SummerSweatFest Heading North (True North)!

Last night was the third SummerSweatFest comp, hosted by Andrew McBurney at Boulderz. It was a great night of bouldering with a good crowd (over 65 climbers), great problems, and a little bit of sweat despite the A/C!

If you're not already familiar with this series of comps, SummerSweatFest consists of 7 bouldering competitions at 5 different gyms over the course of the summer. The comps are friendly and fun, so if you haven't been to one before, don't be intimidated by the word "competition".

Here's how it works:

• There are a bunch of bouldering problems set up on the walls, each labeled with a number. Generally the higher the number, the harder the problem (though that's not always strictly true; your mileage may vary!)
• Each problem is worth a certain number of points if you can get to the finish hold (or top out, depending on the problem) without falling. You get fewer points if you get the problem on a second or subsequent attempt
  
• You try as many problems as you can, and keep track of your score
  
• There are 3 divisions: Open for the best climbers, Youth for those under 20, and Recreational for those who aren't that impressed with themselves. Don't be scared off by the thought of competition. If someone like me can "compete", just about anyone can and should. And this is a great way to try out a comp before the slightly more serious Tour de Bloc rolls around in the fall. [Side note: I have challenged Tim Vince to the "Old Guy Cup" over the course of the season. He is ahead so far, but I gained on him last night just by showing up. Winner buys a 6-pack of beer, so it's pretty serious....]
• There is a great prize available for the 6 champions (the male and female winners of 3 age groups: under 15, 15-35 and over 35). Each champion wins a 9-month free pass to all 5 gyms that are hosting competitions in the series.
  

The next comp on the schedule will be held Thursday evening July 22nd at True North Climbing. We'll be setting 15 problems for adults (Recreational and Open categories), and a different 15 problems specifically for Youth climbers. The intent is to make sure that all the young climbers who come out can reach the holds they need to grab on all their problems!

So we're hoping to see a great crowd join us for this comp. You can sign up here!