Ever since retiring from the regular season of American Ninja Warrior, I knew there was only one thing I would realistically return for: the original Japanese show, Sasuke. I started watching Sasuke when I was 15, dreaming of one day taking on the legendary course. Excited to finally make that dream a reality. Stage 1 🔜
Plumber’s Crack Up + Down: 20.43s
New record(?)
Fun one to try on my last full day in Vegas. Headed off for some new adventures, hope to be back in the fall.
Big ups to @waterhouseclimb for the challenge, @alexhonnold for pioneering the layback method, @storror / @tobysegar for descent & exit technique, & @emil_abrahamsson_ for the patented emil skip™ approach. Alex W’s OG chimney record is insane btw.
Sub-20 definitely possible, need to come back with more than 1.5 pads next time 😬 #sorrymom
Crown Royale (V13) First Ascent 👑
Stoked to take down this mega line. Over the past two seasons, I’ve been developing new boulders at the summit of Red Springs. Last year I mostly focused on quantity, but this year’s priority has been filling in the gaps with harder problems. Crown fit the bill perfectly in this regard.
I’d been eyeing up this project for a while now, but had written it off as ‘too hard’ - something to be passed along to the next generation of bouldering developers. It wasn’t until working out the low start (Battle Royale) with @michael.piccolruaz that I started to believe the full line was possible. Several working sessions (& a broken hold or two) later, I found myself standing on top of this majestic bloc.
With 250+ problems and over a dozen double-digits established, I feel pretty close to concluding my development of the hill. One final project remains, one that I hope to share at some point in the coming months. Massive thanks to the Vegas development scene & everyone who’s come to try these boulders so far.
📸 @james_lucas
Stoked to take 🥈 at @betaboulderinggym Boulder Blast this past weekend. The energy, stoke, & community vibes were stellar, kept me remembering why I continue to love competing at local events. Big thanks to the setters, organizers, & volunteers who put the comp on, extra s/o to @josh.rexroad for destroying all boulders to take the dub & @jordan__shepard for the incredibly close battle for the podium. More of this again 🔜
📸 @cameron_beta
One final piece of Sasuke I feel is worth sharing - the World Round. For the first time in the show’s history, it wasn’t just 100 contestants taking on the obstacle course, but an additional 22 competitors from around the world. It was a huge honor to be a part of this incredible group and showcase our skills on the course.
More importantly, this opportunity highlighted one of the most crucial aspects of Sasuke itself: Competitors compete against the course, not each other. I honestly can’t think of another organized athletic competition with the same premise. This concept was one of the first things that initially attracted me to the show, showcasing camaraderie between competitors.
We filmed Sasuke 43 three months ago in October 2025. Somehow feels like three years ago now. Entering 2026 in a world where xenophobia, polarization, and division are increasingly incentivized, it is even more important that we stand firmly together, united in solidarity across differences.
Sasuke is just one example to me where we can craft new ways of solving problems. Not everything in life is a zero-sum game. I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of such an uplifting community and hope that our shared vision and goals can help us through these challenging times. Together, we can overcome obstacles, no matter how difficult. どうもありがとうございます.
Looked forward to this one. Sasuke Stage 3 to me represents the ultimate test of strength, endurance, & skill. No obstacle can be overlooked and each movement has to be calibrated & precise. Felt good to progress through the first few obstacles, Swing Edge was definitely way trickier than it initially appeared. Unfortunately came up just short on Cliffhanger Dimension, my timing on it oddly ended up being both too early and too late. Proud with my result in any case, looking forward to redemption on this one hopefully next season 🔥
📸 @sasuke_tbs
Out of all the courses, Stage 2 was the one I was most nervous for. Having failed it 5 consecutive times on ANW, I wasn’t sure if my clear in season 14 was a fluke or something I had finally overcome. Putting my doubt on hold and trusting my training helped immensely on this one. Huge s/o to @mill.llllll for getting me prepped to succeed once again.
📸 @sasuke_tbs
Incredibly stoked to finish Stage 1 on Sasuke 43. Episodes finished airing in Japan a few weeks ago, finally getting back around to sharing my experiences from the tournament. I’d been dreaming of this moment since I was 15, watching @fisherman.nagano6 take down courses with ease. Feels pretty unreal to have that dream finally become reality.
📸 @sasuke_tbs
Keep Going is now live on Miguel Climbs' YouTube channel. What an amazing experience filming this short film with @joshlevin94@ryan.lieberman and @sierraroseknott . Really happy with how it came out, and humbled by the support of the Las Vegas community who got an early preview @climbrefuge Blackout film fest this weekend. Above are some screen grabs of our beautiful Red Rock and the beautiful people that I got to meet in the last month.
Shout-out to the others along for the ride @matt.maples@mim.borg@richierich__k@arin.flux
The Black Pearl (V12) First Ascent 🏴☠️
“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go. That’s what a ship is, you know. It’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom.”
Heart, mind, and soul have been up here the past few weeks. It’s been refreshing to push my limits in climbing from a purely creative perspective. New project on the horizon, looking forward to sharing more 🔜
📸 @arin.flux
