Some 60 rock climbing enthusiasts from across the Midwest are taking part in an event today at the University of Northern Iowa.
The 8th annual Rock Revolution Climbing and Bouldering Competition gets underway this morning at UNI’s Wellness & Recreation Center climbing wall.
Andy Martin, UNI’s outdoor recreation coordinator, is helping organize the daylong contest. Martin says students will be judged on their rock-climbing abilities and the winners will get prizes but the goal is for everyone to leave with the satisfaction of having a good time and the comaraderie of meeting other climbers.
They’re expecting seasoned student climbers from all three of Iowa’s public universities, as well as from schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. Martin says UNI’s special climbing wall is, in many ways, better than a "real" rock wall. The wall is 38-and-a-half feet high with 11 routes of varying degrees of difficulty. There are 3,000 holes in the wall where the hand-holds and foot-holds can be inserted or removed so the routes can be made as hard or as easy as they want them.
Competition begins at 9 AM. Pro-climber Ivan Greene is scheduled to appear at the event.