The results from the  Sport Climbing Series competition held in Newburyport on April 7 at MetroRock North are now available online.

The results of the CCS Climbing competition held in Newburyport, MA at MetroRock North on February 18, 2012 are here!

Just click the link below to see the final results and standings.

CCS at MetroRock North, Newburyport, MA Feb-18-2012 - Registration and Scores

After several weeks of open voting, the tallies have been counted, the hanging chads were disputed and the results are in! Scores were based on creativeness, funness and how well they matched to the grade listed.

Congrats to all the winners and thank you to all of you who voted!

5.8 category:

1. Jeb Bruno, station 62
2. JP Mial, station 31
3. Rob Alpert, station 24

5.9 category:

1. Boof, station 99
2. Jeb Bruno, station 38
3. Dave Wetmore, station 65

5.10 category:

1. Mark Heffley, station 25
2. Erik holmes, station 20
3. Alex Enright, station 21

5.11 category:

1. Raff, station 94
2. Dave Wetmore, station 74
3. Boof, station 63

Photo by Pat Bagley

Dark Horse Series 2012 went out with a bang last weekend as some of the best climbers in the world came to throw down to fight for the prize and glory. The series, which began last November, is our homegrown compeition and we couldn't be happier with the way it has grown. Each passing year and comp, things get bigger and better and we were floored by what we saw last Saturday: hundreds of spectators cheering their lungs out for the pros as they tackled some of the sickest boulder problems we've ever set. It was an amazing show and we can't wait for next year!

We want to thank everyone involved, especially:

• The setters and organizers who worked long and hard to set everything up and put up some amazing climbs. It's not as easy as it looks!
• The staff at MetroRock for their hard work at making everything work so smoothly.
• Our sponsors who made it all possible and provided awesome prizes. We appreciate all your help.
• To the spectators who created all that buzz and excitement. Without you, it would just be a cool boulder session, with you, it was a party!
• Most of all, HUGE thank you to the competitors. From the novice competing for the first time to the pros who do this for a living, you all made it possible by putting your best efforts up to see how hard you can climb. Climbing competitions are about the individual challenging him or herself to push beyond their limits and we can't say enough about the amazing performances we saw during those three days. Congratulations to ALL of you!

For complete wrap-up and information, including results, see the Dark Horse homepage.

For pics and video, see the links below:

The results of the ABS regionals are have arrived!  

ABS Regional Team Championship Results

ABS Regional Divisional Invites Results

Smartphones, whether you like them or not, have made it possible to get instant access to information on just about everything with a few pokes of your finger. Climbing may be a very analog activity but your iphone, android or whatever comes next can still add to the experience. Below is a partial list of apps that will help you get to the crag, find routes, figure out beta, avoid bad weather and learn to be a better informed climber.

NOT the correct way to use your climbing app!

Guidebooks

If you need to find your way around a particular climbing area, there are now a few options for smart phone apps instead of the old fashioned guidebook. The apps listed here cover just the US but there are scores of others for climbing overseas.

The Black Out Boulder Brawl was a huge success with over 137 competitors and over a 100 spectators!

Here are the final results.

Finals Ranking

MALE

           Name                    Score
1         Andy Lamb          25
2        Nicholas Hall      23
3        Bowland Chen    21
4        Shane Messer    17
5        David Berman     17

HEAD-2-HEAD

Andy Lamb WINNER!
vs.
Nicholas Hall

FEMALE

          Name                          Score
1        Melissa Hopkins      31
2        Amelia Metcalf          30
3        Olivia Metcalf             29
4        Katie Lamb               26
5        Megan Gallagher     22

HEAD-2-HEAD

Melissa Hopkins
vs.
Amelia Metcalf WINNER! 

In order for us to try and appease the masses we are constantly coming up with the best ways to bring the joy of climbing to all. We have currently decided in Newburyport that Family Night, a discount for children that are 12 or under, would better serve the public on a different day. As of November 1st, Family Night will officially be on Thursday Nights starting at 3p.

The deal itself is as follows:

Time: 3p - 10p
Location: MetroRock - Newburyport
Deal: All children that are 12 or under pay their age and get free rentals (for example, a 10 year old would pay $10)

*All children need a waiver that is signed by their parent
**Deal does not include any MetroRock Staff as instructors or belayers

For questions please call us at (978) 499-7625

Photo courtesy of Max Shaffer

MetroRock Everett recently began offering Yoga classes in one of the new expansion spaces. We sat down with the instructors to talk about their passions for both yoga and climbing and what students can expect from the “Yoga for Climbers” classes.

Ken Miller is the lead teacher and offers classes on Mondays at 7pm, Thursdays at 6 and 7pm. “I studied Hatha Yoga at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica, where I received my 200 hour Yoga Alliance-certified teacher training. My passion for yoga stems from its capacity to foster physical and emotional well-being in a fun and powerful way. Yoga offers wonderful tools for managing anxiety and stress, and for achieving a greater sense of ease, confidence, and self-acceptance. As a rock-climber and runner, I am grateful for the ways in which yoga has increased my strength, flexibility, and focus.”

At nearly every climbing gym in the world you are bound to find some sort of competitive event. Some gyms keep them local, sporatically holding smaller comps that welcome their climbing community through there doors for a day full of fun and healthy competition. Some gyms take it to a global level, opening their doors to climbers from all over the country and the world to come in and test themselves against the best on routes and boulders that baffle the imagination. Bodies fly through the air with the greatest of ease, latching on to a climbing hold placed perfectly on the wall. Everything is designed down to the finest detail to make climbers push their limits to hold on til the very end until a king and queen are announced. 

More and more, these competitions are gaining the momentum as a spectator sport, with vendors, lights, music and festivities to draw in a crowd from all over. MetroRock Climbing Centers is no exception. For years we've been perfecting the art of holding world class competitions, from fun comps like the Blackout Boulder Brawl, where climbers enter a different world of climbing under the blacklights with enough neon colors to make the 80's envious, to the Dark Horse Bouldering Series that over the last 2 years has grown into an international sensation. With hundreds of competitors and just as many spectators busting through the seams, we saw a perfect opportunity to give back to the climbing community.

We are proud to announce that at every climbing competition held at MetroRock Climbing Centers, a portion of every entrance fee will go to Urban Peaks, an organization dedicated to bring the sport of climbing to disadvantaged and underrepresented youth.

Here is a list of some upcoming competitions at MetroRock Climbing Centers: