Rockclimbing

Many tri-staters tested their strength today by climbing high. And for one exchange student, its his everyday life. Shane black is a simple guy. Going to school, coming home, and hitting the gym. But not to lift weights, or shoot some hoops.Black goes to the gym to rock climb. "I tried it on a Wednesday, I bought my shoes on a Thursday, and I was outside climbing on a Saturday. I just got instantly hooked on it, i love it. Black is studying abroad here in Evansville. He lives in Ireland and there too, he climbs indoors. But back home he also gets the chance to climb with mother nature. Because no cliffs of moor found here in Evansville, he spends most of his time at Vertical Excape climbing center. "My first few weeks here I didnt have a car, the only way I could get here was to take people rock climbing. So my first three weeks I signed like thirty new people in the climbing gym here just so i could get a ride over." Now thats dedication. But black isnt the only one dedicated to the sport. Kids and adults alike spent their afternoon climbing at Vertical Excape in the 8th Annual Boulder Bash. Brian Kennedy who works at the climbing center says the competition today was a little different than what most people would think of as rock climbing. "Its a competition for bouldering. Bouldering is just climbing, usually technical powerful sequences low to the ground. A lot of people call it really pure climbing. You dont deal with equipment or ropes, youre just making the moves. If you fall, you actually fall." Another benefit of this sport, people of all ages can do it, climbers as young as five and as old as 70 have competed. And you dont have to be experienced. Kennedy says that if you want to take up rock climbing, its a better idea to start indoors first because its safer, and in a controlled environment with experienced climbers.