***UPDATE 10-4-18***

Citizen's Comp results and photos have been posted below - take a look at how you did and how you looked!

IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION

We are VERY HONORED and VERY EXCITED to be one of four gyms to host the 2018 USAC National Cup Series - Pittsburgh’s first national level climbing competition! Get ready for a jam-packed September 21-22 weekend, which will also include the USAC Youth Bouldering Locals and our very own hometown competition known as the Steel Town Throw Down. In addition to competitors we'll need volunteers, so take a look below if you think you've got what it takes! We'll continue to add to this event post, so please check back often for the most up-to-date information.

REGISTRATION

USAC National Cup Series (NCS Open): The USA Climbing National Cup is a series of bouldering competitions in 2018 sanctioned by USA Climbing to provide fun and challenging experiences for adult competition climbers. To learn more and to register, please go HERE. Note: Registration is through USAC and not through ASCEND.USAC Youth Bouldering Locals: The USA Climbing Youth Bouldering Locals is the first phase of a multi-month series culminating with a national finals event in February of 2019. To learn more about Youth Locals and Nationals, please go HERE. To compete, please register HERE and ensure that you are a USAC member.Steel Town Throw Down (Citizens Comp): The ASCEND Steel Town Throw Down is our local citizens competition, designed for anyone who likes a little friendly competition while having a great time! For more information and to compete, please go HERE.Michaela Kiersch Clinics: Michaela Kiersch is a professional climber in the midst of a momentous upswing in her career. Having recently sent multiple benchmark 5.14s and having a strong background in competing and coaching, her clinics are bound to be worth your time. To learn more about Michaela, check out her Adidas Five Ten Bio HERE.Youth (17 and under) Climbing Clinic: Training and Preparation for Competitions - Learn more and register HEREAdult 1 (18 and up) Climbing Clinic: Beginner/Intermediate Climbing Technique and Plateau Training - Learn more and register HEREAdult 2 (18 and up) Climbing Clinic: Intermediate/Advanced Climbing Technique and Advanced Training - Learn more and register HERE

Notes:

Bonus: Each Steel Town Throw Down Citizens Comp competitor will receive one raffle ticket to be entered to win sweet swag graciously donated by our sponsors. This brief, yet awesome raffle will be held shortly after the comp just before awards are announced, so be sure to stick around - anyone can win BIG! Additionally, each Citizens Comp competitor who registers on or before Tuesday, September 11 will be eligible to win two free tickets to The Dawn Wall movie premier on September 19 at 7p at the Monroeville Cinemark. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, September 12.NCS Open Competitors who do not make finals will be permitted to register for the Steel Town Throw Down Citizens Comp, at full price, and cannot place or receive awards. They will, however, be eligible to win raffle prizes.All competitors must complete an ASCEND Waiver. To save time, please complete this online before your arrival HERE.Early Bird pricing available through Tuesday, September 11 for USAC Youth Bouldering Locals and Steel Town Throw Down.All USAC National Cup Series competitors will receive a complimentary event t-shirt. You will be guaranteed your size if you register on or before Tuesday, September 11.All other competitors have the option to purchase the event t-shirt for only $15 is you pre-register (a limited amount of these shirts will be for sale during the event for $20).Event shirts will be for sale during the event, but will cost $20. Availability will be limited and preferred sizing is not guaranteed.See below for shirt design!

EVENT SCHEDULE

Friday, September 21 (Registration at 4:30p | Technical Meeting at 5:45p | Qualifying Round at 6p) - USAC National Cup Qualifiers (spectators welcome at no cost!)Saturday, September 22 (Registration at 7a | Climbing from 8a-11a | Awards soon thereafter) - USAC Youth Bouldering LocalsSaturday, September 22 (Registration at 11a | Climbing from 12p-3p | Awards soon thereafter) - Steel Town Throw Down (Citizens Comp)Saturday, September 22 (Isolation open from 5p-6p | Preview at 6:15p | Finals Round at 6:30p) - USAC National Cup Finals (spectators welcome starting at 5p at no cost!)Sunday, September 23 (10a-12p) - Youth Climbing Clinic: Training and Preparation for Competitions, taught by Michaela KierschSunday, September 23 (1p-3p) - Adult Climbing Clinic 1: Climbing Technique and Plateau Training, taught by Michaela KierschSunday, September 23 (3:30p-5:30p) - Adult Climbing Clinic 2: Climbing Technique and Advanced Training, taught by Michaela Kiersch

