2008 Woodie Awards
Rock climbers flock to scale Nelson's wall
Middlebury unable to compete in competition due to hosting regulations
Jake Cohen
Issue date: 3/9/06 Section: Sports
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Last Sunday, Middlebury was home to the third New England climbing competition this year. Climbers from Bates, Colby, Dartmouth, UVM, RPI and Miami of Ohio came to represent their schools and display their talents on the rock wall.
In pursuance with climbing competition rules, no Middlebury students participated in the contest - the hosting institution may not compete in climbing events. Even so, Middlebury students have climbed at two other competitions, or "comps," this year. Both Dartmouth and Williams have each hosted a contest earlier this year.
Each school put up strong results, but Dartmouth came out the clear victor. Senior James Joslin won first place in the men's advanced category. He took very challenging routes and produced smooth, commendable moves. His co-competitor, junior Laura Case, took first place in the advanced category for women. Strong competition from all teams made the contest challenging, but these two climbers were clearly at the best of the field.
There are two main types of climbing competitions. Bouldering consists of climbing the wall without the assistance of ropes and protection, whereas top-roping does provide a safety line. Top-roping generally yields higher climbs. Competitors are awarded points for every route or problem (assigned route) completed. Routes are marked by colored tape up the wall and range in difficulty. More difficult routes are generally awarded more points. Climbers must complete as many routes as possible in an allotted time period, typically three hours. By the end of their run, the top 10 routes are totaled up for a final score.
Climbing competitions are divided into three categories for men and women: beginner, intermediate and advanced. After the top routes of each competitor are calculated, a final round is held for the top three advanced finishers. In the final, climbers are set against each other. A finalist has 5 minutes to complete a new, often difficult and never-before-seen route.
In pursuance with climbing competition rules, no Middlebury students participated in the contest - the hosting institution may not compete in climbing events. Even so, Middlebury students have climbed at two other competitions, or "comps," this year. Both Dartmouth and Williams have each hosted a contest earlier this year.
Each school put up strong results, but Dartmouth came out the clear victor. Senior James Joslin won first place in the men's advanced category. He took very challenging routes and produced smooth, commendable moves. His co-competitor, junior Laura Case, took first place in the advanced category for women. Strong competition from all teams made the contest challenging, but these two climbers were clearly at the best of the field.
There are two main types of climbing competitions. Bouldering consists of climbing the wall without the assistance of ropes and protection, whereas top-roping does provide a safety line. Top-roping generally yields higher climbs. Competitors are awarded points for every route or problem (assigned route) completed. Routes are marked by colored tape up the wall and range in difficulty. More difficult routes are generally awarded more points. Climbers must complete as many routes as possible in an allotted time period, typically three hours. By the end of their run, the top 10 routes are totaled up for a final score.
Climbing competitions are divided into three categories for men and women: beginner, intermediate and advanced. After the top routes of each competitor are calculated, a final round is held for the top three advanced finishers. In the final, climbers are set against each other. A finalist has 5 minutes to complete a new, often difficult and never-before-seen route.