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Old 07-19-2005, 18:36   #14
Leozinho
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: No. Va
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Given that Twight has probably forgotten more about climbing than anyone in the military knows, I imagine that he can tailor his course to something more practical than, say, putting up lightning fast ice climbing routes.

Twight is/was heavily into IPSCA , is practioner of concealed carry (which itself caused a lot of the climbing community to shun him), and a vocal supporter of the military. Considering the anti-military attitude of many of the outdoor athletes and industry, I'd say Mark Twight is one of the good guys.

For example, a few months back one of the climbing mags ran an advert from a aid climbing gear company that said the company would no longer sell to the military because it didn't support the war in Iraq and therefore wouldn't help supply the military. (It's not even one of those "we're against the war but we support our soldiers" positions. The company is flat out "we aren't helping the military and hope things go badly for the US.)

The interesting part was that the advert was clearly meant to build the company's status in the climbing community. The company (I'm trying to find the name) makes hooks and cams used to assist in climbing progression, rather than gear that is just used as protection from falls as it is in most types of climbing. It's a technique mostly used only on big walls like those in Yosemite, and I can't imagine that a big part of its sales are to the military. Makes me think they were bragging about shunning the military rather than actually taking a position that would hurt their bottom line.)

Mark Twight is active on the forum at www.crossfit.com if you guys want to talk to him directly.
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