Breakdown

Climber: Eddie Pandolfino 6’0”/-2

Wall Angle: 5° Overhanging Prow

Holds: Rock Candy Blockus Pinches, Rock Candy Diatom Incut Rails, Teknik Grand Scarabs, ETCH Orbship

RIC: Risk 1, Intensity 4, Complexity 3

• The objective was to create an experience that utilizes the prow feature for the majority of the boulder. Intensity is ranked highest because the movements require constant shoulder and leg tension. It is necessary to maintain compression to shift the body back and forth around the corne rand to prevent the hips from being thrown out of balance. The distinct body positions increase the complexity of the boulder. If the climber does not properly position their feet before moving their hands it will result in a loss of tension. Many holds are reachable from low positions, but not usable until the correct position is gained. Risk is rather low on this boulder because the movements are controlled and the foot and body positions can be forgiving if approached with intent.

Influence/Aesthetic:

• Generally, this boulder has a chaotic makeup. The contrast of dualtex, non-dualtex, smooth, and geometric makes it a potpourri of sorts. The smooth holds are clustered around the dual-tex orb to create an accented section. Geometric holds are used throughout the rest of the climb in vertical lines to accentuate moving around the line of the arete. Holds are packed tightly to offer a cryptic but intentional sequence. Mixing holds and sets like this can be challenging, but equal distributions throughout the boulder can help to create some visual synergy.

Hold Selection:

• I have been enjoying slots and blockers recently because of the slight difficulty change they offer. When choosing the holds for this boulder I wanted to create slightly uncomfortable blocked edges that required precision to grab. When they are gained with the incorrect body positioning they feel impossible to hold. However, if your feet are secured, the hands can easily maneuver into the most comfortable grip position. The Diatom Incut Rails combined with the Grand Scarabs created perfect slots that are worse than they actually appear.

Own the Orb

• The climber begins by establishing a high right foot. This shifts their hips upward and shortens the distance for the first right-hand bump.

• A left foot back-flag centers the climber’s weight under their right hand. This improves their traction on the sloper and releases weight from their left hand allowing it to move to match.

• The climber brings their left foot back around the arete to assist in shifting weight over their right knee towards the next stack of crimps.

The Heel Deal

• Once the climber gains the bottom crimp in the stack with their right hand, they walk their feet upward to place a left heel hook.

• This heel hook prevents the climber’s hips from falling out from the wall and releases weight from the left hand, allowing it to move across the climber’s body.

Back and Forth

• The climber uses the shoulder tension generated from their left hand to move their right hand to the highest slot.

• This straightens the climber’s torso and allows them to move their left hand back to the arete to square their chest to the wall.

Pinch n’ Go

• Grabbing the pinch on the arete allows the climber to release their heel hook without swinging too far rightward and losing balance.

• The climber sets a high left foot and drives through their left leg while pushing off with their right foot.

Taking the Top

• After gaining the finish hold, the climber steps their right foot through to shorten the distance for the finish match.

Final Thoughts

To be honest, I really dislike setting this feature. While it is quite novel and a lot of gyms do not have a “fin” type feature like this, it lends itself to very basic compression climbing 90% of the time. The wall is also slightly curved so it is incredibly difficult to get larger holds or any volumes onto the wall to modify the angles. Avoiding this feature entirely is usually my go-to, but for this set, I felt particularly motivated to create something that utilized the wall in a more complex way. This came in the form of manufacturing some slots and other slightly “gross” handholds that might have been inspired by my recent time outside. Nonetheless, teasing out the spark of an idea can lead to desirable results.