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THIS IS A BOULDERING RED-POINT LEAGUE

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For those newer to the sport, 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, you land on a professional landing system like found in a gymnastics space.

 

RED-POINT refers to completing a route from the first hold to the last without falling. In a red-point competition, there are many different climbing routes (aka. “problems” in the bouldering world). 

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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 on the evening of league. Starting in the middle of the route when practicing the routes before league night is encouraged.

 

BRACKET LEVELS:

There is (1) a recreational bracket for those who are still learning how to climb easier problems or for those who have never tried bouldering before. The grades of these problems range from about VB-V2, and if you aren’t sure of what those grades mean, then this is likely the category you’d enter. Basically, these routes are most accessible for someone walking off the street, who’s never climbed before.

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There is also (2) an intermediate bracket (with problems from V2-V4) and (3) an advanced bracket (with problems V4-V6). And (4) an elite bracket (V6+). The elite bracket in the competition goes all the way up to a problem or two in the V9-10 range.

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This competition will feature a kids (11 and under). 

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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.

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• WHEN STARTING: Begin on the designated start holds, marked with “Wall Tags.” If there is only one hold with a tag on it for that problem, you start "matched," with both hands on that specific hold. Sometimes, an additional start hold will be marked with a tag, labeled with a "2.” In that case, you must start with one hand on the hold with the primary “Point Tag” and another hand on the hold with a “2” tag, before you can begin moving up the problem. Your feet may be on any hold that matches the color of the starting hand hold/holds.

• 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 to locate this highest hold.  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 2-3 seconds will ensure there is no debate over if you “controlled” the final hold.

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2. GETTING BUMPED: If a climber completes more than 2 problems in the category above the one that they registered in, that climber will be bumped into that next category. This helps ensure climbers can’t register for a lower category than their ability level, just to sweep up 1st place. Note that in the climbing world, it's more celebrated to get bumped up a category than to win a lower category.

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3. FEATURES: In a couple of spots in our gym, there are corners of the wall (arêtes) which you may be tempted to grab. While it is ok to let your feet wrap around these features of the wall, climbers are not permitted to grab these to help them up the route. Features are only “on” the route for a climbers feet. 

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4. VOLUMES: There are also several volumes (large, black geometric shapes extending from our walls). A volume is only part of a route IF the problem has that colored hold attached to the volume. In that case, the volume becomes “on” route for both your hands AND your feet. If a volume does NOT have a hold from the colored route you are climbing, then the volume is off for both your hands AND feet.

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5. TECHNICALS: 

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• 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 else happens that might give a climber an unfair advantage in their attempt, the climber is asked to return to the ground immediately.

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

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6. SCORING:

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• The problems are ranked in increments of 100 points.

• For every problem a climber completes, there is a spot on their scorecard to have 2 other people––climbers, spectators, or Basecamp staff––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, to make sure someone else is watching to sign your card.

• Because league encourages climbers to practice boulders before league night, there will be no flash bonus points.

• The top 3 problems that a climber completes get added up to be their final score.

• Any ties will be resolved by adding up the total of all boulders each climber completed that night.

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7. WINNING: 1st place will be awarded to recreational, intermediate, and youth category winners each evening.