Arc'teryx Announces Nancy Hansen as Recipient of the Guy Lancell Pure Spirit Award
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(North Vancouver, BC) – Since 2009, when athlete and friend Guy Lacelle was tragically killed in an avalanche in Montana, Arc’teryx, La Sportiva and Petzl have come together to honour a climber who embodies the spirit of integrity, humility and joy that Guy brought to all his climbs.
This year’s recipient of the “Guy Lacelle Pure Spirit Award” shines in all those areas: Nancy Hansen of Canmore, Alberta, has been climbing hard, but quietly, for decades, and like Guy, has grown into a well-deserved role as a mentor for countless aspiring climbers. She plays key roles with the Alpine Club of Canada and with the Banff Mountain Festivals, and has been a fantastic inspiration to women looking at their possibilities in climbing.
Nancy has made many high-calibre ascents in her home base of the Rockies, and especially in her forays into the Alaska Range (such as the Cassin Ridge on Denali and the Harvard Route on Mt. Huntington), but she is perhaps best known for some of her large-scale projects: She was the first woman to climb all 11,000-foot peaks in the Canadian Rockies (completing all 54 in less than half the time of any climbers before her); first woman to climb all 34 routes in the 1977 Mt. Yamnuska guidebook by Urs Kallen; and she is hot on the trail of becoming the first person to climb all of the routes in Roper and Steck’s Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
But talk to Nancy, and you will hear none of these exploits; you will just hear that this is a person who loves to climb. And Guy would like that. Very much.
In recognition of the award, Nancy will receive gear from each of the sponsors in the amount that Guy had been receiving as a professional athlete.
About Guy Lacelle
Guy Lacelle was a world renowned ice climber having received the prestigious Summit of Excellence Award from the Banff Centre for Mountain Culture. He also won the Festiglace Competition in Quebec in 2004, as well as the pure Ice Competition in Ouray in 2000 and 2001.
During his career, Guy achieved numerous historical ascents including: the first solo link of the Terminator/Sea of Vapors and the Replicant in 5 hours, Weeping Pillar and Polar Circus in a day, French Maid, Curtain Call, La Pomme D’or in Quebec, and Hydnefossen in Norway.
Guy Lacelle died on December 10, 2009 while competing at the Bozeman Ice Festival.
To learn more about Guy Lacelle and the Pure Spirit Award click here.
Arc’teryx Equipment, Inc is a high performance outerwear and equipment production company based in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. Built on the principle of obsessive, precise design, our unique in-house manufacturing centre allows us to constantly evolve products. Timeless quality, intuitive design and simplicity result in unrivaled performance at the point of extreme need. Design/Craftsmanship/Performance.
