Boulderave

Ok.  So, Friday, October 22 Urban Rocks hosted the first ever Boulderave.  The idea was to put together an event that would be bigger and better than anything the climbing industry has ever done in Chattanooga.   To do this, we needed help, and we got it.  Rock/Creek stepped up and hit a home run.  Vendors such as Five Ten, Evolv, La Sportiva, Petzl, Black Diamond, Bluewater Ropes, and Good Dog all had tents set up outside creating a town square sort of feel.  The event was now an industry night on top of the cosmic climbing party that was going on inside the gym.

The gym began to fill around 7 that evening.  Attendants strolled along "Vendor Alley"  trying on shoes, checking out gear, and eating Good Dogs.  The lights and music were in full effect as we had at least 10 different lights activated by the sound system we had borrowed from Ron Nance.  Events on the agenda for the night included speed climbing, raffle, costume contest, and a dyno comp.  All were extremely entertaining.  Yes, even the raffle.  Benefiting the Chattanooga area food bank and supplied by Rock/Creek, those who played the raffle did not hold back on playing the odds for a chance to win big. We raised $250 and gave out day passes to Urban Rocks, head lamps, climbing shoes, ropes, harnesses, and many more prizes from local sponsors.

The highlight of the night was the speed climbing comp.  Chris Gibson of Urban Rocks had schemed up a really exciting way to do the speed routes.  The comp went like this.....two routes were set on the lead wall  that were climbed as top rope to the last bolt where climbers had to dyno and smack the finish box, leaving them with no choice but to take the finishing whipper.  Climbers rotated through as they tried to post the lowest combined time.  Very cool.  In the end, Chris Sierzant and Kasia Pietras were separated by two seconds.  In the spirit of putting on a show they requested to do a best two out of three for the final race.  Race number one went to Kasia.  35 ft in 12.5 seconds!  BOOM!  She never fails to impress. Race number two was all Sierzant.  So, it all came down to the last race of the night.  They were neck and neck as the last holds came into view and still as they both lunged for the finish.  Whoa.  Sierzant took the win but their combined times were only two hundredths of a second apart.  Shyeah!

As with every event, all of my favorite people were there.  A huge thanks goes out to Urban Rocks, Rock/Creek, and the Terminal Brewhouse for making this event soooo much fun.

We'll do it again next year.

All photos by Rachel Tucker