Psicobloc Recap with Delaney Miller

Delaney Miller atop the wall at Psicobloc

Over the weekend pro climbers from around the world gathered in Park City, Utah to climb, party, and take 50 foot falls into Utah Olympic Park’s 750,000-gallon freestyle aerial training pool, at the Psicobloc Masters Series. Inspired by the first Psicobloc competition in Spain in 2011, this comp featured a 50-foot wall of 5.13c climbing for the women and 5.14b climbing for the men, with no ropes and only a pool to break their falls. Every type of climber was represented, from legend Lynn Hill, to young phenom Sacha DiGiulian, to powerhouse boulderer Alex Johnson. 16 female and 16 male climbers competed head-to-head in single elimination rounds until there was 1 woman and 1 man remaining. Here’s how it all shook out:

Ring of Fire Competition Recap

Meagan Martin on the women’s finals route

This weekend, Central Rock Hadley hosted their third annual Ring of Fire competition. Crux Crush was there from the beginning to the end as participants in the Intermediate category and observers of the phenomenally strong climbing that was going down. You name the strong route climber, they were there, and even a few boulderers attempting to defy their endurance odds to win a part of the $10,000 in cash prizes. What started as a laid back, chill, and very unique approach to the sport climbing comp built up to a dramatic dropping of a 60 foot tall curtain revealing the women’s and men’s finals routes, criss-crossing one another up the arch of the gym.  Read more on the comp below and check out more images of the comp in our photo gallery.

Sasha takes 1st place at Ring of Fire Comp

As the rain came pouring down in New England and plans for climbing outside were abandoned, Central Rock Gym in Hadley, Massachusetts was just getting warmed up for their third annual Ring of Fire Sport Climbing Competition. It turns out $10,000 in cash prizes, plus Maxim ropes, 5.10 gear, Mad Rock shoes, Petzl chalk bags, and Adidas jackets brings all the strong boys and girls to the yard. Crux Crush headed to central Mass to see first hand what it’s like to compete in the sport climbing comp, as well as to watch some of the strongest route climbers out there compete to win “the ring of fire.” (No, seriously, they really win a ring of fire, well maybe not fire, but a ring…and some serious cash money). In addition to the steep competition, the routes themselves required strength and the ability to read some impressive sequences – no competitor made it to the top of the men’s or women’s final’s routes. Read more on the comp and see some pretty rad photos here.

Women’s Open

First Place – Sasha DiGiulian

Second Place – Delaney Miller

Third Place – Chelsea Rude

Men’s Open

First Place – Jon Cardwell

Second Place – Daniel Woods

Third Place – Vasya Vorotnikov

We also want to give a shout out to Crux Crush’s own Mary Lambo, who took third in the Women’s Intermediate! You go girl!

Comps & Climbing

Everyone has an opinion about climbing becoming an Olympic sport. (We’ll save that debate for another day), but it does make me think about the role of competition in climbing. Watching Charlotte Durif, Delaney Miller and Chelsea Rude float up the finals routes at the SCS Nationals is awe-inspiring. Those chicks are strong! Yet, I would find it even more inspiring watching them work together and take down Action Direct (9a/ 5.14d), a route that has yet to see a female ascent.

Congratulations to Charlotte Durif & Delaney Miller at the SCS Nationals!

Charlotte Durif took first at the Sport Climbing Series Nationals. She was the only person, male or female to top out the final’s route – the only send of the night! Delany Miller took second in the comp, also climbing fluidly and with remarkable precision. Chelsea Rude came in third. As Charlotte is French, Delaney will represent the US at Worlds. You can view the full results here. Huge props to Charlotte and Delaney, as well as the rest of the competitors. You can watch the entire competition at LT11’s site.