Peregrine’s Nest packed

Towson University hosted its seventh annual intercollegiate rock climbing competition in Burdick Hall in front of an audience of more than 130, including 76 competitors. Climbers were able to compete in advanced, intermediate or beginner-level competitions separated by gender.

“The competitors were amazing,” Abigail McNair, the event coordinator from Adventure Pursuits, said. 

“The thing about Baltimore Rampage is you can have no experience or be an awesome climber [to compete.] It was great to see new climbers come in and try their hardest and it was great to see old faces and old climbers come in and again blow your mind with their skills.”

The Baltimore Rampage is the largest intercollegiate rock climbing competition on the east coast and draws students from several universities including George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, College Park according to the event’s Web site.

This year’s event took place in Peregrine’s Nest, the 33-foot climbing wall located in Burdick, and was run by members of Campus Recreation Services.

The event had ten corporate sponsors that provided equipment and prizes for the participants.

“I got a lot of free stuff just for walking in the door,” Victoria Guido, winner of the women’s advanced competition and a member of the group from UMD said. 

Guido and her teammates from College Park won the team competition for having a higher average score per team member than any other school. 

The scoring for the competition is based on a five-point scale adapted from The Yosemite Decimal System, which gives participants points based on the difficulty of the climb and how much of the climb was completed.

“The event was really well run,” Ben McLaughlin, a Johns Hopkins student and winner of the men’s advanced competition, said. 

“It’s a lot better than our competition. The administrative side was better, the setting was better and they got tons of sponsors.”

For more experienced climbers like McLaughlin and Guido, the event allowed them a competitive outlet for their skills. 

But for less experienced climbers like George Washington University student Melissa Moore who placed second in the beginner’s competition, the event offered a more laid-back atmosphere.  

“This was my first competition,” Moore said. 

“It feels awesome [to have placed]. The event was competitive, but in a fun way.”

One of the additions to this year’s competition was a participant feedback form, which McNair said would help next year’s coordinators keep the relaxed and fun atmosphere.

She said she hoped the event would provide a memorable experience for any student regardless of their climbing skill level.