The WVU Climbing Community Welcomed New Climbers at Wall Competition

On August 29th, the Climbing Wall at the Student Rec Center was packed with new and experienced climbers at the Welcome to the Wall Climbing Competition. This introductory climbing exhibition allowed participants to learn new climbing techniques and challenge themselves on the rock wall. Participants ranged from seniors to freshmen, new recruits to climbing veterans, members of the climbing club to climbers whose curiosity peaked higher than the rock wall. Forty climbers braved the top rope courses, monitored closely by belay-certified volunteers.

Welcome to the Wall was a top ropes climbing course, a relaxed environment intended to allow participants to embrace new experiences. The course started off easy and became more difficult as the climber ascended. New techniques were taught, including bump, match, cross, searing, and stemming. Techniques such as bump, match and cross are simple and involve either moving the hands and feet to a hold, or reaching across the body to a hold. Searing and stemming are more complicated, and require the climber to place their feet on the wall rather than use a hold, or use two walls to stabilize themselves. The skill level of the climbers were split evenly, with about half of the participants experiencing rock climbing for the first time. Many members of the climbing club were in attendance, and according to Alex Kew, the organizer of the event, the casual environment meant that “the climbing club members probably didn’t realize that there was an event going on”. Climbers from all grades attended the event, providing a sense of enthusiasm and fearlessness that helped make the event successful.

Regardless of ability, it was imperative that all of the climbers be kept safe. A certified belay team was present for every climb, and ensured the safety of the participants. The belay team was made up of volunteers who registered through the program iServe. Before belaying at the competition, they were required to go through a training course in order to obtain certification. Many of these volunteers were members of the climbing club, who opted to gain service hours at the event. Kew stated that “it was a great way for them to earn service hours while doing something they enjoy.” The Student Rec Center offers belay certification classes, as well as volunteer opportunities through iServe.

The success of the Welcome to the Wall event reflected the interest of the student body in rock climbing, and their willingness to take risks and push their limits. Students that are interested in rock climbing should consider joining the Climbing Club, a relaxed environment much like the environment at last weeks competition. Students can also join the Climbing Team, a group of goal-oriented climbers looking to improve their skills and compete with their peers. Climbing competitions are offered once per semester, with a top ropes course in the fall and a competitive bouldering course in the spring.

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