2024

ASCEND Summer Games

Compete in the ASCEND Summer Games for a chance to win great prizes and local glory! Competitors can submit scores for just one game, or go for the decathlon by completing all 10.

These games were designed so that all abilities can participate! If you log a score for each game, you've completed the ASCEND Decathlon and will receive a special sticker for your button AND be entered to win the GRAND PRIZE!

July 20 - August 11

Compete on your own time between July 20 and August 11. Work on the games for days/weeks to improve and submit your best score for each game. Must turn in scores by EOD Sunday, August 11.

Opening Ceremonies

We're hosting a fun Opening Ceremony to kick things off on Saturday, July 20 from 10a-1p at ASCEND South Side and Erie. The official ceremony will begin at 12p and YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT!

  • 11a - Group Wall Sit Competition - Everyone in the gym participates until only one remains!

  • 11:30a - Group Plank Competition - Everyone in the gym participates until only one remains!

  • 12:30p - Torch Lighting - Everyone in the gym will help light the ASCEND Summer Games Torch!

POST SESSION, SESSION IPA (PGH only)

We teamed up with Velum Fermentation (ASCEND South Side's downstairs neighbors) to create a new beer and the release party is set for just after the Opening Ceremony at 1p on Saturday, July 20.

Closing Ceremonies

We'll close the ASCEND Summer Games out on Thursday, August 15 from 6-8p at ASCEND South Side and Erie. More details to come, but you can expect winners and prizes to be announced and awarded, along with some other fun activities to make the most of the night together.

PRIZES

Top performers of each game AND one lucky person from each game will win great prizes! The decathlon overall performer AND one lucky person selected from all decathlon finishers will win a YEAR MEMBERSHIP!

Erie and Pittsburgh will run separate competitions. There will be two sets of the prizes for the winners of each game and the decathlon.

  • Erie: All games held at ASCEND Erie.

  • Pittsburgh: Most games held at both locations except for a few exceptions.

PRIZES

We are working on gathering prizes, but at a minimum you can expect:

  • Winner of each game - Month Membership to ASCEND!

  • Random participant from each game - TBA

  • Decathlon overall performer - Year Membership to ASCEND!

    • Add the 10 places together. Lowest score wins.

  • Random selection from all decathlon finishers - Year Membership to ASCEND!

Note: Decathlon winners may not also win individual games, so in the event there are multiple firsts the 2nd place finisher will take home the prize.

REGISTER AT THE FRONT DESK!

  • Just $5 gets you a scorecard and an official competitor button! A portion of proceed will be donated to the Special Olympics.

  • Competitors will be automatically placed on a team, of which there will be 6 in Pittsburgh and 3 in Erie. You may interact with your team as little or as much as you'd like. the purpose of the teams is twofold:

    • The winning team will be announced during the closing ceremony!

    • Teams can meetup and work on the games together and meet new people!

    • Maybe some other things... TBD.

How To

Compete In The Games

All submissions must be submitted via our online form. You should film yourself completing these objectives (except for Max V-Points and Max Vertical Feet) in case there is a challenge to you claim. You'll only submit one result per game and will do so once you're done with all of the games anytime before EOD Sunday, August 11. You can practice and keep track along the way using our paper scorecard or your own methods.

COMPLETE FORM HERE

WATCH BETA VIDEOS HERE

Plank

  • RULES: Proper plank position, hands can't touch, back straight, feet shoulder width apart. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Longest time wins. Time must include seconds. Ex. 6:48 = 6 minutes and 48 seconds.

Wall Sit

  • RULES: Proper wall sit position, knees at 90 degrees, hands cannot touch ground or wall. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Longest time wins. Time must include seconds. Ex. 6:48 = 6 minutes and 48 seconds.

Dead Hang

  • RULES: Proper dead hang position, hang below bar with arms straight, feet can't touch anything, removing one hand at a time is permitted. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Longest time wins. Time must include seconds. Ex. 6:48 = 6 minutes and 48 seconds.

Pinch Lift

  • RULES: Using the official ASCEND Summer Games Pinch Block, attach as much weight as you can and lift with one hand! Lift it up off the ground and lock it out like a regular deadlift to count your score. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Highest score wins. Weight lifted / your weight = .XXX [your score]. Ex. 40lbs / 155lbs = 0.258

Campus Til You Drop

  • RULES: With feet established comfortably off the ground on the low feet rails, using the largest campus rungs we have, start matched on the first rung. This will be counted as rung zero. Move one hand at a time, matching on each rung, until you’ve moved two rungs up. Reverse the process until you’ve reached the start rung again. You must match each rung on the way up and down. Each matched rung is one point. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Most points wins.

Finish Hold Frenzy (not offered at Point Breeze)

  • RULES: Start at designated start hold. Complete each finish in numbered order without touching the ground. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Most finishes controlled wins. Ties will be decided by the fastest time to the number of finishes.

Drop Zone (not offered at Point Breeze)

  • RULES: While the mechanics of this game differ from the Erie variation to the South Side variation, the goal of the game at both locations is to move all five balls from the start container to the finish container in the fastest time possible. Each variation shares a few general rules. You may not move more than one ball at a time. You may not put the ball in your clothing, mouth (gross) or chalk bag. You can hold the ball in a hand, tuck it under your armpit or neck, balance it on your head, hold it in your elbow, or use the features available on the wall to rest it while you climb. Your turn, and the time, begin when you leave the ground and end when you fall off or all the balls are either dead on the ground or in the final container. See location specific rules adjacent to the game at each facility for other important details. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Most balls transferred wins. Ties will be decided by the fastest time to the number of balls transferred.

Max V-Points (not offered at Point Breeze)

  • RULES: 60 minutes to accumulate as many boulder problem points as possible. No repeats, climb must be sent. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

  • SCORE: Most points wins.

    • Green Tag = 1 pt

    • Purple Tag = 2 pts

    • Yellow Tag = 3 pts

    • Blue Tag = 4 pts

    • Orange Tag = 5 pts

    • Pink Tag = 6 pts

    • Red Tag = 7 pts

    • White Tag = 8 pts

    • Black Tag = 9 pts

Max Vertical Feet (not offered at South Side)

  • RULES: 3 hours to climb as many rope routes as possible to accumulate as many vertical feet as possible. Max 3 sends per rope/auto-belay before having to unclip and move on (this is to prevent participants from dominating a lane for too long).

    • Pittsburgh: Point Breeze Rope Canyon only (lanes 1-31)

      • 30' per route on shorter wall (lanes 19-31)

      • 40' per route on taller wall (lanes 1-18)

    • Erie: Erie tall rope room only (lanes 1-20)

      • 40' per route on shorter side (lanes 13-20)

      • 50' per route on taller side (lanes 1-12)

  • SCORE: Most feet wins.

Boulder Circuit (not offered at Point Breeze)

  • RULES: Complete as many laps, including partial lap, around the circuit without falling off. Start at start hold and climb in order of the numbered holds. Must touch marked zone holds, but otherwise can skip holds as you like. Open feet. Skip hold zero after first lap. WATCH BETA VIDEO HERE.

    • Pittsburgh: South Side Woody Wall to the left of Moon Board.

    • Erie: Kilter Board spray wall set at 40 degrees.

  • SCORE: Most completed full and partial laps wins. Ex. Assume there are 30 numbered hand holds. Climber completes full circuit twice and then falls off going for hold # 19 after having controlled hold #18. Score = 2.18