From the first day she set foot in a climbing gym, Anna knew she would climb for the rest of her life. Anna’s favorite type of climbing is the scariest type: tall vertical lines without a rope, or in climbing jargon,“slab high-balls.” While Anna’s climbing passion and style lies in outdoor lines, she is excited to step out of her comfort zone and compete in Deep Water Solo at Tuck Fest. Past accomplishments include The Brute (V9), Water Hazard (V10), and Thomas Aquinas (V8).

Arabella Jariel is a senior in high school in northern Virginia who started climbing when she was 7. She has qualified for the US Youth Team 12 times for various disciplines (bouldering, speed, sport and combined). When she isn’t competing, she loves climbing outdoors. Some of her favorite outdoor areas are Gretna (PA), Red Rocks (NV) and the New River Gorge (WV).

Arabella is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Arjan de Kock is a South African boulderer who has climbed up to V15 and 5.14c. His favorite areas are Rocklands and Fontainebleau. When he’s not climbing, Arjan farms table grapes.

Arjan is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

A van-dwelling athlete, climbing is Ben Hanna’s passion. This includes everything from scary off-widths to competition bouldering, but deep water solo competitions are where he truly shines. He has flashed up to 5.14a, and redpointed routes as hard as 5.14c/d. Ben’s spirit animal is The Hulk, and in his spare time he coaches young climbers and sets routes at his local gym.

Ben is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Carlo Traversi is an American professional rock climber and two-time USA Sport Climbing National Champion. He started climbing in 2002 at the age of 14 and by 2011 he had an ascent of The Game (V15) under his belt. He has lived and climbed in some of the far reaches of the world and has amassed an impressive tick list including first ascents up to V15 and 5.14.

Carlo Traversi was the 2017 Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo Champion.

Connor is an 18 year old senior in high school, and an Inner Peaks youth competitive team member. He has been climbing competitively for ten years and qualified for Youth Nationals for the past nine years.

Eddie is 20 years old and has been climbing for 6 years. He lives in The New River Gorge in West Virginia where he climbs as much as possible and helps develop climbing areas. His favorite style of climbing is defined as techy-powerful, and has climbed up to a 5.14b and V10.

Emily Harrington is a professional rock climber and adventurer who has been a prominent and leading figure in the climbing community since she was a teenager. Her early years were defined by her successes on the USA Climbing Team on the national and world competition circuit, including 5 US National Sport Climbing Championships and 2 North American Championships. Emily’s true passion lies with outdoor climbing and exploring the mountains. Since shifting her focus from competition, Emily has completed numerous first female ascents of 5.14 sport routes, free climbed Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan, summited Everest, and has been on expeditions all over the world attempting big wall free climbs and high altitude peaks in Nepal, China, Myanmar, Crimea, and Morocco.

Emma Grace Lehmann has been climbing competitively for six years; but she’s been climbing happy on anything she could (walls, furniture, etc.) since she was a baby. Known as “EG,” Emma Grace prides herself on being an amazing team mate and champion of all climbers, especially those new to the sport.

Emma Hunt is an accomplished youth climber. She is the National Speed Climbing Champion and national record holder for the Female Youth B category. She recently won 1st for Women’s Speed Climbing at the USA Climbing Open Sport and Speed National Championships and the Bronze Medal for Speed Climbing at the Youth World Championships in Moscow.

Hayley Holmes is a Washington, DC area climber with previous experience competing in deep water soloing competitions, such as Psicobloc. She describes herself as an amateur climber but professional dreamer.

Julia fell in love with climbing six years ago after a visit to the Whitewater Center. Since then, she climbs competitively in the youth circuit and is a proud member of team Inner Peaks.

Julia is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Katie Jo is a Los Angeles based climber, primarily focused on bouldering and sport climbing. She competed in her first DWS competition at last year’s Psicobloc in Park City, Utah. She has spent the past year traveling around the U.S. and Europe, exploring new climbing areas and trying to push her limits. Now 36, Katie didn’t begin climbing until she was 28 and she hopes to encourage others to try new things and go after their dreams at any age.

Keenan started climbing at the Rocknasium in Davis, CA in 2008. After his first trips to Bishop and Yosemite, he found a new creative passion in outdoor climbing. Keenan works seasonally for the National Park Service in Yosemite, finding and developing new boulders in the Valley and attempting sport climbs.

Kyle is 18 years old, and loves climbing more than anything. He continues to be “psyched” on climbing, despite quite a few injuries over the past year including an ankle surgery in October. Kyle’s favorite discipline in climbing is bouldering, but he also enjoys sport climbing and Deep Water Solo.

Kyle is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Lizzy is native Utahan primarily focused on outdoor boulders, a style of climbing known for dynamic moves also found in Deep Water Solo. She has spent the last two years traveling around America exploring new climbing areas.

Luke Cornejo has been climbing for 6 years and has become progressively more obsessed with it every year. He loves bouldering outside, but also enjoys sport climbing and dabbling in trad.

Maddy fell in love with climbing at the Whitewater Center, and 2019 will be her fourth time competing in the Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo Competition. She has been competitively climbing for 4 years, but her passion lies in outdoor sport climbing. Her favorite climbing areas are Joshua Tree and the New River Gorge.

Maddy is is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Marco is a Charlotte local and route setter for Inner Peaks Climbing Center. He has climbed up to a V11, and is a new father to an 11 month old daughter.

Marco is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Meagan Martin is a professional climber, Ninja Warrior, and model who lives in Sacramento, California. She started climbing at age 11 in Orlando, Florida at Aiguille Rock Climbing Center and climbed for about 4 years before turning her focus on gymnastics. While in college, she was a pole-vaulter and began climbing competitively again. Meagan enjoys coaching kids and hopes that she can inspire kids across the country to find what they are passionate about and go for it.

Meagan placed 2nd in 2018’s Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo Competition.

From his numerous podium finishes to his development outside, Nathaniel Coleman brings a level of muscular grace to every aspect of his life. Coleman is native Utahan who first rose to climbing fame in the world of indoor bouldering. Over the years this talented climber has branched out to roped competitions and outdoor climbing of all types.

Nathaniel Coleman was the 2018 Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo Champion.

Nick Lozica is a climber from the San Fransisco Bay Area. After his first trip to Bridges Rock Gym, he was hooked. Nick climbs up to V12 and 5.14a.

Paige Claassen is a sport climber from Colorado and La Sportiva ambassador. Her recent ascents include Algorithm (5.14+, Idaho), Necessary Evil (5.14c, VRG), Mission Impossible (5.14c, Colorado), and Odin’s Eye (5.14c, Norway). When she’s not climbing, Paige runs her nonprofit Southern Africa Education Fund, which builds classrooms in rural Namibia.

Paige is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Zander Waller is a 15 year old rock climber from Atlanta, Georgia who has been climbing indoors competitively for 7 years. He also enjoys outdoor climbing, having climbed up to 5.14c route and V12 boulder.

Zander is a returning Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competitor.

Zoe started climbing when she was 8 years old, and since then has balanced climbing and competing with school and starting a career. She lives in Philadelphia, where she is currently doing research in a microbiology lab while training for upcoming climbing competitions and trips.