule with your “real” job?
  Uh… what real job?
• Do you have any per-competition rituals?
  Jump Rope
• In 10 years I hope to be…
  Still climbing, still following my dreams, but with a more well rounded understanding of the world, maybe having learned another language or two and hopefully a little more money and maybe one of those ‘job’ things.
• Six-word bio – In exactly six words summarize yourself
  I like climbing rocks, a lot
• When singing karaoke, what song do you sing to bring down the house?
  Bohemian Rhapsody, but only if I want to bring down the house.
• What music gets you fired up?
  Scissor Sisters
• If you were a super hero, who would you be?
  Spider Man, DUH!

Highlights

Competition:

• 2nd place, ABS 13 National Bouldering Championships- February 25th, 2012- Colorado Springs, CO (http://vimeo.com/37739508)
• 1st place, UBC Pro Tour Finale at the Nor’easter- September 25th, 2010- Lincoln, NH- (http://vimeo.com/15604778)
• 1st place, Mammut Sendfest, Salt Lake City, 2006
Junior National Champion 1998-2001 (age 12-16)
Junior Internat’l Champion 1998-2001(age 12-16)

• Silver Medalist, Youth World Championships; Amsterdam, Nederlands, 2000
1st Jr Subaru Gorge Games; Hood River, Or, 2000

• 4th place, PCA (Pro Climbers Ass’n) Salt Lake City, 2002

• 2nd place, USCCA National Championships; Miami, 2003
2nd PCA Championships, Boulder, Co., 2004

• 1st place, overall PCA ranking 2004

• 1st place, overall ABS ranking 2004

• 1st place, ABS Nationals; Sacramento, CA (2004)
• 2nd place, North American Bouldering Champships, Mexico City, 2005

• 1st place, American (2nd overall), US Climbing National Championships; San Francisco, 2005

• 2nd place, ABS Nationals, Berkeley, Ca 2005

• 2nd place, Dyno, 2006 Teva Mountain Games, Vail, Co

• 1st place, Speed Bouldering, 2005 Teva Mountain Games
• 3rd place, Bouldering, 2005 Teva Mountain Games
18th UIAA Bouldering World Champ’ships; Munich, 2005

• 2nd place, HP40 Triple Crown; Horse Pens, Al, 2005
• 2nd place, ABS Nationals; Boulder, CO, 2006

• United States Climbing Team Member, 1998-present

Other Notable Achievements:

• Established many hard boulder problems in Red Rocks, NV, including the first ascents of ‘Clockwork Orange’ and ‘Wet Dream’ (both V12)
• Established the hardest Sport Climb in China- ‘Spicy Dumpling’ (5.14d) at White Mountain, Yangshuo, China.
• Redpoint of ‘Cobra Crack’ (5.14b) in Squamish, BC in August 2008.
• Redpoint of ‘Realization’ (5.15a) in Ceuse, France in September 2007.
• Redpoint of ‘Sky’ (V14) in Rocklands, South Africa in July 2011.
• Flash ascent of ‘Black Shadow’ (V12) in Rocklands, South Africa.
• Onsight of ‘Drop City’ (5.14a) in Geyik Bayiri, Turkey in January 2011.

Film Appearances:

• 2007- Big Up Productions- ‘King Lines’ (highest grossing climbing film of all time!)
• 2008- BS Productions- ‘The Players’
• 2008- MC Productions- ‘Perfecto’
• 2011- Chuck Fryberger Films- ‘The Scene’

Catch up with Ethan on: EthanPringle.com

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Follow Ethan on Twitter: @ethanpringle