Sophie Buitendyk began climbing at the Project Climbing Center in Abbotsford when she was eight.

Sophie Buitendyk began climbing at the Project Climbing Center in Abbotsford when she was eight.

Abby climber off to provincials

In March, Sophie Buitendyk placed first at the Canadian National Youth Bouldering Championship in Burlington, Ont.

Abbotsford’s Sophie Buitendyk will be climbing for gold at the Sport Climbing Association of British Columbia (SCBC) Provincial Difficulty and Speed Championships this weekend.

The provincials take place April 25-26 at The Boulders Climbing Gym in Central Saanich.

The SCBC Provincials will feature the best climbers from around B.C. competing in a range of SCBC sanctioned categories including  11 and Under, 12/13, Youth B, Youth A, Junior, Masters and Open.

Buitendyk competes in the Youth B category. In March the Grade 9 student placed first at the Canadian National Youth Bouldering Championship in Burlington, Ont., in the 14/15-year-old category.

And soon she will be attempting to scale even greater heights: the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Youth Championships in Acro, Italy, in late August.

For more information: climbtheboulders.com.

Abbotsford News