Krankin' Kids

Krankin Kids:  Physically and psychologically they have the abilities of seasoned veterans, yet they still have to ask for a ride to practice and money for the movies. Although age generally yields experience; youth does have its advantages.

Youth offers many challenges, the inability to see over the counter, purchase the latest Jay-Z album, and negotiate a raise in allowance.  However, these shallow inabilities are forgotten when the eight year old at the gym offers the seasoned gym rat beta on their latest project, (the crux move involving a lock off and reach that is twice their arms length).  To bad for them burning off someone twice their age and double their height won't get them that extra $5.00 for mowing the lawn.

Our first set of "wunderkids" is the brother and sister team of Shawn (11yrs old) and Brooke (8yrs old) Raboutou.  These "genetically gifted" children are the son and daughter of Robyn Raboutou, the third women to climb 5.14 and a World Cup champion. their father Didier is also a World Cup Champion, not a bad family dynamic. These powerful parentals seemed to have passed a gift onto their children, who have taken it and pushed into new territory.

  While on an annual trip to France Brooke dispatched one 5.12+, a 5.12b and five 5.12- including Cocoloco.  Her brother dispatched four 8a/8a+ routes both in France and Spain including Bad Attitude 8a+ in St. Antonin France. On their last day Shawn fell on the final hold of Attentions on Vous Regarde 8b+/5.14a, he'll be back next year to clip the chains.

Photos courtesy of Laurent Filoche at www.laurentfiloche.com

           Josh Levin is another Krankin Kid.  He is a West Coast threat who has entertained several Youth Word Cup finishes.  Last year in Sydney Josh, now 14, won a bronze in speed and took 7^th in sport climbing. This year he took 1^st in his division in both bouldering and sport during the ABS comp season and he holds three North American Continental titles for: Speed, Difficulty and Bouldering.  On a recent climbing trip he redpointed La Confianza 5.13c in Maple Canyon and sent Bourinator 5.13b in Ceuse on his second go. 

The last climber in our update is new to the game. Grace Kane (9yrs old) has been climbing for three years and has already won two ABS titles and is climbing the ladder rather quickly.  In 2008 she placed 4^th in ABS Nationals and 1^st in the SCS Nationals. That same year she finished 2^nd in Women's Intermediate Division at the Pine Mountain Pull Down and then last season she won the ABS bouldering comp for her division.  Grace is also no slouch outside; on her last trip to Bishop she dispatched Gleaming the Cube, a powerful V8 in less than twenty minutes!

Photo courtesy of Anthony Lapomardo