The Thrash & Dangle Fest competitions were a series of 10 competitions that were held at the Phoenix Rock Gym University dr location in Tempe Arizona starting in 2007. Over the many years Paul Diefenderfer (Dief), the owner of the Phoenix Rock Gym, was being hesitant on having competitions at the gym. A few competitions were held at the old PRG Roosevelt location in the earlier 1990s, named the Jackalope Classic, Hallowe'en Hang, and a fun 3 day pay one price and "climb as much as you want event" in 1994 named the Thrash & Dangle Fest.
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So after many requests and a opportunity of the new Upstairs Bouldering area being completed at the PRG, at the same time it was the 15th anniversary of the PRG, Dief allowed the course setters to put a comp together. The first competitive Thrash & Dangle Fest was designed by Marty Karabin, Justin Wagner, and Robert Olson. Marty, Justin, and Robert are rock gym course setters and have been competitors in many previous competitions. Marty’s main comp experience comes from being a staff volunteer at many of the Phoenix Bouldering Contests directed by Jim Waugh. The Phoenix Bouldering Contest was a outdoor event so the weather was always a concern with the comp. The PBC was a three day event where the T&D was a 5 hour event. Both the T&D and PBC were amazing events since it was more than a general competition. Everybody went home a winner.
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Marty - Justin - Robert
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So already for the T&D, Marty was placed into the directors chair. The directors chair is a fun but stressful place to be where every question that is presented, needed a timely answer. Justin took the lead position on the course setting where Marty and Robert assisted. Marty and Robert already had contacts with hundreds of climbing manufacturers so filling the sponsor list was still not a easy task, but had a quicker response in getting products for the comp to give out to the winning competitors. Robert is also the perfect person for the MC position for the comps. The director needs to be able to continually break free to put out the unexpected fires, and keep the show running smoothly. The MC is in a stuck position but their personality and energy is what drives the show. Justin’s job was not easy where for the 2011 comp 147 boulder problems were set all within a gym that was open to the public every day. Many other people assisted the setters with their strength in testing the many boulder problems. Basically once that persons muscles were spent, another person was next on deck to climb climb and then climb more until all boulder problems were perfect for their ratings, and then were lined up from easiest to hardest. Super fun exhaustive work!
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The name Thrash & Dangle is the actual company name that the Phoenix Rock Gym is owned by so that’s where the Thrash & Dangle competition name came from. The first T&D Fest in 2007 was presented by Marty’s retail store, AZ Cliff Hanger. The Phoenix Rock Gym was the gym that was hosting the event where Dief still took a back seat approach to the comp even happening. Once the first T&D Fest happened, Dief came more on board once he saw how complete the competition was designed, how smoothly the comp actually ran, and how psyched everybody that competed in the comp was, including everybody that attended.
Nicholas Oxentenko - Just Fab Photography
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Sierra Blair Coyle - Just Fab Photography
Dustin Brown
- Just Fab Photography |
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The comp overall was mainly a bouldering comp. The main goal of the comp was to divide the competitors so not only the strongest climbers went home with prizes, but somehow everybody went home with something. The Elite category Male and Females named the “Thrashers,” went home with cash monies. The other competitors named the “Danglers” were divided into age categories and then separated by Male or Female as well. But that was not enough. The design of the comp went further by having side events where during the comp competitors could gain extra raffle tickets for chances to gain more prizes given out during the award ceremony.
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The side events were awesome!!! Some of the side events were non harness events like slackline walking, obstacle courses, or balance beams while carrying tennis balls with spoons. Other events required a harness for the rope walls like One Hand climbing, Two Person climbing where climbers are tied together at the wrist, climbing up metal wagon wheels while wearing oven mitts, Spinner Route where all holds spin, etc. Each side event gave a prize for the fastest time where everybody gained extra raffle tickets for even attempting the side events. And to go even further, each competitor received a competitor packet when they first arrived at the comp which was full of manufacturer coupons, energy food samples, keychains, stickers etc.
2014 T&D Spinner Route trophy
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Blacksmith Route - wear oven mitts while climbing all holds made of metal.
For the competitors, the Thrash & Dangle Fest was a total dream comp. A dream comp since Marty, Justin, and Robert all wish all competitions included other opportunities for a person to walk out a winner, where it was not based entirely on strength, and where different skills also claimed a first place prize. Also during the event, product manufacturers were invited to set up a booth to show their products. A DJ provided the awesome music, there were massage tables, and food was provided by a local restaurant. Homemade trophies were created for the side events and homemade ribbons and plaques were made for the comp winners. A total dream comp! |
Stephie Ruiz - making ribbons
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Marty, Justin and Robert set the overall layout for how the comp was to go on, but other course setters and PRG staff members also added their thoughts and help in creating new events and ideas for the competition. The most amazing part of the comp was always crunch time. Too many things to do before the comp which was one day away, and suddenly everything falls into place completing the vision. And as usual, one week away from the comp date and only 20 people signed up. Then suddenly on comp day 125 competitors are there!!!
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Marty - comp signage
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The night before the comp the course setters were still dialing in the final moves of the boulder problems. Once the Boulder problem lineup was completed, then every boulder problem received a start info tag showing the problem number, the Flash points, and the Redpoint points. During that same time the comp prizes were all thrown into a pile and had to be separated and placed into what winners will receive what items. Also the competitor packets had to be filled so all sponsors had to have all of their items present at the gym for this final moment. Erin Orwig and Malcolm Person helped a lot with aligning comp prizes, bagging them up and tagging them to be ready for the comp the next day. Usually this final process kept everybody running full speed to around 1AM.
