The Tristate Bouldering Series: What You Need to Know (and then some)
Photo: Stephan Hawk
TBS! TBS! TBS! Are you as psyched as we are for TBS??? Wait, you don't know what it is? Uhhhh, where have you been for the last decade? Jokes, jokes. TBS is brand new, and we've got all the deets.
WHAT IS TBS?
The unification of three badass bouldering competitions from three different gyms into one series with one winner, to be determined in a finals round. The three comps are The Brawl at New Jersey Rock Gym, Power Struggle at Prime Climb, and Feats of Strength at The Cliffs at Valhalla. Finals will be held at LIC, where strong men and women from all over the tri-state area will climb for the prize in front of the crowd.
The Brawl at NJRG
A BRIEF HISTORY
Back in the 90's, indoor climbing was seeing its first boom as a sport and gyms were popping up all over the country—two of these were New Jersey Rock Gym, and Prime Climb in CT (The Cliffs joined the crowd in 2002). Bouldering was also growing in popularity, and so came the birth of the local citizens' bouldering competition. First came The Brawl in '99, followed by Feats of Strength in '05, and Power Struggle in '06. These three comps have been growing in popularity and prowess since their origins a decade ago, drawing strong men and women (beasts like Ashima Shiraishi, Nina Williams, Vasya Vorotnikov, and Jesse Grupper) from all over the Northeast. Now they have combined to bring you the trifecta of OG bouldering comps. Four gyms, one community.
WHEN/WHERE IS IT?
The first leg of TBS (The NJRG Brawl) already happened in November, but the next one is right around the corner!
POWER STRUGGLE: 1/16/2016, at PRIME CLIMB
FEATS OF STRENGTH: 2/20/2016, at THE CLIFFS AT VALHALLA
TBS OPEN QUALIFIERS: 3/11/2016, at THE CLIFFS AT LIC
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP/FINALS: 3/12/2016, at THE CLIFFS AT LIC
Photo: Stephan Hawk
AM I ALLOWED TO COMPETE?
Yes!! TBS is open to everyone, from beginner to full-on beast. There are categories that you will sign up for when you register: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Masters, and Open. Open is for those vying for the championship title, so if that's not you, don't worry about it. If that is you, that's rad. Each comp will offer prizes on it's own, but the real prize comes when you compete at two or more of the comps, PLUS the Championship round held at LIC on 3/12/16. The winners of each category will receive a one year membership to ALL FOUR GYMS. Do the math for a second. The Open Division will win a $5000 cash purse. NBD.
Photo: Stephan Hawk
HOW DO I QUALIFY TO COMPETE IN FINALS?
There are two ways:
- Win the open category at The Brawl, Power Struggle, or Feats of Strength.
- Compete for the remaining five spots at Open Qualifiers at LIC on 3/11/2016.
Currently, only Ashima Shiraishi and Bryce Viola (winners of the Brawl) hold spots at the Championship Finals. Who else??? Wait and see.
I'M NOT INTO COMPETING. CAN I WATCH?
Absolutely. Comps are made for the community. Like any sporting event, this is a time for us to gather and revel in our collective awesomeness and witness some of the best athletes do their thang under the spotlight. So come one, come all! Bring your friends. We call it a comp, but it's also a party.
Photo: Stephan Hawk
THAT'S IT!
Any questions we didn't address? All this and more (much much more) is outlined in detail on the Tristate Bouldering Website. We'll see you at Power Struggle on the 16th!