The Delaware Rock Gym Over the Top Comp Nov. 22nd, 2008

It was an amazing feat but the staff at The Delaware Rock Gym put together a top notch comp in less than a month of planning. On Nov. 22nd, 2008, the Over The Top Comp got underway in Bear, Delaware. The crowd was psyched and lots of sending was about to take place. Amazing climbers from around the area came to compete such as Ryan Banister, Sasha DiGiulian, Ionel (John) Ene from Elite Climbing, Eric Shaw, YuHsien Liu, Ryan Scurfield to name a few.

Thanks goes out to our sponsors, Eastern Mountain Sports in the Center Point Shopping Plaza, Newark, DE for the prizes, Skram Media for the Climbing and Urban Climber Mags to give out to all competitors. Thanks also to the Friksn crew for sending some sick t-shirts....though the United States Post Office dropped the ball on the delivery time, the DRG staff were all very appreciative of extra gift for all there efforts put forth for this comp.

Of course this comp would not be possible without all the hard work of our setters: Drew Davis - super human setter, Andrew Sand - our setting leader, Dustin Briggs - lives to set, Derek Spencer - very methodical and precise, Peter Ipnar - for his human rubber band movement problems (sometimes misinterpreted as awkward). Also thanks to Aimee Tetreault for her orchestration of the comp day activities. The big man to thank would have to be Matt McCorquodale for his awesome gym and for getting us all in line with the ABS Format as a dry run for hopefully future comps including us in the ABS - American Bouldering Series.

with all that mouthful....here are the best photos of the day

The Competition

Craziness on the Neuron by Stone Age

Dann eyeballing the chalked up sloper by VooDoo Holds

Sasha making a big move to another great sloper by VooDoo Holds

Sebastian stretching out for that SoIll massive slopey pinch

The SoIll Snot getting a lot of traffic!

Chris attempting the match on a difficult pinch/sloper from ETCH

The tool of confidence for any climber...chalk in a Metolius Bouldering Bucket

The Game of Inches (other game.....we're not talking football this time)

The Over the Top Arm Wrestling Competition

(Inspired of course by the DRG Movie of choice - Over The Top, starring Sylvester Stallone)

This was another great match! long enough for me to get several photographs!

The Final Match: Best of Three

Chris Vs. Mario
Chris was the champion but Mario did not go down without a hard fight.
I believe it should have gone 5 rounds as it was just too close

The Open Finals

Our finals competitors
The Crowd!

Sasha tearing up women's problem 1

Sasha spotting up the Nicros QED hold
Eric poised for the move to the Climb-It Sandstone Hold
John Ene making his move on the tough VooDoo Kontak sloper

Ryan Banister trying to make his way through the Neuron by Stone Age to the huge cross to a big pinch by So Ill


Thanks again to all competitors and I truly hope all had an awesome experience this year! Special thanks to my husband, Dann for dealing with me being MIA for a couple days.