Registration begins 1 hour before each bracket. Rules will be read 15 mins before each bracket.

The BASECOMP BREAKDOWN & RULES

 

This is a bouldering, red-point competition. 

​

BOULDERING is a style of climbing low to the ground, that allows people to focus on the joy of climbing movement without having to keep up with any rope or technical gear. Instead, a climber lands on a giant foam pad when they fall—in our case, a professional landing system like you would see in a gymnastics space.

​

RED-POINT refers to completing a route from the first hold to the last without any falls. In a red-point competition, there are many different climbing routes (also known as “problems” in the bouldering world). In our case, we will have 35+ problems set up for our competition. 

​

Each problem has a different level of difficulty and a unique point value commensurate to its level of difficulty. Points are gained by a climber only if he/she completes the problem from the start holds to the top hold without falling. A climber must start every attempt from the start holds of the problem, as marked by the climbing tags (You can NOT start in the middle of the problem at anytime.)

​

BRACKET LEVELS:

​

We separated our competition problems into 4 adult brackets and a bracket for kids (5-10) and youth (10-15).  If you sign up for a bracket below your ability level, you can be bumped up (see “getting bumped” below), but you will not be dropped to a bracket below the one you signed up for.

​

There is (1) a recreational bracket for those who are still learning how to climb easier problems or even for those who have never tried bouldering before. The grades of these problems range from VB-V2, and if you aren’t sure of what those grades mean, this is likely the category for you.

​

There is also (2) an intermediate bracket (with problems V3-V5), (3) an advanced bracket (with problems V5-V7), and (4) an elite bracket (with problems V7+). This elite bracket goes all the way up to a few problems in the V9-11 range.

 

TIMELINE:

​

To help avoid over-crowding, we will host heats throughout the day. Registration for each heat begins 1 hour before the heat starts. 

​

If you’d like to warm up, our fitness room will be open starting at 8:00am. If you don’t need the warm-up time, please arrive at least a half hour early to get checked in.

​

We’ll run through the competition rules, in our training room, exactly 15 minutes before each heat starts. So you need to be finished with registration by a quarter ‘til your time slot, so that you can catch the rules to the comp in person and receive answers to any competitor questions.

 

SNEAK PEAK COMPETITION RULES:

​

1. SENDING: Climbers can try any problem in the competition as many times as they would like. To obtain points for a problem, a climber must climb from start to finish in one definitive go. To help ensure every climber completes problems fairly, think about the start and finish to each route.

​

• WHEN STARTING: Begin on the designated start hold(s), marked with tape. If there is only one hold with two lines of tape behind it, you start with both hands "matched" on that specific hold. Sometimes, there will also be "split starts" where two different holds have one piece of tape each behind them. In that case, you must start with one hand on each of the two holds before you begin moving up the problem. Your feet may be on any hold that matches the color of the starting hand(s).

​

• WHEN CLIMBING AND FINISHING: Then, the climber must move through the entire problem, using only holds of the color of the start holds. The final hold is simply the highest hold on the wall of that color (which will not have a tag). Make sure to give the problem a good look before you begin, so as to locate this highest hold. (You don’t want to be denied points because you intentionally stopped at a lower hold than the finish.) When you get to the highest hold, you must show complete control of that hold by placing both hands on it and holding that position securely. (Holding there for at least 3 seconds will ensure there is no debate over whether you “controlled” the final hold.

​

2. GETTING BUMPED: If a climber completes more than 2 problems in the category above the one they registered for, that climber will be bumped into that next category. This discourages climbers from registering for a lower category than their ability level, just to sweep up 1st place.

​

3. FEATURES: In a couple of spots in our gym, there are corners of the wall (arêtes) which you may be tempted to grab. Before you do, check to see if that feature has any tape marking it's edge. If there is no tape, you are good to engage that feature. Your body may pass over a red tape line, but cannot engage the feature that red tape is marking. And pay special attention to Black tape. No part of your body is allowed to cross over Black tape.

​

4. VOLUMES: We implement volumes (grey/black geometric shapes protruding from our walls) into our setting to change up the angle of our walls. In this competition, all volumes are considered "on" and usable (for both hands and feet) to make your way higher through a route. If it's within reach of the colored route that you are climbing, feel free to use it.

​

5. TECHNICALS: 

​

• Occasionally, something happens that interferes with a climbers performance beyond their control. If a hold spins/breaks, if another climber makes contact with you on the wall due to their unawareness, or if anything happens that might give a climber an unfair advantage in their attempt, the climber is asked to return to the ground immediately. If this was the climber’s “flash” attempt, he/she may try again and still obtain flash bonus points if they do not fall on the subsequent attempt.

​

• If a climber is seen to be intentionally interfering with another climber’s performance, they will immediately be disqualified from the competition.

​

6. SCORING:

​

• Each problem is ranked by difficulty and assigned a point value.

​

• For every problem a climber completes, there is a spot on their scorecard to have 2 other climbers (or staff or spectator) initial that they saw the climber complete the route as described above. It may be a good idea to glance around before you begin a problem, just to make sure that at least 2 people are watching who could sign your card.

​

• Climbers may additionally check the “Flash Box” if they completed the route from beginning to finish, on their first try. A 10-point bonus will then be given for that problem to help break ties.

​

• The top 5 problems that a climber completes get added up (along with any flash bonuses on those specific problems) to be their final score.

​

7. WINNING:

​

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded for the Recreational, Intermediate, and Advanced brackets. In addition, the top 5 men and top 5 women from the day will have the opportunity to compete in a finals round for grand cash prizes. 

​

• The award ceremony, along with hundreds of dollars of prizes, will be held after finals at Basecamp. 

​

• There are both prizes for climbers who rank in their bracket, and there are also prizes being given by drawing competitor names. Everyone who enters has a great chance of going home with something.