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Students will be climbing up the walls this weekend, but it won’t be because of any upcoming paper or test.
Kirby Sports Center will host its third annual rock climbing competition April 15 from 12 – 6 p.m.
Patrick Wilson ’06 (Chittenden, Vt.), a mechanical engineering major and rockwall student supervisor, is expecting about 25 competitors. He says the event will be broken down into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels for both male and females, so anyone can come out regardless of their climbing experience.
Pre-registration is $15 and registration is $20 at the door. To pre-register, contact Wilson at wilsonp@lafayette.edu.
“The competitions are very low-pressure with everyone wanting everyone else to do the best they can,” says Wilson.
Competitors will participate in bouldering, which is climbing low to the ground across the wall with no ropes, and top-roping, which is climbing up the wall on ropes. Different routes will be set up based on difficulty and the people who climb the hardest routes without falling will win prizes.
Wilson says there is no climbing club on campus, but he would like to change that.
“I’m hoping the competition will accomplish a couple things,” he explained. “I’d like to get students involved and experience how fun and laid back climbing is. Also, I’m hoping this kind of event raises awareness of a great outdoor hobby that doesn’t get a lot of attention around here.”
As rockwall student supervisor, Wilson runs the rock climbing classes at Kirby and makes sure that the wall is being used safely. Students can take a belay class. The belayer is the person who manages the rope to protect the climber. A lead climbing clinic is also offered. Open climbing sessions are every Thursday from 5:30-8 p.m. and climbers who have taken the belay class can use the wall everyday except Monday and Saturday when the facility is closed.
“Since I’ve had this job, I’ve been trying to target people who haven’t climbed and get them to try it even if they only do it once,” he says.