FACILITY CLOSURES

Monday, September 17 - No archTuesday, September 18 - No blue wall, no archWednesday, September 19 - No bouldering (top-roping, fitness, and yoga still open!)Thursday, September 20 - No bouldering (top-roping, fitness, and yoga still open!)Friday, September 21 - Closed for National Cup Qualifiers (spectators welcome at no cost!)Saturday, September 22 - Closed for all of the competitions (spectators welcome at no cost!)Sunday, September 23 - 100% open, including special climbing clinics taught by pro climber, Michaela Kiersch

VOLUNTEER

This is a huge, two-day event and WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are in need of volunteers to fill various positions and shifts on Friday evening and Saturday morning and evening. Positions include isolation volunteers (hanging out, warming up, and assisting the competitors before they climb) and climbing judges (ensuring that the rules are followed while competing). Parents and guardians of competitors are more than welcome to serve as judges during Youth Bouldering Locals, but are not permitted to be in contact or judge their youths. We will help ensure that this does not happen and encourage parents and guardians to selected shifts that are not in conflict (more on this to come, since we won't know the exact schedule until registration is complete).

All volunteers will receive a one-of-a-kind Steel Town Throw Down event shirt, 2 Day Passes to ASCEND Pittsburgh, and many high-fives!

To learn more and to register to volunteer, please go HERE and help us spread the word!

BECOME A SPONSOR!

The National Cup Series is a BIG production and takes a lot of resources to pull off. We could use YOUR help! If you're interested in becoming an official event sponsor, please take a look at our ASCEND SPONSOR PACKET. Check out our amazing event sponsors HERE!

HOTEL INFORMATION

SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Southside Works for $169 per night (parking not included): BOOK HEREHoliday Inn Express & Suites Pittsburgh-South Side for $119 per night (parking not included): BOOK HERE (must enter booking dates to see discounted rate)

Note: Both room block rates are valid between 9/21/18 - 9/23/18

SPECTATOR INFORMATION

Spectators are welcome and encouraged (at no cost!) at all of the competitions this weekend. The weekend will also feature:

D's Road Dogz serving lunch on Saturday 9/22 from 12p-3pDive Bar & Grille serving dinner, beer, wine on Saturday 9/22 from 4p-9pMojo Mocha serving coffee on Sunday 9/23 from 9:30a-12p

