LaHaye Recreation’s Rock Wall to Host Its Annual Bouldering Competition

People from all levels of climbing expertise are invited to the LaHaye Rock Wall on Friday, Nov. 12 for camaraderie, crimps and lots of chalk at the annual Bouldering Competition. Registration is $5 online and closes on the day of the event.

From 2 p.m. until 9 p.m., climbers will work through various problems arranged on the bouldering wall to win points. The problems are graded on a difficulty scale ranging from V0 to V7, with V0 being the easiest climb and V7 being the most technical. Points are won based upon the grade of the climbs and the attempts taken per each climb. Someone who completes a V7 on his first try would receive the maximum number of points. 

At the end of the day, each participant will write down his or her five best climbs, with the signature of a witness, and judges will place him or her into one of three categories: beginner, intermediate or advanced. Prizes will be given out to the top three of each category, splitting up men and women in each category. 

After the competition is concluded, there will be a dyno competition from 9-10 p.m.

 “A dyno is one move where you have all points off the wall to jump and catch another hold,” said Rock Wall Manager Mitchell Olson. “This will be a fun way to engage both serious climbers and beginners with an intense dynamic problem after the bouldering competition.” 

Campus Rec has separated the prizes into three tiers to encourage all levels of climbers to come out for the event. 

“The rock-climbing community overall is extremely welcoming and encouraging to all climbers no matter their skill level,” graduate student Brian Taylor said.

Taylor began climbing around two years ago but only got serious about the sport in the past several months, going to the wall more consistently and joining Liberty’s climbing team. 

“My main reason for joining the climbing team was for the community,” said Taylor. 

Another member of the climbing team participating in the Bouldering Competition is senior Vanessa Gulchuk. Gulchuk has climbed for several years, but she will be competing for the first time at the event. 

“It will be nice to actually compete and challenge myself in new ways, see how I measure up to other climbers and push myself to improve more,” said Gulchuk. 

The Bouldering Competition is a great opportunity to introduce new people to the rock wall and to challenge seasoned climbers to get better. The rock wall serves as a positive community for many Liberty students, and Campus Rec seeks to showcase that culture on Nov. 12. 

“There is a really great community of climbers. They’re all super encouraging and welcoming, it’s a great atmosphere to be in when there’s great music and people around,” said Gulchuk. “It’s all a competition with yourself and how far you can push yourself, so it’s great to see others really supporting you and helping you along.”

Quigg is a news reporter.