After being closed for a week and a half, the rock climbing wall at Ping Recreation Center reopened to the public Saturday morning for the Spring Semester Climbing Competition, hosted by Ohio University Outdoor Pursuits. The wall had been closed to set up new routes for the event.
Outdoor Pursuits holds a climbing contest once a semester, with a Halloween one in the fall and another themed one in the spring. This semester’s competition was cowboy-themed, with about 20 participants moseying in wearing cowboy hats, boots, flannel and a few chaps. Along with the climbing contest, there was also a costume contest.
Brenna McFarland, a junior studying environmental science and sustainability and a climbing wall supervisor for Outdoor Pursuits, said she pitched the idea after she was inspired by the climbing gym she goes to in Cincinnati.
“The cowboy theme was actually a theme from my home gym in Cincinnati, RockQuest Climbing,” she said. “They would do a Western night where they did flying figure-eight competitions and tried to lasso a quick draw.”
Tyler Duricky, a freshman studying mechanical engineering who climbed in the men’s intermediate category, wore a blaze orange cowboy hat he won at the fall climbing competition.
“I like the cowboy theme,” Duricky said. “I usually have a normal cowboy hat, but I won this one at the last comp, so I had to wear it for this one.”
There were different categories for competitors to climb in. The beginner and intermediate groups were split between men and women, while the advanced group was coed, with each having four routes.
Duricky, who won the men’s intermediate category followed by Charlie Clark and Blaise Ignagni, said he climbs nearly every day but has not been able to with the rock wall being closed.
“I probably miss maybe one day a month,” Duricky said. “I haven't been able to climb in like two weeks because they've been closed.”
Climbers were judged on a point system, with each hold they touched being worth one point, holds they controlled being worth two and any holds they skipped being worth two as well. Competitors also had two attempts at a route and would get an additional 10 points if they completed it on their first attempt. To complete a route, a climber had to put both hands on the top of the wall.
The advanced category was won by Trevor Gillam, women’s intermediate by Anna Martin, men’s beginner by Miles Gassaway and women’s beginner by Caleig McFawn.
The event was open to anyone, not just current students. Ben Brewster, who graduated from OU in 2022 with a degree in mechanical engineering and a climber in the advanced category, said this was his first competition since he graduated.
“I did them when I was a student, I haven't done them since,” Brewster said. “I used to work for Outdoor Pursuits, so I would set routes for the comps and then compete as well.”
Unlike previous years, climbers belayed each other rather than having Outdoor Pursuits staff do it. A belayer stays on the ground attached to the climber and gives them more or less slack on the rope when needed.
McFarland said the competitions can help to create fellowship among climbers while introducing people to the sport.
“I think it really is about the community, that's the biggest thing for me,” McFarland said. “Also just testing your ability. Climbing is scary, and competing can be scary, but we have so many different divisions that I think it’s a good way to test yourself and challenge yourself and try something new, and also meet other climbers.”
