More on the entertainment front: the Gravity Brawl featured pro lighting, live disco, house, and rock beats provided by DJ Rick House, and amazing feats of plastic pulling strength and skill. The disco-themed event more closely resembled a Cirque du Soleil performance than an average comp. The spectacle drew over 450 spectators, who went wild as the climbers did their thing. Video footage: Matt Bosley on finals problem #3, Kevin Jorgeson on finals problem # 2, and Paige Claassen on finals problem # 3.

Despite all the eye candy, the climbing remained center stage—after all, it was a bouldering comp. Danforth commented on problems: “Balancy slabs, brutal campus moves, and downclimbing through foot-first traverses with 360-degree spins were par for the course. The problems were at the edge of possibility, allowing precious few highpoints and deafening climaxes.”

The pro qualifier dominated Friday evening – a taste of what would come Saturday at the finals. Saturday day brought the citizens division, accompanied by demos, contests, and the Mean Jonathon Dyno Comp.

Then, Saturday night, the big guns came out. “In the end, Paige Claassen beat out a tightly contested women’s field, while Matt Bosley obliterated the competition as the only male to send problems two and three,” Danforth recapped. 

And don’t forget the after-party, because what is a comp without a party? The band TIGERCITY jammed out through the night, bringing the madness to a close. 

To get the full Beta from The Gravity Brawl, including the behind the scenes Climb-It route setting blog, visit www.boulderingcomps.com. Official Video from Dr. Topo coming soon!