Bouldering is a sport that consists of climbing low walls without a rope. The growing popularity as well as its recent inclusion in the Olympics means that the sport is growing rapidly! It is as technical as it is exciting and as demanding as it is spectacular to watch. This year, JACKALOPE presents a unique and very high caliber competition: The North American Cup. Several athletes of international level will be competing. Here’s what you need to know to enjoy the show.
The format: fast, fast, fast and agile!
With $12,000 in prize money, it’s going to be an intense contest. Antoine Séguin from the Allez Up indoor climbing center is very involved in the organization and explains that the competition will follow the same format as the world championship events. He indicates that the challenge of this type of event is to go fast, be agile, be strong and to show a high climber IQ. The judges are looking for the most complete athletes. To win, you will therefore have to pass the qualification round by making as many “tops” as possible, i.e. reaching the highest block, and not simply reaching it, you need to take it with both hands. There will be 6 blocks per competitor for this first round and only the best 20 will advance to the semi-finals and 6 to the final.
For the final round, there will be 4 blocks! Climbers will have 4 minutes to do as many tops as possible but there are also sections of the wall, called zones, which must be touched before reaching the top. These areas give points. To summarize, the ranking will be based on the number of tops reached, with a minimum of attempts, and the events will be as follows:
QUALIFIERS
- Full scramble with no isolation for athletes
- No time limit or number of attempts to complete a boulder
- 6 problems per competitor
- Top 20 advance to Semi-Finals
- Most tops or zones in minimum attempts determine the ranking
SEMI-FINALS
- Athletes will be in Isolation while climbers are on the wall
- 5 on and 5 off – 5 minutes to climb a problem with a 5 minutes break between problems
- 4 problems per competitor
- Top 6 advance to Semi-Finals
- Most tops or zones in minimum attempts determine the ranking
FINALS
- Athletes will be in Isolation while climbers are on the wall
- 4 problems per competitor
- 4 minutes to complete the boulder
- Every competitor must complete attempts on a boulder before they move on to next problem
- Most tops or zones in minimum attempts determine the ranking!
The competitors
Some of the best in the country and in the world are expected for this fairly new discipline. This type of competition has existed for barely 20 years. One can say that the participants and organizers are the innovators and pioneers of this rapidly evolving sport. Some of them have already participated in the Olympics and world championships but for many it is a competition that will allow them to prove that they are ready to join the best at the top. Note that the prize money is obviously the same for men and women and that the competition is just as exciting in both categories.
The mysteries of a block must remain so
With an 80 foot wide wall that is new and exclusive to this event, the MC must be extra vigilant. Why? Because if he was to address the public by describing the route taken by the athlete, he could reveal crucial information to the competitor who will come next. Bouldering is a problem to be solved, so you can’t set off knowing the way ahead. The mystery lies between these color climbing holds which are routes and the gray shapes which serve to give volume.
The climbers’ jargon
Now that you know that this competition is coming, here are some technical terms that you will hear so we thought of you, we translated what that means in the language of non-climbers!
Chalk: This is the white powder that you apply to dry your hands. It’s actually magnesia powder
Beta: Information, advice, indications for solving a problem.
Problem: This is the term used to describe the ordeal. Since the difficulty is figuring out how to get to the top, we call the route the problem.
Solution: Obviously, if the problem is no longer a problem, it means that one has solved the block and has deciphered it and is probably at the top!
Crux: This is the crucial part of the ascension. The movement or series of movements that will make the difference between make and failure. The animator will not be able to point it out to avoid sharing the beta but you will certainly be able to realize it.
WATCH the finals on JACKALOPE.tv Sunday August 21 3:30 pm to 6pm.
Now you know everything about this event! If you climb, register* because it’s a unique chance to participate in a high caliber competition! If you are considering climbing, be sure to come and get inspired! If you love watching then you know all about the upcoming show! See you there
*In order to compete in this event, you MUST be a member of your National Federation (Climbing Canada, USA Climbing, etc.). Please make sure you have a valid CEC Competition License or other membership.
