A brief interview with
Daniel Woods
early November, 2003

FRB: How did you get into climbing Daniel?

Daniel: I got into climbing by a church group called the Royal Rangers when I was 5. The Royal Rangers were like the boy scouts.

FRB: What brings you to Boulder, Colorado?

Daniel: I like Boulder for the climbing quality and the fact that the crags are only 15 minutes away. I used to live in Texas and there was no outside climbing at all. The nearest crag was Hueco and that was 10 hours away from where I lived.

FRB: How did you get so good so fast?

Daniel: When I got into like my 5th year of climbing is where I got super psyched and wanted to train everyday so I could place well in competitions and send some hard boulder problems and routes outside. I went to the gym Monday through Thursday rested on Friday and went outside on the weekends. Basically how I get better is climbing.

FRB: Who were some of your early climbing partners?

Daniel: I haven't had too many early climbing partners but I guess kids on the junior team when I was on that and my dad. Lately I have just been climbing with whoever is at the Spot or BRC.

FRB: You just placed 2nd at the Youth World Championship
           in Bulgaria. How did you train for the competition?

Daniel: I was told that the routes at worlds were really long so I just told the route setters at the BRC to set long routes for endurance. Also I practiced tricky moves like going up then downclimbing then going up again because I was told that they have a lot of that at worlds. To train my power I went to the best bouldering gym, the Spot. After climbing I would just do pushups, sit ups, and pull ups.

FRB: What is your favorite competition format?

Daniel: My favorite competition format is the PCA's format because you get like 5 minutes to climb a problem and as many trys as you can get in. For routes I like the On sight format.

FRB: Do you have any tips for competing?

Daniel: I guess just keep your self psyched up in Isolation and when you go out to try a problem and don't do it then just ignore it and go onto the next one. Don't let it get to your head because then the rest of your climbs you will tell yourself that you can't do it.

FRB: What makes for a good competition route
           in your opinion?

Daniel: I think a competition route has to have an appealing look, cool holds, and fun tricky moves.

FRB: What competitions have you won?

Daniel: I have won three Junior Nationals and the overall BCS Series.

FRB: Who are you sponsored by.

Daniel: I am sponsored by La Sportiva, Sickle, Petzl, and Sterling ropes.

FRB: Do you have any 'heroes' in climbing?

Daniel: I don't really have any heroes but I like to watch like Chris Sharma, Dave Graham, and Nels Rosaasen climb.

FRB: Do you have any early climbing memories
          that you would share?

Daniel: I can remember that my first lead climb was Red Dog at Shelf Road. It was a 5.9.

FRB: What is it like being a part of a climbing family?

Daniel: It is pretty cool that my parents are involved with climbing. They like to push each other on climbs and sometimes compete on who can get it first.

FRB: What hard problems have you sent
          in the Front Range?

Daniel: I haven't really sent a lot of things in the Front Range but I did my first 5.14, The 7p.m. Show in Rifle and I recently did my second 5.14, Doctor No in Rumney, New Hampshire.

FRB: Do you have any projects right now?

Daniel: My projects right now are Fuck You in Poudre Canyon and the Can Opener problems which I haven't even tried yet because the weather has been too bad.

FRB: What was your climbing experience like in Bulgaria?

Daniel: It was different because the walls are steeper and they like to use natural features as hands which the U.S. competitions do not use.

FRB: You seem to be focused on route climbing.
           Do you boulder, too?

Daniel: Yea I boulder. In fact, I'm taking a break from routes and am just focusing on bouldering.

FRB: What are your thoughts on Highballing?

Daniel: Sometimes highballs can be scary but also are exciting. I like the fact that on a highball once you commit there is no turning back so you have to go for it.

FRB: Do you ever hit a plateau in your climbing?
          How do you overcome the plateau?

Daniel: Sometimes I come to the point when I am totally unmotivated to climb so to fix it I just pop in a climbing video and I'm motivated again.

FRB: What inspires you to train?

Daniel: I like the fact of training because I know that it will make me stronger so I can send hard routes and boulder problems. I also feel that when you train, you feel more motivated about your project.

FRB: What do you think of enhancing, chipping
          and gluing holds?

Daniel: I don't mind reinforcing holds with glue so they wont break off but I am totally against chipping. I think that if a person has to chip a hold to make it better so they can do the route, it is a sign that they are too weak and shouldn't climb that route.

FRB: What would you like to be doing five years from now?

Daniel: I would like to win some PCA's and work realization.

FRB: What else do you like to do besides climb?

Daniel: I like to skateboard, snow board, and play video games.

FRB: Parting words of wisdom.

Daniel: Go climb and have fun.

FRB: Thanks for the interview Daniel.

Daniel: You're welcome. Thank you.

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