Doug Englekirk

Doug's major accomplishments include: First Place in Sport Climbing National Championships '92, '93 and '94, two top ten finishes in the World Cup in '91 and '92 and ranked #1 climber in the USA in '93-'94. His first ascents include Genesis (VI, 5.11, A4+ El Captain) and Free at Last (5.14a, Mt. Charleston, NV) Other hard free routes include: Grand Illusion (5.13c, Sugar Loaf) and To Bolt or Not to Be (5.14a, Smith Rocks). He is still climbing hard and redpointed The Phoenix (5.13a crack, Yosemite) and Freerider (VI 12d, El Cap - read a belayer's prespective of this ascent).

You can read more about him in an outstanding perspective written by Chris Van Leuven at http://www.climbing.com/community/perspective/doug_englekirk.

When Doug was in the middle of the climbing competition scene in the 1990's he said, "Most people know I'm a Christian. They respect my climbing ability, which gives me an opportunity to show others who God is by the way I carry myself. How do I handle victory or defeat? What do I do when things don't seem fair, like a judge's decision in a competition? Do I make a scene, or do I show God's light?"

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