Check this page for live updates of who won!
We are excited to announce that Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing will host the 2021 Rockathlon at our Mitchell gym on Saturday, June 26th. Winners will be determined from their combined performance in top-rope climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering. In addition to the main events, we will also have lots of other fun challenges set up for people to compete for smaller prizes. Check out our Facebook event here.
Registration for the main events has closed. However, you can still register for the small challenges only at this link: https://bit.ly/3nxE2ov. Once you’ve booked and paid, be sure to complete the mandatory registration form.
The gym will be closed to the general public on the day of the competition, as well as at least one day before for a major reset! Hume will be open as normal.
Sponsors
We’re excited to announce our sponsors:
Guided Outdoor Adventures (climbing, abseiling, and caving with Armando Corvini)
COVID-19 and the Rockathlon
When considering whether to attend the Rockathlon, especially if you will be traveling from outside the ACT, please remember that you must follow all current government advice/regulations about travel. Learn more about current requirements for traveling into and out of the ACT here: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/community/travel
You can read more about our gyms’ specific COVID-19 rules and expectations here: https://www.canberrarockclimbing.com.au/covid-19-update-page/
If you have not yet downloaded the CBR Check-in App on your phone, please do so. It’s a requirement to check in on the app anytime you enter our gyms.
Final Comp Schedule
Each category has three hours to compete. Within each category time slot, the first hour will be dedicated to speed, the second hour to bouldering, and the third hour to top-roping.
- 8:45am – Check-in for 10-15s and Masters
- 9am-12pm – 10-15s and Masters categories compete
- 12pm-12:30pm – Gym cleaning
- 12:15pm – Check in for Open Bs
- 12:30pm-ish – 10-15s and Masters podiums
- 12:30pm-3:30pm – Open Bs compete
- 3:30pm-4pm – Gym cleaning
- 3:45pm – Check-in for Open As
- 4pm-ish – Open B podiums
- 4pm-7pm – Open As compete
- 7:30pm-ish – Open A podiums
With the exception of the Awesome Woodys Roof Challenge, all of the small challenges will be open throughout the day for competitors to try. Anyone who is registered may try as many of the challenges as they like.
The Roof Challenge will be open at the following times: 10am-11am, 1:30-2:30pm, and 5pm-6pm. You will need a CIRC-issued lead pass. If you know how to lead climb already, but just need to acquire a pass, please contact our Hume gym at 02 6260 1101 or canrock@iinet.net.au to schedule a lead check appointment. If you are competent with lead climbing, but not with lead belaying, you can also acquire a lead climb only pass for the purposes of the competition. If you are traveling from outside the ACT to attend the Rockathlon and don’t have time to schedule a lead check with us, please bring a lead pass from your local gym with you to Canberra.
Comp Format
Each category will have three hours to compete, with one hour devoted to each discipline (top-rope, speed, boulder). Much like a triathlon, winners will be determined from their combined performance in all three disciplines.
Speed
We unfortunately do not have the appropriate facilities and equipment to set up an IFSC standard speed route. For the purposes of the Rockathlon, we will set two identical routes on adjacent walls. Competitors will have an opportunity to practice on the route before the speed round begins.
The speed winners will be determined via an elimination bracket – each climber will be paired with another climber in their category, with the faster climber advancing in the bracket and the slower climber knocked out.
Boulder
Each category will have four boulder problems. Once the bouldering problems are set, Mitchell’s bouldering cave will be closed until the day of the competition so that all competitors will be attempting the problems on-sight.
Each competitor will have four minutes/problem. Bouldering winners will be determined based on who reached the highest point of the climb (zone or finish) in the least amount of attempts.
Top-rope
Tope-roping will be structured much like comp-style lead climbing. Each category will have four tope-rope climbs to complete, with up to 4 minutes to complete each one, and 4 minutes of rest in between climbs. Competitors can attempt the climb multiple times in their 4 minutes. For example, if someone falls off the climb halfway up, and they still have 3 minutes left on the clock, they can be lowered to the bottom and try the climb again.
Top-rope winners will be determined by who reached the highest point of the climb. If multiple competitors reach the same high point, the winner will be determined by the fastest time.
Extra challenges
We will have extra challenges set up that registrants can participate in throughout the day, including:
- Awesome Woodys Roof Challenge (two winners: male & female)
- Climbing Resoles Table Climbing Challenge
- Paddy Pallin Dyno Competition (two winners: male & female)
- Pivotal Therapies Slab Challenge
- Awesome Woodys Pull-Up Challenge
- CIRC Chimney Challenge
Any competitor who registers for the main events (top-rope, speed, boulder) will also be able to compete in these smaller events. We also have a registration option for people to just participate in the small challenges, but not the main events. There will be small prizes available for the winners of the individual challenges. There will not be categories and subdivisions for the small challenges; they will simply be open to everyone to try.
Prizes
In addition to prizes from our sponsors, Canberra Indoor Rock Climbing is providing major cash prizes for the podiums, as follows:
Open A (Men & Women)
1st Place: $2,500
2nd Place: $1,250
3rd Place: $750
Open B (Men & Women)
1st Place: $1,000
2nd Place: $750
3rd Place: $500
Guided Outdoor Adventures Masters category (Men & Women)
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $150
ACT Rankings
Cash and sponsor prizes will go to the overall podium winners. However, CIRC will also acknowledge the ACT rankings. ACT-ranked podiums in each category will receive a voucher for our gyms for their choice of a 10-visit pass, a 3-month membership, or – if they are a current squad member – squad membership for a future term.
Registration and Pricing
Registration into the main events is now closed. However, you can still register to participate in the small challenges only.
- Entry into small challenges only: $25
All competition entry fees are non-refundable.
Spectators
Our Mitchell gym currently has a maximum capacity of 100 people. Space will be prioritized for registered competitors, and spectators will be allowed into the gym based on what space we have left over. We will have tables and seating in the parking area just outside of Mitchell’s main entrance available for any overflow.
Competition Categories & Divisions
- Open A (Men & Women)
- Open B (Men & Women)
- Inclusive
- Masters (born 1982 or earlier, Men & Women)
- Ages 10-15 (Boys & Girls)
Category definitions and recommendations:
The Open A category is for competitors climbing at a high level. Open B is a friendlier category, recommended for men climbing up to Australian grade 24, and women climbing up to grade 22. Competitors are welcome to shoot “above their level” when deciding which category to enter into, but not the other way around. For example, someone climbing at a grade 19 is welcome to enter into Open A, however someone climbing at a grade 28 should not enter into Open B.
Inclusive is a category open to any climber of any gender, and/or any climber who does not wish to compete in gendered categories. Climbers in our inclusive category will not be identified with gendered language unless they indicate otherwise.
Children younger than 10 may enrol in the 10-15s category, however we will not be creating a specific category for under 10s for the Rockathlon.
