Scaling Walls, Harvard Tops MIT

Five Harvard undergraduates struggled to navigate routes of varying difficulty on indoor climbing walls this weekend, aiming to climb to the top of the awards podium at the fourth annual MIT Climbing Competition.

Ashley L. Shuyler ‘07 won first place in the “Beginner Women” division on Saturday, Joshua A. Neff ‘07 won first place in the “Wicked Good Men” division, and Chris L. McConnell ‘08 also placed in his category, “Beginner Men.”

While most of the weekend’s climbers were college-aged, the competition was open to anyone who paid the $8 entrance fee. All competitors climbed 12-foot walls for a set amount of time and their scores were based on the difficulty of the routes they chose to take to the top.

While participants competed for professional gear and passes to climbing gyms, they said the contest’s atmosphere was about support more than competition.

“Bouldering is inherently pretty intense, but for the most part, in my experience, people are more focused on climbing their personal best than beating the field,” said Neff, who won the “Wicked Good Men” category.

“Everyone’s there to challenge themselves and to have fun,” said Mark D. Davis ‘08, who started climbing last semester upon his arrival at Harvard. “The idea is not every-man-for-himself. Rather, I feel like all the climbers are part of a team. It’s us versus the wall.”

All five Harvard competitors are members of the Harvard Mountaineering Club, which operates two small walls in Claverly Hall four times a week for a few hours each night.

To supplement this practice, Neff, Davis, Shuyler, and Alexander P. Cole ‘08, another competitor in the “Wicked Good Men” category, took a January trip to go bouldering in Alabama.

The climbers emphasized the benefits of their hobby.

“There’s no other sport out there that’s as mentally, physically, and psychologically challenging,” said Davis, who also stressed the importance of working out the best way to address each route as well as having the core body strength to handle the physically demanding activity.

Shuyler also said the pursuit is a good addition to her social life. “[The competition] was a great experience, and I would definitely recommend anyone interested at all in climbing to participate next year,” she said. “It’s a great way to meet other people, learn a lot about climbing, and spend hours really trying to push your body and challenge yourself.”