Adult Bouldering League

Overview

Our annual bouldering league is a perfect way to experience team based competition in a fun, inclusive environment. ABL is free for members to join as teams or individuals – anyone over 18 can participate. Teams vie for great prizes and gym bragging rights!

General Information

Format

  • This league will happen over the course of 3 months starting on Jan 23rd ending on Apr 14th, and includes bonus points for Wed Night Onsights (Method Underground will no longer be included).
  • Each competitor posts their best 5 climbs.  Those climbs will be given a score relative to the climber’s handicap (see more below).  The competitor’s score for the week will be the average of those scores.
  • Each team’s score will be the sum of the top 3 climbers’ average scores.
  • League will run on the Kaya app.  All participants must have the app installed in order to participate.

How do I sign up?

Scoring

Scoring is Relative

  • All boulders will be scored based on a Relative Format.
  • A competitor’s score is directly related to their handicap (registered max grade). If a climber has a V2 handicap they will receive 100 points for successfully sending a V2. If a climber has a V9 handicap they will receive 100 points for a V9. Each grade deviation is +/- 10 points.
  • League moderators reserve the right to bump handicaps to prevent sandbagging.
  • Bumping handicaps will occur only during the first half of the league duration from Jan 23 – Mar 10; after which, we will allow for climbers improvement without penalty.

Individual Weekly Scoring

  • The top 5 sends will count towards your score on the leaderboard per week.  Your weekly score will be an average of your top 5 sends for that period.

Team Weekly Scoring

  • Teams can consist of 3 to 5 people, but only the top 3 scores from the team’s weekly scores will be counted towards the team score.  This allows teams to remain competitive if 1 or more members are away, ill, injured, or otherwise unable to participate for an extended period of time.
  • Those top 3 scores will be added together to calculate the team score for the week.

Expiration of climbs

  • All boulders will be eligible until they are reset.
  • We will calculate scores on a weekly basis (ie, Friday to Friday)
  • You cannot repeat a boulder once it is included in your score.

Integration with WNO and MU

Wed Night Onsight

  • WNO comps (2) in February and March will be a part of the league. 
  • Participants are not required to compete, but the comp boulders will carry a 25pt bonus during the comps only.  We encourage everyone to join WNO – it’s a ton of fun and not too serious. 
  • Please don’t share beta and try not to peek, but if you do, we’re not going to disqualify the climb.  Just be mindful of fair competition.

Judging

Video Uploading

  • Only sends with uploaded videos will count towards the participant’s score (including those during comps).  We will not be policing the videos. 
  • All participants must correctly establish starts and have controlled finishes.
  • Avoid other boulders (minor dabs are allowed but not if it is deemed as assisting).   
  • To better understand what is a successful attempt, please refer to this video.

Video submissions in Kaya

  • Please record and trim video on device and then upload to Kaya.
  • Recording straight from Kaya does not allow for editing.
  • Make sure start and top is clear.
  • If someone walks in front of the camera blocking the view, we may be forced to DQ, but will use every effort to review.

Appeals

Filing an Appeal

  • If you see a video that is questionable, please file an appeal to rich@nullmethodclimb.com with “ABL Appeal” in the subject line. 
  • Please be as descriptive as possible with climber info, the grade/color and wall location of the boulder in question, and the infraction; we will review the video to make a final ruling – any disqualified climbs are final.   

Have Integrity

  • The Bouldering League is community judged.  Be honest with your ability, handicap, and scoring.
  • This is supposed to be a FUN FUN FUN inclusive community league!!!  We do not have the time and energy to deal with sandbaggers, cheaters, and disrespect of others.  If we see something flagrant, we will remove you from the league.

Awards and Prizes

Awards

Award ceremony will take place on Apr 22nd after the conclusion of the Open finals of Method Underground 3, approximately 9pm.  We encourage all ABL participants to compete in MU (reduced $20 entry fee), and stay for the awards ceremony.

Prizes

For the winning team – each member will get a Method sweatshirt and a $25 gift certificate to the retail store.  The gift certificate can be used for a single purchase (can be for multiple items, but you cannot keep a balance).

Other Information

  • Maximum per team = 5.
  • if you are making your own team logo/shirt/etc, you must get approval before using any Method logo or images.
  • Video examples of successful finishes.
  • FYI, there may not be admin ability to make adjustments or remove videos on the back end (to disqualify). We will create a public leaderboard on our website for all to see that will be accurate.  It may not reflect exactly the same leaderboard as Kaya so please refer to the Method ABL leaderboard.
  • Individuals can sign up and we will place them in teams with less than 5 members unless otherwise requested.