On a bad day, you can get passed by the free-climber twice.

You are right. The free-climber does have to go home.

Absolutely...the important question is "how fast is he going down?"

Especially when the EIA candidate decides to climb above someone who is taking reasonable care. Should he fall, there's a pretty good chance he's going to injure or take someone else with him now. He's entitled to risk his own life (although I'd not be happy about paying for his hospital bills). But he needs to take his own path, rather than put others at risk.

I would have pulled his shoelace as he passed by. It's important to expect the unexpected.

Personally, I count the second time as you passing them somewhat effortlessly.

I'm not really a climber, but isn't this a pretty easy route for an experienced climber?

Quick google-fu rates it at 5.8, which is not that hard (at least, based on stuff I've climbed on an indoor wall).

Happy to be corrected on this.

It's not hard one pitch at a time, able to rest at each anchor, climbing the thing in 2-3 hours. It's much harder doing it in one push where one mistake equals death. A 5.8 yosemite slab would be easier that this vertical route with roofs in it.

I'll never understand the point of free climbing that sort of height for fun as so many things can go wrong (loose/crumbling rock, slip, bird, wind, cramp, whatever) and you've got no backup if you lose your grip. Climbing with a rope, sure, I see the fun and challenge in that, but not using any safety equipment just seems silly.