.jpg)
"Sigh" the Anonymous person asking for your writing style was not a employee of DPM. For the most part, we will refrain from posting any comments unless it is absolutely warranted. In this case, all we will say is we hope people will remain positive. We were unable to attend the competition but have heard the problems were good. This young girl who wrote this write up stuck her neck out there. It doesn't mean her head should be chopped off. Let's move on and keep the conversation constructive and positive.
Thanks,
DPM
Snap... Rob D just got BURNED, ha.
Like i said before qualifiers were badass and I get the idea of the finals but talking with other competitors we enjoy the no bs hard finals more than showy, jumpy, long stuff. With the world class showing I'd say the problems def did their job, there's always something to improve on. I am pumped for next year, I know you will nail it.
So I posted the first comment, "Sigh."
Sorry to ruffle feathers, and I'm all for ingenuity and fun in climbing, for building community and for pulling off successful events. To that end, I wish the comp organizers, setters and competitors nothing but further success.
However, just to see if my comment was warranted or not, I reread the article. I feel that it was. The writing is really poor. I don't know that I've ever read so much hyperbole in one sitting, and to say that it's awkward would be an understatement. I appreciate the enthusiasm of the article (really, I do). However, instead of asking for my writing samples, perhaps take a look at why one of your customers, someone who's come to your website and invested their time, is giving you feedback. Do you have an editorial process? Do you think you can improve, or not? If you decide you can't, then my bad and best of luck to you...
Hey Stephen, thanks for the feedback and help with forerunning! The one thing i was not satisfied with was our lack of forerunners in the 48 hours prior to the comp. It was basically just me (in tha' boot) and Jon G trying the hard problems, and just Jon trying finals. While ideally there would have been one more hard problem that didn't get done in qualies, i was fairly pleased with the way the placing broke up.
As far as finals went, this comp is all about putting on a spectacle. I chose to err on the side of getting more people through the long/beta intensive problems as a reward for getting through that brutal quali round. Yes, the girls' problems were a tad on the easy side, but they were certainly not complaining, and neither was anyone watching...they all walked away with at least $300! The guys finals broke down perfectly, and despite the routes being "juggy", Rob and Vasya were still pumping out and falling off said jugs.
All in all, I would give it an A- with the only negative factors being a lack of forerunners, the first girls' final being a tad too easy, and wishing Vasya would have climbed last instead of Rob.
REALLY big things are shaping up for next year! STAY TUNED. Thanks to everyone that came out an supported us! I hope the spirit of this comp permeates the entire community....it needs it!
-Maxim Z.-
"The route setters aimed to upstage last year's event by crafting truly innovative boulder problems and bestowing them upon competitors in a format that would trump prior efforts within the industry to blaze a trail for the future of bouldering competitions." Who are they blazing a trail for? Looks like any other competition to me, except with less people in finals...Not to mention this is the future?
"After the finalists previewed the problems, they went to war in a face-off boasting a more similar appeal to an episode of American Gladiators than to your traditional bouldering finals competition." All of the female finalists flashed their first problem in an impressive display of fortitude, still managing to outperform the expectations of the route setters." So there were gladiators on the wall!? Were competitors being shot at with tennis balls? And did the routesetters watch anyone climb in qualifying?
"Gavin had confidently promised earlier, "minds would be blown." When because i've seen features that hang from the wall before...hell i've seen entire BOULDERS hung from the ceiling, nothin new here
"Before a massive crowd, each finalist put his or her heart of steel into gear and battled the Dark Crystal in an adrenaline-fueled duel likened to some obsessive video game rivalry between the player and a monster impeding on his or her triumph." wow, no comment necessary when you liken climbing to some lame video game...
Really the writing was pretty good except for the use of terrible metaphors to describe the climbing and energy...the comp look like it went off really well and everyone had fun, but this write-up most definitely leaves something to be desired...
The write up was a little longwinded with a little much emphasis on the finals, which were a bust. The comp could of ended after the qualifiers and I along with others feel we would not of missed much.
The qualifier problems were amazing, probably one of the best redpoint qualifiers I've been to, hats off to Max Z and crew for that setting. The field was amazingly strong, all of the problems we flashed by one person or another. Like many comps, the trip to finals came down to falls, less than 10, you would of made it to the super-qualifiers?
I think one thing setters need to remember is that most of the guy competing in the comp, are stronger that you and these comps need to be set accordingly. Every problem should not me flashed, esp when only 3 people goto finals.
I helped forerun the finals and they were interesting and the dark crystal may of looked cool, but it climbed lame. The finals were a maze of jugs with money at the end. There was to much rest time and the climbers didn't have to try hard enough. They just had a few dynos and to swing around on the gimmicky "dark crystal".
Overall, I'm glad these guys are trying something new, but they didn't nail it, back to the drawing boards. Qualifiers were sick, but finals seemed more like a heart of bronze, a little squishy. Although, plans for expansion have already started for next year and we'll see if the dark crystal is back.
"The writing, however, leaves a lot to be desired." Oh...can we have a link to your published articles. I'm just dying to read them. I'll bet they're spun gold in type.
I think it's a good recap. If you werethere you probably wouldn't think this is so long winded. Quite the task to capture the essence of that comp's energy. Def don't think the dark crystal hurt the comp's integrity, that was a lot of fun to watch. Plus it's a new challenge to those strong climbers who go to the same comp's year in and year out and know exactly what to expect. Good comp, good recap!
The write, although long winded was full of good energy. More importantly it appears that this comp was trying something new and we need to move forward to get our sport out there...Good Job Guys!
P.S. Can the crystal be used for minature golf in the off- season?
Sounds like an interesting event, and an interesting feature, though things like "The Dark Crystal" arguably eventually hurt ice/mixed comps more than they helped.
The writing, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
Don't be bitter..how un-climber of you. Awesome write-up. Definitely captured the insanity and spirit of the whole thing.
Actually it was that simple. The authors explanation of the finals are almost more long winded then Gavin's were and therefore there are no details lacking. The obnoxious writing style is required to even attempt to capture the energy that was in that room on the 30th.
Obnoxious writing style and the actual details are few and far between. But it sounds like sheer jaw dropping bouldering insanity for sure, brah.
