The Waltham Slam returns!
Last year, we created the Waltham Slam as a series for competition curious climbers, as well as seasoned competitors to explore World Cup style movements and boulders set for every level. This year, we’re bringing it back bigger and bolder!
The Waltham Slam is a 6-week boulder league featuring modern comp-style movements across a range of intensities. From introductory all the way to mastery, week to week we will curate climbs that allow for learning and exploration for all! The series will have three categories with boulders ranging from V2-V11+.
Come to our Open House from 5pm-10pm on Tuesday 6/23! Free of charge for members (and just a daypass for non-members), you’ll have the opportunity to sample boulders in styles you will see during the Slam as well as ask any questions you have about the series!
When and Where?
- Registration will open on 6/21
- Sessions will run on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5pm-10pm, starting on 7/14 through 8/13
- Finals will take place on 8/20
- All sessions will take place at CRG Waltham
Categories
- Open
- Advanced
- Intermediate
Price
- Full 6-Week Participation (access to the TC for all 11 sessions)
- $130 for Members
- $160 for Non-Members
- Drop-In Participation (access to the TC for 1 session)
- $25 for Members
- $34 for Non-Members
FAQs and Rules
Qualifying Weeks
How it works
- You will receive a scoresheet and store it at the gym for all sessions. Please indicate your gender on your scorecard, and you will be assigned a category as the season progresses based on performance.
- You will compete to earn points on each set. Each Top is worth 25 points. Each Zone (when you get halfway through the boulder, to the indicated zone hold) is worth 10 points. Each fall prior to your highpoint on that boulder is worth -0.1 points.
- Examples:
- If I flash a boulder by sending it on my first attempt, I score 25 points.
- If I top a boulder on my second attempt, I score 24.9 points.
- If I fall three times and then get to the Zone, and then fall eight more times but never send, I score 9.7 points.
- Sends must be verified by obtaining witness initials on the scorecard.
- Once each week of competition is concluded, your scores will be logged and updated to the Waltham Slam leaderboard. Make sure to keep your scorecard up-to-date, no late submissions will be accepted.
- Boulders from the previous week’s set will still be up in the gym and you are welcome to climb on them, but they are no longer a part of the competition.
Scoring Rules
- To properly begin each boulder you must establish on the 4-point start, where the location of the four start tapes corresponds with each of your hands and feet while you are in control of your body. Prior to establishing in this position, no other holds or volumes are on–you may only use the starting holds and volumes to establish in the start position.
- For this competition, you are not allowed to begin boulders other than from the starting position.
- That is, you may not pull on mid-boulder to work out beta or practice mid-boulder sequences.
- Once you have begun a boulder from the middle, you are no longer eligible to earn additional points on that boulder.
- To score 10 points for the Zone hold, you must control the Zone hold with at least one hand.
- To score 25 points for the Top, you must control the Top hold with both hands.
- Control means that you have made use of an object/structure to achieve or change a stable body position. We will help clarify this admittedly nebulous definition in person!
- We are not using the current World Climbing rules for scoring zones.
- Every time you try to establish on the start, even if you are unsuccessful, it counts as an attempt and should be recorded. Some starts are intentionally tricky!
- All volumes are on, and in general boulders will be monochromatic. We will let you know if any exceptions arise.
- The top of the wall is always off.
- On occasion you may encounter black tape on the wall. You may not touch or use anything (even the wall) past black tape.
Leaderboard and Awards
- At the conclusion of each week of competition we’ll update the Waltham Slam Leaderboard, giving you all a real-time understanding of the scores.
- We will recognize two kinds of competitive excellence at the conclusion of this series:
- The regular season winners, those who scored the most points throughout the first five weeks of the Waltham Slam.
- The Finals winners, those who scored the most points during Finals.
Finals
- On Thursday, 8/20, we’ll wrap up the series with a rotational redpoint Final Round.
- During this round, each category will compete on its own set of boulders. You will get 5 minutes to climb on each boulder, followed by 5 minutes of rest before the next boulder. You’ll be able to watch and cheer on your competitors. Starting order will be determined by seasonal ranking, with the highest-scorers going first.
Our setting crew is psyched to be a part of this experience. We’re looking forward to the challenge of exposing you to many styles of competition movements across this series. We aim to surprise and delight.
We’ll typically hang out during the sessions, on hand to offer encouragement and decode trickier or new-to-you movements. Don’t be shy–say hello when you see us!
- Evan Keyes, Head Coach of Team Watertown, Head Setter of Waltham TC
- Until recently also the Head Setter of CRG Harvard Square, Evan has been setting and coaching for 10 years. He brings an eye for subtle movements and a love of the competitive process.
- Jaelen Holt, Assistant Head Coach of Team Watertown, Assistant Setter
- Setting and coaching for the last five years, Jaelen is an expert at coordinated, dynamic movements. And you can’t beat his good vibes.
- Mia Bawendi, Assistant Setter and Coach
- Having competed at nearly every level of comp that exists, from local New England events to World Championships, Mia brings her competitive experience and enthusiasm for great blocs to our crew.
- Participants must be 18 years or older.