CITIZEN'S COMP RESULTS

MEN

MEN'S ADVANCED    -Libbe, Erik (Competed in NCS)31490-1Izzo, Andrew3116098.89%2Druzdzel, Julian3003097.78%3Slavens, Mike2979096.67%4Chu, Greg2880095.56%5Kates, Leo2784094.44%6Fu, Travis2772093.33%7Vance, Eric2705092.22%8Lancaster, Gabe2689091.11%9Garrambone, David2625090.00%10Bonterre, Marcelle2573088.89%11VerMilyea, Christopher2571087.78%12Rice, Christopher2564086.67%13Payne, John2193085.56%14Pannell, Joseph2179084.44%15Carslaw, Scott2135083.33%16Gross, Jamin2026082.22%17Ayer, Ross2018081.11%18McDermott, Augustine1968080.00%19Martindale, Christian1937078.89%20O'Brien, Brendan1918077.78%21Martin, Grady1856076.67%22DeRosa, Jesse1775075.56%    MEN'S INTERMEDIATE    23Riegle, Travis1758074.44%24Teh, Arjun1739073.33%25Boren, Jeremy1708072.22%26Wang, Peter1689071.11%27Beery, Steve1666070.00%28Collins, Brenden1666070.00%29Wermager, Todd1655067.78%30Brown, Kevin1633066.67%31Morgan, Greg1600065.56%32Siecinski, Adam1567064.44%33Kahng, Anson1565063.33%34Hong, Wony1564062.22%35Riedel-Mishaan, Abraham1563061.11%36Wilmot, Dj1546060.00%37Goyal, Kartik1526058.89%38Groat, Matt1498057.78%39Chen, Daming1476056.67%40Grant, DJ1469055.56%41Getty, Douglas1466054.44%42Studebaker, Sam1456053.33%43Jeanselme, Vincent1448052.22%44Young, Jeffrey1426051.11%45Pickering, James1419050.00%46Keller, Geoffrey1398048.89%47Standish, Carter1396047.78%48Lindsey, Jeremy1393046.67%49Jackson, Grant1385045.56%50Yamasaki, Bryan1339044.44%51Distler, Brad1315043.33%52Cobb, Eric1314042.22%53Heckrote, Evan1285041.11%54Thomas, Jacob1284040.00%55Brown, David1240038.89%56Evans, Huw1227037.78%57Mavrovic, Thomas1227037.78%58Skosnik, Mark1224035.56%59Botti, Joshua1218034.44%60Kuhn, Ryan1218034.44%61Carpenter, Michael1217032.22%62Smith, Jared1216031.11%63Worobey, Jonathan1216031.11%64McNutt, Bryan1209028.89%65Markelov, Adrian1206027.78%66Bruhn, Marcus1158026.67%67Ong, Andrew1084025.56%    MEN'S RECREATIONAL    68Fretz, Jon1050024.44%69Evans, Ciaran1048023.33%70Wingert, Bentley936022.22%71Settle, Landon910021.11%72Tucker, Evan708020.00%73Robertson, Kenneth688018.89%74Baranger, David638017.78%75Martin, Jeff510016.67%76Plazek, Matt458015.56%77Gensler, Luc407014.44%78Janaszek, Oren396013.33%79Nguyen, Tri337012.22%80Trozzi, Dominic330011.11%81Sams, Ezekiel328010.00%82Skolnik, David22008.89%83Blake, Chris16907.78%84Flint, Ryan-6.67%85Horgan, Jay-5.56%86Kyler, Lisa-4.44%87Lang, Zhao-3.33%88McDermott, Ryan-2.22%89Wu, Charles-1.11%90Yu, Jimmy-0.00%-Gould, Ian (Competed in NCS)--

 

WOMEN

WOMEN'S ADVANCED    1Brody, Caroline2785097.30%2Bendzlowicz, Kiersten2075094.59%3Lam, Delaney1892091.89%4Noe-Payne, Mallory1839089.19%5Leav, Sofia1785086.49%6Raines, Tessa1757083.78%7Hemphill, Jenifer1720081.08%8Caiazzo, Francesca1719078.38%9Wiecek, Soia1668075.68%    WOMEN'S INTERMEDIATE    10Gaugler, Abigail1657072.97%11Davidson, Rachel1637070.27%12Saag, Rebecca1510067.57%-Gibbs, Isabelle (Competed NCS)14290-13McGill, Shea1370064.86%14Shipp, Heitho1304062.16%15Osterfeld, Corie1299059.46%16Fazzini, Caroline1219056.76%17Sauerwald, Natalie1036054.05%18Thompson, Nicole1030051.35%19Ong, Alexandra837048.65%20Cotton, Madeline836045.95%21Beck, Rachel819043.24%22Bitzan, Deborah790040.54%23Vilella, Branda779037.84%24Hammer, Lisa777035.14%25Thomas, Anna642032.43%26Fazzini, Katherine620029.73%27Dodig, Samantha610027.03%    WOMEN'S RECREATIONAL    26Fjeldstad, Emily567024.32%27Clarke, Audrey546021.62%28Baker, Natasha500018.92%29Stine, Bethany399016.22%30Robertson, Jessica379013.51%31Getz, Samantha318010.81%32Leonard, Catherine30708.11%33McNutt, Jennifer24805.41%34Albani, Sarah-2.70%35Luketich, Kate-2.70%