GROWL Bouldering League and Drytooling Round Up
6th Nov 2011
Round 1
Great Rock Over Climbing Winter League
‘GROWL’
Last Saturday saw the first round of the GROWL and what a fantastic start to the winter.
Bouldering & Drytooling Gallery
We had a great turnout in all categories with climbers of all ages and abilities taking part, our junior categories starting at age 5! The standard of climbing was very high in all categories, which included complete beginners (some only started climbing last week) right up to world cup competition climbers, such as Alex Puccio, Shauna Coxsey and James Garden.
Besides the standard winter league format in which points are accumulated each month, every round has a final speed climb-off in the junior and adult open categories to decide the winner of that round. There are also prizes for the winner of each category including the beginners and for the person who most improves with each round.
Shauna Coxsey and James Garden won the league round for Female and Male Open respectively. Alex Puccio came a close second to Shauna (only 3 points in it – one more go!). Then Nathan Phillips; Craig Bailey and Anthony Edwards battled it out in the men’s final, and Charlotte Garden; Jennifer Wood; Rachel Slater and Rock Over’s very own Emily Ward fought for the women’s prize.
In the Junior 11-15 final, we saw Rock Over’s Academy shine, with two of our students, Ellissa Bryant, and Samantha Roberts both competing, as well as Michelle Murray. The Junior male final was no less tense, with Charlie Mpetha; Conor Byrne; Jake Oughton and Luke Thomas all fighting for the title!
In the Adult male category Nathan Phillips and Craig Bailey both topped the route, but with Craig doing it in 9 seconds less, he took home the prize. For the Adult female final, Charlotte Garden was the only competitor to top, and so pocketed the prize, with Rachel Slater hot on her heels at hold no. 16!
For the Junior male final, Conor Byrne was the only person to top the route, Charlie Mpetha coming a close second, reaching hold 15 a cool 14 seconds faster than 3rd place Jake Oughton. In the Junior female final, Ellissa Bryant, the current Youth C British Lead Climbing Champion, showed us exactly how she earned her title, breezing to the top of the route. Fellow ROC Academy climber Samantha Roberts put up a good fight though, storming through the start of the route, to drop it just at the 15th hold!
A big thanks must goto the enthusiastic crowd who really got behind all the finalist and cheered them on, with at times a deafening roar making for an exciting final.
Later in the day saw the start of our dry tooling league which again had great turnout from seasoned axe swingers to complete beginners. We held dry tooling inductions for anybody that wanted to give it a try and had no shortage of takers allowing all abilities to get involved. The winner of this round was Mike Adams, taking away a crate of beer.
Next month we will be joined by Lyon Equipment for the dry tooling league, who will be bringing a load of demo equipment down.
We would like to thank everyone that involved including all our sponsors: Boreal; DMM; Evolv; Metolius; Helly Hansen; Frog and Bucket; Great City Attractions; Proper Maid; Park Inn; The Northern Quarter Restaurant & Bar; Pump Volumes; Lammars, and everyone that took part.
Huge thanks must go as always to our chief judge Steve Li for all his help and guidance also another big thanks to Jamie Cassidy for being there when we need him!
Come on down to the next round on December 3rd for a great day of climbing, dry tooling, great music, great food and a great atmosphere.
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