Students reach new heights in rock climbing contest

Helena Porras stares intently at the colourful grips on the wall. She analyzes the different routes she can take, the potential downfalls, the strategic placements. Her score lies firmly beyond the chalk-stained boards, the top of the wall within reach.

It is her third time at the climbing gym this week. She aims to prove herself to one person and one person only: Helena Porras.

The Climbing Competition is held every two years in the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. This year, the competition ran from March 24 to March 28. The walls were completely refreshed with new climbs.

Overall, there were 61 participants in the competition. The competition featured 31 different climbs on the bouldering wall and five on the top-rope wall, which is a harness-assisted climb.

About eight months ago, Porras made her first appearance in a climbing gym. After watching professional climbers on video, she felt inclined to try the sport out for herself.

Adrian Bunner, the competition officiator, recommended she exercise her climbing skills in this year’s competition. Porras did not refuse the opportunity to build her overall strength.

Regardless of her humble motives, Porras ranked an impressive third place on March 27, a day before the competition ended.

“Honestly, it was a surprise. I didn’t expect that, but it’s really motivating to just keep going and (go) wherever it takes me,” Porras said, flashing a proud smile. “It feels good, I’m not going to lie.”

On March 28, Porras returned to the wall, continuing to strive for new heights in an attempt to move up a rank. Her motivation successfully brought her up to second place by the competition’s end.

Another natural talent in the competition was Vincent Haley. On his third day on the competition climbing wall, Haley was confident he could get a high score.

“I just like climbing, so I decided to join the competition. It’s competitive, and you try to beat your personal best from previous climbs, so that’s what I enjoy about it,” Haley said.

It is Haley’s second year attempting the competition at the college. This year, he was motivated to surpass his score. Hanging upside down on one of the most challenging bouldering routes was not a huge feat for Haley.

Defying the laws of gravity, Haley propped himself up with his right hand, pulling a Spiderman-like stunt.

The most outstanding contestant was Jason Bui, a massage therapy student at Algonquin College, who had the winning score for the men’s devision.

Bui has been rock climbing for just over two years, training every day in an almost “unhealthy amount” for the competition. With extensive experience in fitness, he participates in long-distance runs and body-weight exercises throughout the year, building muscular endurance to support his climbs.

Out of the 31 bouldering routes on the wall, Bui completed 29 flawlessly.

The routes range from 1-31 in terms of difficulty, problem 1 being the easiest and 31 being the most challenging.

A problem, or boulder problem, is a predetermined climbing route on a bouldering wall. It consists of a series of holds and moves that climbers must complete from start to finish. These problems vary in difficulty and are often marked with tape or coloured holds to differentiate them.

Problem 29 consists of an overhang climb and few holds to grasp. One wrong hand placement could mean a potential fall.

“The more attempts you take, the more points you lose,” Bui said. “That’s why you want to do it on your first attempt to get the most points. So, I was able to clear all of them on the first attempt.”

But winning the competition was not the only thing Bui achieved from this event. He says rock climbing is one of his favourite ways to relieve the stress from the end of term.

“Around this time, a lot of students are having a lot of stress with their assignments, exams and such, so it’s actually very considerate that they allow us to do a week-long comp rather than a day comp,” he said.

By Friday afternoon, over 15 people stood at the foot of the wall, taking a shot at the competition before the winners were announced.

As Students’ Association staff member Alison Jordan admired the intricate placement holds on the wall, she reflected on the popularity of the competition.

“It just keeps growing,” she said.