This year’s Petzl RocTrip and Rocktoberfest rocked the Red River Gorge in the lush forests of Kentucky on October 12-14. A large group of professional athletes cleaned up a few long-standing open projects the week before the festivities began. If making an already-bolted first ascent wasn't rewarding enough, Petzl's "Bounty Money" donated $500 to the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition (RRGCC) each time a designated open project was sent. VIEW THE EVENT PHOTO GALLERY

Just in case all the good stone and perfect temperatures at the Red weren’t enough to get you motivated, Jens Larsen published this statement from the event to his website 8a.nu on the 12^th: "I want to officially state that Red River Gorge is the best sport climbing area in the world. Just book a flight and you will find more and better quality routes than in any other area in the world. Then again, scenery and bolting is not so good and rest days are spent waiting for the next climbing day. But climbing-wise RRG is way better than any other climbing destination I've been to."

“It was perhaps the biggest outdoor climbing event in the U.S. I've ever seen,” says Chuck Odette, Petzl Event and Sponsorship Coordinator, on Petzl's Team Blog website petzlteam.com.

On Wednesday, October 10, Canadian Sean McColl flashed the desperate Dave Hume route Thanatopsis (5.14b/8c) with move-for-move beta fed by fellow Canadian Mike Doyle. McColl also onsighted White Man’s Shuffle (5.13d/8b) the same day on the Motherlode’s GMC Wall.

On October 11, Mickaël Fuselier of France made the first ascent of Fifty Words for Pumped (5.14c/8c+) at the Bob Marley Crag. The route had remained a project for so long because of it’s nasty V11 crux near the bottom followed by more wickedly overhanging climbing for another 70 feet. 

Emily Harrington sent Ultra Perm (5.13d/8b), located one route to the right of Fifty Words for Pumped at the Bob Marley Crag. Another Bounty Route, her ascent raised $1,000 for the RRGCC.
Liv Sansoz of France and Marietta Uhden from Germany sent the women's Ultimate Route, No Redemption (5.13b/8a). Also noteworthy, Gabor Szekely sent Milf Money, a very thin slab (5.13b/8a) that has now had six ascents.

Canadian Mike Doyle gave another $500 Petzl donation to the RRGCC when he made a comical ascent of Dog Leg (5.12a/7a+), which has a huge reach some thought impossible for short people. A bounty was placed on the route for the first "short" (5'5" or less)  athlete that could complete the route. 

Hundreds of climbers from all over the country turned out for the event weekend that included a screening of the Reel Rock Film Tour’s “King Lines”, Guillaume Broust’s "Petzl Navalameca 70's movie", Sportiva Solution shoe demos, Paradox Sports climbing at Torrent Falls, climbing technique clinics, food, bluegrass band, celebrity roast by emcee Timmy O’neil, Odub raps, and Said Belhaj drummin’.  CLICK HERE TO WATCH Petzl Navalameca 70's - by Guillaume Broust

On Saturday night organizers Bentley Brackett and Morgain Sprague announced that the event had made the PRMP payment goal for the next year with the mortgage paid until 2008! 

Special thanks to Matt and Amy Tackett of Red River Outdoors for hosting the parties on Friday and Saturday night in their field and also to Bentley Brackett and Morgain Sprague for their efforts in organizing the massive event.

Overall winners from the Flash Rally on Saturday the 13^th:
Petzl women: Emily Harrington
Petzl men: Steve McClure and Said Belhaj
Open women: Kasia Pietras
Open men: Ryan “Future” Roden

Dates of Ascents: October 10-14, 2007

Sources: Luke Laeser, 8a.nu, petzlteam.com

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