Also during the week before the comp a volunteer sheet was created for the many volunteers needed to assist with the side events. On some of the events like the rope climb, needed three volunteers to run the event: one for the timer, one for pulling the rope down so the other could concentrate on getting the rope pulled through the Grigri device. The volunteers signed up for one hour shifts so they could move around the gym and help with different events. It wasn’t a perfect system since at some of the comps volunteers that had signed up for some reason didn’t show up for the comp, so the course setting staff and other spectators at the event filled in to keep the show moving smoothly. Big props to Michelle Aubert and Erin Orwig for getting these volunteers signed up, and shifting them around to where they were signed up to be for each hour during the comp. Many thanks for everybody that assisted in making these comps happen. Many thanks also to everybody that brought in their personal crash pads which were used in the Hueco Canyon and Beginner Blue canyon for the boulder problems. Props to Jaime Gangi for her help with Sponsors and setting up volunteers as well.
Marty’s goal was to direct and create 10 T&D competitions which all happened 2007 - 2018. But over time Justin and Robert moved on with other opportunities in their lives and the comp was getting more and more difficult to put on. The overall course setting for the comp disrupted more than half of the gym. So it was somewhat of a burden for the customers that were members of the gym and had no interest in competitions. The week before the comp both bouldering areas were closed to climbers. In the entire Hueco Canyon and half of the Beginner Blue canyon the bottom of the roped climbing routes were stripped and replaced with boulder problems. Over time the amount of new climbers grew and now the gym is overfilled with people wanting to climb. After the competitions were completed the course setters were all exhausted, but still were required to work double time to put the gym back in order filling in 60 or so more boulder problems to the bouldering areas, tearing down the side event routes and resetting rope routes for the customers, besides wrapping up the comp and sincerely thanking all of the sponsors for making this event that much more awesome. This putting the gym back in order work that followed the comp took weeks to get completed. Now the course setters were not just exhausted, they were completely exhausted! Then two months after that was the next comp series, the USA ABS comp. Then a few months later was the next comp series, the USA SCS comp. Now throw in the Grand Canyon State Games and the many monthly mini bouldering comps, and then back to setting for the next T&D. I admit that being within comp energy is really a magical feeling. But suddenly "having to" continually create comps was becoming less magic and more of a complete burn out. This continual setting year after year for comps became too much work for the course setters.
Also during the week before the comp a volunteer sheet was created for the many volunteers needed to assist with the side events. On some of the events like the rope climb, needed three volunteers to run the event: one for the timer, one for pulling the rope down so the other could concentrate on getting the rope pulled through the Grigri device. The volunteers signed up for one hour shifts so they could move around the gym and help with different events. It wasn’t a perfect system since at some of the comps volunteers that had signed up for some reason didn’t show up for the comp, so the course setting staff and other spectators at the event filled in to keep the show moving smoothly. Big props to Michelle Aubert and Erin Orwig for getting these volunteers signed up, and shifting them around to where they were signed up to be for each hour during the comp. Many thanks for everybody that assisted in making these comps happen. Many thanks also to everybody that brought in their personal crash pads which were used in the Hueco Canyon and Beginner Blue canyon for the boulder problems. Props to Jaime Gangi for her help with Sponsors and setting up volunteers as well.
Marty’s goal was to direct and create 10 T&D competitions which all happened 2007 - 2018. But over time Justin and Robert moved on with other opportunities in their lives and the comp was getting more and more difficult to put on. The overall course setting for the comp disrupted more than half of the gym. So it was somewhat of a burden for the customers that were members of the gym and had no interest in competitions. The week before the comp both bouldering areas were closed to climbers. In the entire Hueco Canyon and half of the Beginner Blue canyon the bottom of the roped climbing routes were stripped and replaced with boulder problems. Over time the amount of new climbers grew and now the gym is overfilled with people wanting to climb. After the competitions were completed the course setters were all exhausted, but still were required to work double time to put the gym back in order filling in 60 or so more boulder problems to the bouldering areas, tearing down the side event routes and resetting rope routes for the customers, besides wrapping up the comp and sincerely thanking all of the sponsors for making this event that much more awesome. This putting the gym back in order work that followed the comp took weeks to get completed. Now the course setters were not just exhausted, they were completely exhausted! Then two months after that was the next comp series, the USA ABS comp. Then a few months later was the next comp series, the USA SCS comp. Now throw in the Grand Canyon State Games and the many monthly mini bouldering comps, and then back to setting for the next T&D. I admit that being within comp energy is really a magical feeling. But suddenly "having to" continually create comps was becoming less magic and more of a complete burn out. This continual setting year after year for comps became too much work for the course setters.
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As a competitor it is easy to pay some monies, and simply be in the comps for a few hours, where afterwards the competitors can share their opinions, good or bad, to the world through the ever growing media that is now available. For the T&D comps the PRG staff opened their hearts and put together a special gift to everybody whom attended these magical comps. For every comp you attend, please make sure you thank their course setters, their staff and gym owners etc for all of their hard work in creating these climbing competitions!!!! Thank the manufacturers for sponsoring and donating product prizes to give to the competitors. The more thanks the gyms receive, the more comps the gyms are willing to create.
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Phoenix Rock Gym magnets. These magnets were given to the competitors in the Thrash & Dangle Fest climbing competitions. Originally the magnets were created by Chris Raypole with Climbing Dynamics, which the first generation of magnets had no words on them. Marty Karabin carved the letters into the magnets for the second generation of magnets. Will Haeberle of Uprox holds then recarved the letters deeper into the magnets where the third generation perfected the final creation.
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