Breakdown
Climber: Vini Campos 5’9”/+2
Wall angle: Flat
Holds: Cheeta Boomerangs, Urban Plastix Stealth Feet 3
RIC: Risk 1, Intensity 4, Complexity 2
The intention of this boulder was to pack a punch in a short amount of wall space. Our mezzanine wall is slightly shorter than the other walls in the gym, which can sometimes offer a challenge in setting harder climbs in the small space. Intensity is ranked highest on this boulder as all of the moves require controlling small holds and tense body positioning. There is a slight element of complexity with the multiple options for grabbing the main cluster of holds and positioning of feet. Little risk is involved on this boulder because there are no considerably low percentage movements.
Influence/Aesthetic:
The grouping of the four boomerang holds at the top of the boulder was what created the functional and aesthetic basis for this climb. The close grouping and aggressive angles cause the climber to do many small movements to sequentially readjust through them; this combines with the visual “wave” appearance the holds have on the wall. Additionally, this was an experiment in having the entire boulder be short enough that it fits into one visual focal point for the user.
Hold Selection:
This is an instance where the holds were chosen because they were part of the same set. This is a simple way to have an aesthetic theme throughout a boulder. There was no intended movement before the holds were chosen. However, there was a grade and area of the wall assigned. A functionally arbitrary choice of holds can be beneficial to creating unique movements and challenging a routesetter to think of holds in ways that contrast their habitual processes.
Hop Up
Vini begins the boulder by jumping to the two start holds, which are unable to be controlled from standing on the ground.
His opposing hands create tension and he is able to bring his right foot up. This gives him a point to pull and shift his weight towards the next hold.
Gaining the next right hand allows Vini to shift his weight leftwards; this allows him to open his body away from the wall and begin walking his feet up.
Do the Shuffle
Once Vini’s right foot is on the start hold he keeps his left foot dropped to keep his hips inward and to maintain balance to gain the next left hand.
Vini begins to shuffle his right hand higher; this releases tension between his right foot and right hand which allows him to straighten his legs.
He brings his left hand back down to the start to keep an additional point of contact for stability while swapping his feet.
Taking the Top
Vini brings his right leg out to stand up, but his body weight is leaning far leftwards away from the finish.
He smears his right foot against the wall to help square his body. This creates a point of tension under his hands as he works rightward to complete the climb.
Final Thoughts
Wall angles and heights are some of the key restrictions in routesetting. Hold functionality can change drastically when put on different angles and specific moves can only be set when wall spaces allow for them. Although setting on a shorter wall can be challenging, there are an infinite amount of ways to fill a space with movement. Keeping holds grouped tight and body positions compact are strategies that can help a short boulder provide a memorable experience for climbers.