Climbers Flock to Smith Rock for Redpoint's First Annual Rock Wranglers Climbing Comp

November 2, 2022

At the end of October Redpoint Climbers Supply started a new tradition at Smith Rock—the Redpoint Rock Wranglers Climbing Comp. In this free event, 14 participating teams of 2 (28 total) competed in a timed partner sport redpoint climbing at Smith Rock State Park. While this year’s competition was mostly regional climbers, pro climber Anna Hazlett participated this year and pro climber Ethan Pringle says he’s in for next year!

For those new to climbing, “redpointing” allows the climber to practice the route ahead of time, but they need to “lead” the climb, periodically connecting the rope harnessed between the climber and the belayer to protection equipment for safety. Climbers may rest, but not by using the rope or any artificial protection for support. If they fall (to the next level down of bolted protection) they stop, return to the bottom, and completely start over until they clip the anchor at the top of the route. Now imagine doing this for up to 10 routes (only 2 routes per designated sector) to get points, in a timed competition for 8 hours.

The competition had three categories (Intermediate 5.5 - 5.10d, Advanced 5.11a - 5.12a, and Open 5.12b - 5.14a) and prizes for the winners and runners-up of each category. Rules, route information, point values, and bonuses were made available to participants when Redpoint released the scorecards a few days before the competition.

Partners were not restricted to climbing routes only in the above grade ranges. Once one partner redpointed a route 5.11a or harder, the team was bumped into the Advanced category. This applied as well to 5.12b routes and harder, as well as the Open category.

Rules for the Repoint Rock Wranglers Climbing Comp

Prizes for the winning teams and runners-up for each category were awarded at the after-party at Redpoint and included mega swag from sponsors Edelrid, Metolious Climbing, Petzl, Friction Labs, Rhino Skin Solutions, Hydroflask, Mountain Drifter Co. and Kobold Brewing.

WINNING TEAMS:

1st place Intermediate—The Triple G’s (Anna Casady and Maddee Rubenson), the runners-up in the Intermediate category were Katana Mamas,

1st place Advanced—Team Flower Power (Adriana Boylan and Ryan Reid), the runners-up in the Advanced category were Just Two Dudes.

Open winners were “Semi-Pro Bros” who had the most points— 2,740 in the hardest category of 5.12B to 5.14A) Hunter Murray @th.murray and Mike Holmes @light_on_rock and took home hang boards, a new rope (each!!), a rope bag, locking carabiners, and some thermoses for winter crag days. Hunter Murray got additional prizes for his list of climbs plus a bonus lap on Churning in the Wake. The runners-up in the Open category were The Beta Males.

Thanks, Redpoint Climbers Supply for all your hard work on starting up the annual Redpoint Rock Wranglers Comp. What a great way to bring all this climbing talent to Smith Rock to partner together and focus on a friendly competition for a very special play day at the park. Here were some of the highlights of the day.

Bonus content: Pro climber Anna Hazlett, @annahazelnutt (featured in the video above climbing up then down climbing Heinous Cling for extra points) at the Redpoint Rock Wranglers Comp heard about the competition through Redpoint. She's been hanging out at the shop for the last month and really plugging into the community! Will Maness of Redpoint had the pleasure of climbing with her numerous times over the last few weeks, and he’s really enjoyed getting to know her. Will said Anna is an incredible climber and an even better friend/community member. Here are a few from the other day on Spank the Monkey.

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