ABS Regionals - Boulder, CO @ ABC Climbing Gym

I had the privilege of being a part of the setting crew for ABS Regionals in Boulder, CO.  

It has been something that I've wanted to do over the last few years.  In the past I have helped out at Regional and Divisional level events but never to the extent that I did with this event at ABC Climbing Gym.  

The setting crew consisted of John Gass, Paul Dusatko, Kegan Minock, Garrett Gregor and myself.  It was a really great crew of people and we had a lot of fun setting together.  Garrett laid out a schedule for the week and we stuck mostly to it.  Friday night we spent a couple more hours at the gym, but that's bound to happen.  

Garrett allowed us to pick a set of holds that we really wanted to set with.  I ended up choosing the Talus Set from Voodoo Climbing.  I was really psyched to set a boulder with them, but I didn't know what I was going to be setting until I got to the gym Wednesday afternoon.

Garrett had chosen for me to set:

Male Youth D/Female Youth D - Boulder #1

Male Youth D/Female Youth D - Boulder #2

Female Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #6

Male Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #1

Male Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #4

Paul and I also set:

Male Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #2

  Male Youth D/Female Youth D - Boulder #1

When i was done setting this boulder everyone said that it was way too hard.  I had given the youngest kids slopers to climb on.  I ended up making a few adjustments to make it easier.  In the end, after the tweaks I think it was perfect for the Female D category but a little too easy for the Male D category.

Red holds with yellow tape

Male Youth D/Female Youth D - Boulder #2

For this boulder I concentrated on pinches along with a few slopers towards the top.  I used the two big beehive holds from E-grips.  The problem consisted of some tension at the beginning with a few compression moves at the top.  Overall the climb itself turned out well but for the competition it had the same effect as the first boulder for this category; perfect for the girls and a little easy for the boys.  

Yellow holds with yellow tape

Female Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #6

I had a fun time setting this boulder.  It had a dyno for the first move, yet it wasn't too big.  It continued up the overhanging arete with some compression moves to get up to slopey jug.  It then crossed to some small flat edges from which you did a move to a smaller slopey pinch that you had to match and go to the top from.  For the Youth B category there was an extra holds on the problem that made one of the moves a little easier, but I think that the boulder was slightly harder than it should of been for this category.  For the youth a and junior category it was about perfect separating some of the top athletes in each category.

Orange holds with pink tape

Male Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #1  
I really enjoyed setting this boulder.  It had a dyno as the first move followed by some interesting moves through the roof.  There was a double toe hook around the lip.  It finished with three pinch moves and a dynamic yet technical move to a slick volume.  There was a good amount of positive feed back on this boulder.  I was proud.

Purple holds with white tape

Male Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #4
This was the ultimate test of technique.  I used the voodoo holds that I had picked out.  They were flipped outside down as feet making the first few moves very technical and slick.  There was a really awesome move at the top that was dynamic and technical at the same time.  I really loved this boulder problem.

Pink holds with white tape

Male Youth B/Youth A/Junior - Boulder #2

I set this boulder with Paul's help.  I really like how this boulder turned out because it was powerful yet technical.  It was set on a some what overhanging wall, with some awesome compression moves at the top.  

Red holds with white tape

Overall I think the boulders turned out well.  I think the biggest mistake of the event was the youth B category.  We should of made the beginnings of the boulders easier and progressively harder.  A lot of the climbers got shut down on the first few moves, but luckily there were no ties.  

It was a great experience and I hope to get an opportunity like this again in the future with regionals, divisionals or nationals! Hopefully i'll be able to get into the Level 2 Route Setting Clinic.