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More Comp Pics. October 18, 2012

Posted by littlebangtheory in Action/Adventure.
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Here are a few more shots from the September WMCC Rendez-vous Bouldering Competition at Central Rock in Hadley, MA.

It was a very active night:

…with people dangling from every possible (or impossible!) surface:

This woman was stronger than dirt, I tell ya.

The participants largely ranged from young to younger. People I would call “kids,” no disrespect intended ( I once was one) threw moves which made this old dust-farter wince:

My ruined shoulders can no longer do this without causing further damage, which I’ve sadly resolved to avoid.

But this was a night for The Unbroken to shine, and they did.

Here’s some of what I saw.

Determination:

Tenacity:

…and power,  of both the XX and XY sort:

You’re welcome.  😉

It was a night of movement:

…intention:

…and the Art of the Static Cling:

… all attributes which will serve these people well going forward, both those who maintain their connection to climbing and those who move on to other arenas.

I’m reluctant to admit that I’m only about half way through the images I captured on this night, but I’ll probably spare you another blog post (unless you ask for it. I know this is outside of most people’s experience, even though it’s been central to my life, and don’t want to beat you about the head and shoulders with my passions.)

Besides, Autumn is fast fading, and I want to get more of that posted before it’s irrelevant.

And then there’s the coming Age of Frost…  😉

A Climbing Competition. October 4, 2012

Posted by littlebangtheory in Action/Adventure.
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Last weekend saw the Fourth Annual WMCC Rendezvous, a gathering of local and visiting climbers for a little socializing, exploring and friendly competition.

The weather was wet, so most of the “competition” took place at Central Rock climbing gym in Hadley, MA. Big thanks to those folks for hosting this very busy weekend.

Friday night’s action was a “bouldering” comp, with people of all (well, most) ages pulling down. The routes were steep:

…up artificial rock walls with bolt-on holds:

There was an enthusiastic crowd of spectators and supporters mingling below, and a great atmosphere:

People took it seriously enough to work hard – young kids:

…contortionists:

Apes, which I confess is my tribe:

…and Ballerinas, to quote the late, great Scottish climber, Tom Patey:

Sharply focused spiders:

…and relentless machines:

…plugging along on the undersides of the bouldering cave. That’s some brutish terrain, but it’s not limited to the boys – strong women can play here as well:

…and they did. Great efforts, everyone!

In the end, it was less about “winning” and more about trying for one’s personal best. A lot of yardsticks got moved forward because of the competitive yet totally supportive atmosphere.

And it was great to watch the improbable being made to look easy.

…and the look of competence in a person’s eyes as they latch that final hold:

This shoot was a mix of Ollie and Gizmo, a bit too mixed up to go into. Let’s just say that my sensor needed a cleaning after all of those lens changes in a chalky environment. 😆