Today, we dive into the mindset of a competitor. Gordon McArthur has been a staple on the World Cup circuit across 15 seasons, including a one-year retirement. We talk about the particular highs and lows of returning to the sport, the story of Storm Giant (the first proposed D16 in the world), and what role ego plays in it all.

In particular, our conversation hovers around themes of drive, our relationship to competitiveness, and understanding our true motivations.

We also chat about:

🧊 The moment of retirement: Inner Mongolia, 2017
🧊 Challenges and reflections from Edmonton
🧊 Mentorship and the legacy we leave behind
🧊 The story of Storm Giant
🧊 Advice for younger climbers

Resources and links:

You can learn more about Gordon and read some of his reflections at gordonmcarthur.com. To follow him on Instagram, he’s @gord_mcarthur. If you’re curious to see how Storm Giant came together, definitely check out the Outdoor Research film, “Storm Giant: The World's Hardest Drytooling Route”.

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📸: Cover photo by Jeff Mercier

Credits:

Intro music by Hannah Noelle Enomoto (thanks, sis!).
This episode was edited by Andrew Salomone of salomonesound.com.
And of course, a big thanks to our sponsors, Aniiu Gloves and Furnace Industries!

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The Competitive Drive with Gordon McArthur