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Words With Tour de Bloc’s Luigi Montilla

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The Tour de Bloc (TdB) is Canada’s oldest bouldering comp circuit. The fine-tuned event recently wrapped up its 13th season at the Bloc Shop in Montreal where Lily Canavan and Julien Bourassa-Moreau took first place. One of the reasons the TdB has been so successful is because of the hard work by Luigi Montilla, who we recently touched base with.

When and where did the Tour de Bloc start?
The idea of starting the Tour de Bloc came around 2001. I was already involved sponsoring other comps around the country through my hold company Friction.

Luigi Montilla at his Friction Holds shop. Read an interview with Montilla about Friction here. Photo Aidas Odonelis (Ruby Photo Studios)
Luigi Montilla at his Friction Holds shop. Read an interview with Montilla about Friction here. Photo Aidas Odonelis (Ruby Photo Studios)

The big push came when I attended the first Canadian Bouldering Nationals at Joe Rockhead’s in Toronto. I got inspired by the whole thing – the athletes, the route setting and the atmosphere. It was bananas!

How long have you been involved and what’s your role?
I’m the founder and current Tour Director. I have the distinction of winning employee of the month every month for the past 14 years. I basically reach out to the gyms, organize the schedule, go after sponsorship and buy coffee and donuts for the volunteers.

For those who don’t know, what is the Tour de Bloc?
The TdB is a national grass roots competition series. We aim to organize the best bouldering comps in the country as well as provide a venue to bring the climbing community together.

How has comp climbing changed in Canada over the past 15?
When I first started climbing, roped comps dominated the competition landscape, but when bouldering became in vogue things change dramatically. From only having a handful of comps to travel to, now you have options, there seems to be a comp every weekend. Couple that with the proliferation of climbing gyms in cities around the country, we’re starting to build a stronger base of talented climbers to feed into our competitive system. The sport is more organized, participation numbers continue to rise and we now are able to host international level competitions that further support our national program.

The Tour de Bloc 14 poster. Photo courtesy of Tour de Bloc
The Tour de Bloc 14 poster. Photo courtesy of Tour de Bloc

How does a TdB work?
TdB comps are very inclusive in nature so we set problems for every skill level. The citizens comp is friendly format and a very social experience. Athletes have three hours to climb as many problems as they can. Competitors are then ranked based on their best six scores. The top six to eight elite level athletes then move on to finals.

What is a highlight of the TdB season?
For me personally, it’s seeing people turn on that internal switch that gets them to their next level of climbing. It could be someone who gets their first top at a comp, finally beating a friend that got them into climbing, making your first final or winning your first TdB comp. It’s the small personal victories that are the most satisfying to see.

What do comp climbers do during the off-season?
The vast majority of climbers take some time off pulling on plastic and head outdoors for sure. Getting some of that vitamin D and fresh air is good for the soul. There is however a segment of psyched and dedicated climbers that continue their training indoors hoping to get that edge for next season.

Are you as excited about the 2016/17 circuit, which is the 14th season?
Most definitely! Every year brings new challenges and that’s what keeps things interesting.

Are there any changes in next year’s schedule or format?
There are a few changes for the upcoming season but the most notable one would be that we’re moving towards age categories as well as adding a masters (over 40) division. We’re hoping that this change will eliminate any perceived barriers for recreational climbers who are hesitant about signing up for a comp.

What was your favourite send during the TdB over the past dozen years?
Easy, Simon Villenueve on problem five at the 2009 TdB Canadian Bouldering Championships at Allez Up. I think it was the start of our love affair with volumes. You can watch the send below.

Be sure to follow the TdB on Facebook here, Instagram here and check their website here for updates on season 14 coming soon.

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