Dozens of climbers will be bouldering, speed climbing and competing Friday on the Student Recreation and Wellness Center’s rock wall.
The seconnd Boulder Ball will take place at 7 p.m Friday at the climbing wall in the Recreation Center. Registered climbers can compete in three different events: speed climbing, a dyno competition and the bouldering competition.
Bouldering is rock climbing without a rope or harness and is usually reserved for shorter climbs.
About 40 climbers, including semi-pros from Kentucky and climbers from Purdue and Ohio universities, participated last year.
“The event was originally started as another multi school competition last year,” said Jerrette Girardier, an Outdoor Pursuits employee and junior criminal justice major.
While climbers from all over are welcome, the main focus is to encourage Ball State students to participate.
“We decided to make it more for our patrons here, rather than reach far outside of the school,” said Megan Harris, an Outdoor Pursuits employee and a junior dietetics major. “It’s more of a big conference for climbers here. We still invite schools like Purdue and Indiana University to it.”
The event offers different levels of competition including recreational, intermediate and advanced.
In the dyno portion of the event, competitors will crouch in certain positions and jump to different spots to see who can jump the farthest. Participants will also have a chance to race each other in a speed climbing competition along the easy side of the wall.
Prizes will be awarded to division winners and all registered competitors receive a swag bag which includes the official Boulder Ball T-shirt.
After the series of competitions, the wall will be open until midnight for black light climbing, which is free and open to everyone. Participants are encouraged to dress to glow.
The cost for late registration is $15 for Ball State students and non-affiliated students for $20. Participants may register up until 6 p.m. Friday.
The climbing wall will be closed Thursday and Friday in preparation for the event. The wall will reopen at 7 p.m. Friday for the competition and resume normal hours Saturday.
