ELM CITY
SHOWDOWN

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

Join us for Ascent’s annual bouldering competition featuring three categories: Recreational, Intermediate, and Advanced. Top competitors in advanced battling it out on the boards for cash prizes.

$2,200 cash purse, crashpads and tons of other amazing prizes. All skill levels welcome. Ages 12+

SCHEDULE & PRICING

Two Redpoint Sessions

Two, three-hour bouldering rounds for all categories.

Early Session (All Categories)

10am to 1pm
$40/member, $50/non-member

Late Session (All Categories)

2pm to 5pm
$45/member, $55/non-member

OnSight Finals (Advanced Category)

6pm to ~7:30pm
Top 6 in each division compete for $2200 cash purse!

Spectators Welcome

Join us for food trucks, music, and fun party vibes!

Connect with fellow climbers and enjoy a day filled with challenges, laughs, and epic sends!

Or enroll at the front desk.

DETAILS

  • EARLY SESSION (Redpoint Round)

    • 9:15am - Check In

    • 9:50am - Competitor Meeting

    • 10am to 1pm - Competition

    LATE SESSION (Redpoint Round)

    • 1:15 pm - Check in

    • 1:50pm - Competitor Meeting

    • 2pm-5pm: Competition

    RECREATIONAL & INTERMEDIATE SCORES & AWARDS

    • Approx 5:30pm

    ADVANCED FINALS (Onsight Round)

    • 5:45pm - Finalists enter ISO

    • 6pm - Finals Begin

  • Two divisions: male+nonbinary and female+nonbinary.

    Three categories for each division.

    • Recreational: V0-V3

    • Intermediate: V4-V6

    • Advanced: V7+

  • All categories will compete in one of two redpoint rounds. Advanced category will climb in a redpoint qualifier for the finals round.

    This is a redpoint competition, meaning you can try boulders multiple times. Your score will be the sum of your (5) most difficult completed problems in the allotted time.

    Sessions are three hours.

    You will record which climbs you complete and how many attempts it takes you to send.

    Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for each category in the Recreational and Intermediate divisions. Results will be announced for both sessions at approx 5:30pm.

    Top 6 Advanced competitors for both women/nonbinary and men/nonbinary will compete for a cash purse in a finals round to take place on our training boards.

  • The top 6 for both divisions of the advanced category will compete in a finals on our training boards (Decoy & Kilter) for a cash purse:

    • 1st place: $600

    • 2nd place: $350

    • 3rd place: $150

    Men/Nonbinary division will be competing on the Decoy Board. The finals climbs are being set by Dan Yagmin and Isaiah LaGrand.

    Women/Nonbinary division will be competing on the Kilter Board. The finals climb will be set by Galina Parfenov.

    Format:

    • 3 finals climbs and 1 tie breaker if necessary

    • 2 competitors per division at a time.

    • 5 minutes on, 5 minutes off.

    • Scoring (updated):
      Classic OnSight - each handhold is worth more points than the last.

    • Scoring hierarchy: Points, Attempts, Time

  • At Ascent, we’re all about building a welcoming and inclusive climbing community. Our gendered categories are open to anyone who identifies with or feels most comfortable competing in that group—whether you’re cis, trans, non-binary, or just here to crush. Choose the category that feels best for you.

  • The following zones will be stripped and stay closed until the day of competition. There will be limited bouldering as the week goes on.

    Monday, April 21st : Zone 1 and 2
    Tuesday, April 22nd: Zone 6 and 7
    Wednesday, April 23rd: Zone 3 and part of 4 (overhang section)

    The vertical walls of Zone 4, Zone 5, and Zone 8 (training room) will be opened throughout the whole week.

    View Routesetting Zone Map [link]

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

Huge thanks to the following partners for generously providing prizes and financial support for Elm City Showdown.

Special thanks to G Cafe - New Haven’s favorite bakery - for sponsoring our advanced finals round and cash purse.