Pringle won the gold in the men's USA national championships in lead in 2005, silver in 2004, and bronze in 2009. He won the silver at the men's USA national championships bouldering in 2006 and 2012. He also won bronze in the men's USA national championships in speed in 2004.[3]
In 2009, Pringle suffered a severe tear of his labrum at the men's USA national championships in bouldering, which nearly ended his professional climbing career,[1] and from which he only recovered over a year later.[4]
Sport climbing
Pringle came to international attention with his September 2007 repeat of Chris Sharma's groundbreaking 2001 route, Realization/Biographie9a+ (5.15a), in Ceuse, France. At the time, 9a+ was the highest recognized consensus grade for a sport climbing route in the world.[5] He followed his up with a short visit to Rodellar in Spain, where he onsighted several routes up to 8c (5.14b), including Iron Man (this was just before the Patxi Usobiaga made the first-ever onsight of an 8c+ (5.14c) graded route in December 2007).[4]
During 2007, Pringle and Sharma spent weeks trying to make the first free ascent (FFA) of Jumbo Love at Clark Mountain.[1] Injury caused Pringle to withdraw from the project, and in September 2008, Sharma freed the route, which is now regarded as the first-ever9b (5.15b) graded sport climb in history.[6]
Recovering from his serious injury in 2009–2010, Pringle began to make FFAs of 9a (5.14d) routes including Spicy Dumpling (2010, China's hardest sport climbing route) and Arrested Development (2012).[7] In 2015, Pringle completed the first repeat of Jumbo Love,[1][8][9] and later that year visited the famous Hanshelleren Cave in Norway, repeating Adam Ondra's 2012 route Thor's Hammer9a+ (5.15a), and making his own FFA of The Eye of Odin at 8c+ (5.14c).[10] The following year, Pringle made the FFA of Everything is Karate, one of America's hardest sport routes at the time at 9a (5.14d).[11]
Traditional climbing
Pringle is also known for traditional climbing.[1] In October 2008, Pringle made the second repeat of Cobra Crack, Sonnie Trotter's famous 8c (5.14b) graded traditional climbing route; considered one of the world's hardest at the time.[12][13] In 2016, Pringle made the FFA of Blackbeard's Tears on the Redwood Coast in California, which at 8c+ (5.14c), was regarded as one of the hardest – if not the hardest – traditional climbing routes at the time.[14][15]
Blackbeard's Tears – Redwood Coast, California (USA) – September 2016. First free ascent,[14][20] and was considered to be probably the hardest traditional climbs in the world at the time; and still one of the most difficult.[15]
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