DARK HORSE BOULDERING SERIES

FORMAT & RULES

OPEN Format

Modified Redpoint Format - Peer-Judged

Competitors attempt 8 zone-scored boulders; boulders will start around V8+

Final score will be the cumulative total from all boulders

Scoring will be Tops, Zones, Attempts to Top, Attempts to Zone

Competition will be peer-judged with two signatures required for either a zone or a top.

Top 6 Male Open Category competitors and Top 6 Female Open Category competitors move on to compete later in Finals in each Round

For the Championship Event, Top 4 Male Open Category competitors and Top 4 Female Open Category competitors move on to Finals.

First Place Open Competitors from Littleton, Bushwick, and Vermont will be awarded a bye into the Finals Round of the Championship Event. A bye must be accepted within 48 hours of being issued. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of the bye, and the bye will be handed down to the next place finisher. Byes will only be handed down to the podium finishers of each Dark Horse Round. If no one on the podium is able to accept the bye, the number of people taken to the Championship Finals from the previous round of the Championship will be increased by one.

CITIZENS Format

Redpoint Format - Ranked Boulders

Up to 50 boulders to choose from

Scores will be determined by top 5 boulders you complete during the session

Competition will be peer judged with signature required for a top

Boulders will range between V0 and V8

Categories: Beginner M / F / NB, Intermediate M / F / NB, Advanced M / F / NB

YOUNG GUNS Format | 12 - 14 YEARS OLD

Must be 12, 13, or 14 years of age on the date of the competition.

Modified Redpoint Format

Competitors attempt 8 zone-scored boulders

Final Score will be the cumulative total from all boulders

Scoring will be Tops, Zones, Attempts to Top, Attempts to Zone

Competition will be peer-judged with two signatures required for either a zone or a top

Top 4 Male Category competitors and Top 4 Female Category competitors move on to compete later in Finals in each Round

Boulders will start at V4+

Open & Young Guns Rules

All boulders will contain

• 4 point start: 1 limb must establish on each of the 4 points before the competitor moves from the starting position.

• 1 zone: Zone must be controlled to be scored.

• Finish hold: A finish hold must be controlled with 2 hands to be scored.

Zone Control: When a competitor uses the zone hold with 1 hand to create a new body position or change their current position. The competitor must use the hold to do something with their body in a way that they otherwise would not have been able to do. The cannot just touch the zone hold; they must use it.

Finish Control: To establish 2 hand top control, the competitor must establish a controlled and stable position or change their current position with 2 hands touching the finish hold. The climber does not need to be able to move or progress past the position they establish to have both hands touching the finish hold.

All attempts must be done from the ground. Working moves in isolation is not allowed. Brushing holds is only allowed from the ground. Climbing up a neighboring boulder to brush holds is not allowed.

All natural features of the walls are considered on, except for the terminating top edge of the wall.

Tape

• Black Tape: Black tape is a hard boundary. If any part of the climber touches the wall or object affixed to the wall, their attempt ends and they must start from the beginning of the climb.

• Red Tape: Red tape is a soft boundary. Climbers may touch the wall and any natural features of the wall past red tape, but cannot touch anything that has been affixed to the wall that is past red tape.

T-Nuts are not allowed to be used as handholds, but are allowed to be used as footholds.

Volumes

• Gray Volumes are on for all climbs.

• Colored volumes are only allowed to be used by the color boulder they are associated with unless a hold of a different color is affixed to said volume, then the whole volume becomes usable for that individual boulder.

• Any screw holes in holds or volumes are allowed to be used.

If any holds or volumes protrude off the top edge of the wall the usable surface that extends beyond the edge of the wall is considered to be off. The usable surface that extends below the surface of the wall is considered to be on.

If any holds or volumes spin or shift during an attempt, a climber must immediately end that attempt if they wish to strike said attempt from their scorecard. If the climber elects to continue said attempt, the attempt is valid and must be recorded. The climber must alert a routesetter or comp official of the loose hold after the attempt is over, regardless of if the attempt is valid.

An attempt starts when all 4 limbs of the climber have left the ground with the intent to begin the boulder.

CITIZENS Rules

All boulders consist of:

• 2 hand start: 1 arm must establish on each of the 2 points before the competitor moves from the starting position

• If more than 2 start holds are taped, the competitor may pick any of the taped start holds to establish on

• 1 zone: Zone must be controlled to be scored.

• Finish Hold: A finish hold must be controlled with 2 hands to be scored.

Zone Control: When a competitor uses the zone hold with 1 hand to create a new body position or change their current position. The competitor must use the hold to do something with their body in a way that they otherwise would not have been able to do. The cannot just touch the zone hold; they must use it.

Finish Control: To establish 2 hand top control, the competitor must establish a controlled and stable position or change their current position with 2 hands touching the finish hold. The climber does not need to be able to move or progress past the position they establish to have both hands touching the finish hold.

All attempts must be done from the ground. Working moves in isolation is not allowed. Brushing holds is only allowed from the ground. Climbing up a neighboring boulder to brush holds is not allowed.

All natural features of the walls are considered on, except for the terminating top edge of the wall.

Tape

• Black Tape: Black tape is a hard boundary. If any part of the climber touches the wall or object affixed to the wall, their attempt ends and they must start from the beginning of the climb.

• Red Tape: Red tape is a soft boundary. Climbers may touch the wall and any natural features of the wall past red tape, but cannot touch anything that has been affixed to the wall that is past red tape.

T-Nuts are not allowed to be used as handholds, but are allowed to be used as footholds.

Volumes

• Gray Volumes are on for all climbs.

• Colored volumes are only allowed to be used by the color boulder they are associated with unless a hold of a different color is affixed to said volume, then the whole volume becomes usable for that individual boulder.

• Any screw holes in holds or volumes are allowed to be used.

If any holds or volumes protrude off the top edge of the wall the usable surface that extends beyond the edge of the wall is considered to be off. The usable surface that extends below the surface of the wall is considered to be on.

If any holds or volumes spin or shift during an attempt, a climber must immediately end that attempt if they wish to strike said attempt from their scorecard. If the climber elects to continue said attempt, the attempt is valid and must be recorded. The climber must alert a routesetter or comp official of the loose hold after the attempt is over, regardless of if the attempt is valid.

An attempt starts when all 4 limbs of the climber have left the ground with the intent to begin the boulder.