Longtime ice climbing stud Will Gadd won the elite mixed climbing competition at the on Saturday, .
The four-day Colorado event is the nation鈥檚 biggest and arguably most prestigious ice and mixed climbing competition. The 47-year-old Canadian, still recovering from injuries sustained in the previous ice climbing season, said he entered the competition with no expectations, .
None of the competitors were able to complete a tricky man-made crack section nicknamed the Krampus. (The name is a reference to a character in German folklore who serves as Santa Claus鈥 assistant and is responsible for punishing misbehaved children.)
Sasha DiGiulian, arguably the nation鈥檚 top sport climber, who crashed-coursed her ice climbing education in just a few weeks, climbed well but slowly and timed out before reaching the Krampus section.