As it continues to lead the way forward in rock shoe design and performance, SCARPA^®  will add world-renowned boulderer and climber Sean McColl to its athlete/ambassador roster for 2016.
Adding athletes like McColl and fellow World Cup competitor Alex Puccio in recent years, along with a new North American Climbing Category Manager in 2015, reflects SCARPA^®’s commitment to, and continuing growth in the rock shoe category.

McColl’s climbing credentials speak for themselves. He has on sighted 5.14a (8b+), flashed: 5.14b (8c) and repointed 5.14d (9a). On the bouldering side, he is only one of a handful of boulders to flash V13 (8B) and redpoint V15 (8C). A familiar face on the World Cup circuit, he has won four events (two in bouldering, two in lead) and been on the podium another 23 times. During his youth career, McColl claimed five world titles.

“SCARPA offers the best performance and craftsmanship across the spectrum of rock shoes built for different types of climbing.” McColl said. “I’m excited to partner with a brand that’s so driven by its desire to lead in the rock-shoe category, and one that backs up that desire with such outstanding and specialized products.” 

McColl said the level of innovation in SCARPA^® shoes, driven by world-renowned rock shoe designer Heinz Mariacher, paired with SCARPA^® high-quality construction was part of the appeal in teaming with the brand. 

SCARPA^® Climbing Category Manager Mark Busby said the fact that leading climbers like McColl and Puccio are looking to partner with SCARPA speaks to effort the brand has put into rock shoes in recent years.

“It’s interesting to reflect on the trends over the last couple of seasons,” Busby said. “We’ve been flattered and almost overwhelmed to be approached by so many top, international-level climbers, instinctively drawn in by Heinz Mariacher’s innovative, high performance concepts, and looking to push their limits using our shoes. We’re particularly excited to grow our team in North America in a sustainable manner, and the upcoming years with Sean will help us to do that.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to add Sean to the SCARPA^® climbing team. His blend of professionalism and unquestionably high performance mirror the upward trajectory of our 2016 climbing collection,“ Busby said.

SCARPA^®’s rock-shoe line is rooted in Mariacher’s designs using Active Rands. Rather than simply pushing the foot as far forward in the shoe as possible, SCARPA^® critically tensions the rubber rands in different directions to cradle and support the foot, allowing the shoe to dynamically adapt while loading and unloading body weight. Thus, they store and release energy, channeling power to desired areas of the shoe at exactly the times it’s needed, yielding a new level of performance and sensitivity for steep technical climbing.

Discover more on the SCARPA^®'s climbing collection HERE