Bloc Stars 2024: The 3rd Edition of Our All Level Fun Comp

On Saturday, September 21st, we hosted the 3rd edition of Bloc Stars, and it was an absolute banger. Each year, Bloc Stars evolves slightly, but the event stays true to its roots: a fun competition for climbers of all levels without traditional age and gender categories. The atmosphere was absolutely buzzing, with everyone pushing themselves, cheering each other on, and enjoying the day. Whether you came to compete or just to hang out and support your mates, you all made it an epic day.

The Qualifiers: 25 Blocs for Everyone

This year, we had 25 qualifying blocs that catered to all abilities. Whether you were a complete beginner or a seasoned crusher, there was something for everyone. from beginner friendly to seriously tough. Climbers tackled everything from delicate slabs to powerful overhangs, and the variety meant there was something for everyone to enjoy. At the end of the quails, climbers were ranked into categories from those tacking the Red (F5+ grades) all the way through to those tackling Purples (7Bs). It was fantastic to see everyone give it their best shot, with loads of personal achievements and plenty of smiles all around.

Qualifiers Challenges

Alongside the blocs, we spiced things up with 5 themed challenges, can you guess the theme? Yes, it was food. These challenges added a mix of creativity, balance, and plenty of laughs to the day. Here’s a look at what the competitors faced:

• Knead to Succeed: A route-reading challenge where you had to crack the beta on a high carb climb using breadshaped holds. For those who want to know the sequence, the correct order was: 1. Mono the doughnut, 2. Heel hook rockover on the muffin, 3. Match the toast! Congrats to all that worked out the beta on that challenge, it was a tricky one.

• Crabstix: Climbers jammed their way up a crack using boxing gloves as “crab claws.” No bare hands allowed! We spotted quite a few work arounds to get up this challenge, including some creative laybacks in boxing gloves to avoid jamming.

• Spaghettabout It: Balance was key as climbers navigated a spaghetti maze while balancing a meatball on top of a colander on their heads, gotta say this got some the best photos of the day, very silly.

• City Bloccoli: This challenge was a test of balance and precision. It started with a trampette bounce into a hoop zone, followed by a careful step onto the balance beam. The tricky part? Avoiding the dangling “broccoli” (which were actually dog toys if the squeaks didn’t give it away) while walking along the beam. No touching the walls or the broccoli, or it was back to the start. Once you made it across, you had to grab the ring and swing your way to the blue box, still avoiding the broccoli. This challenge had people bouncing around trying to crack the first move, and we even had climbers asking for a tape measure to check the distance of the trampette jump! Definitely one of the toughest challenges of the day.

• Nacho Average Problem: This challenge kicked off with a tricky little traverse before climbers swung from the dangling cheese string, all while dodging 5 carefully placed cheese pieces on the footholds and carrying a plush cheese wedge. The final test was to dunk the cheese wedge in the Bloc Stars Fondue Pot. It wasn’t just about making it to the top; timing the swing and avoiding knocking off the cheeses made it pretty tricky, with plenty of near misses and showboating on the final dunk.

These challenges were a great laugh and tested skills in ways you don’t usually see at a climbing comp. Also we had a lot of fun coming up with the puns, City Bloccoli has to be our favourite, in fact we’re keeping the broccolis up in the gym!

The Semi-Finals: 50 Moves of Endurance

We had originally planned for the top 5 climbers from each category to progress to the semi-finals.

With 25 climbers moving forward, the Bloc Stars Gauntlet awaited – a tough 50-move endurance traverse around the comp wall. Tailored to each category’s level, the Gauntlet pushed every climber to their limits. Climbers were awarded extra holds based on their qualifying scores, keeping the challenge accessible for all the levels.

While the semi-finalists battled it out on the wall, the rest of the crowd had the perfect chance to chill, grab a drink, and cheer on their mates. The atmosphere was fantastic, with everyone eager to see who would make it through.

The Finals: A Head-to-Head Showdown

The top 2 climbers in each category went head-to-head in a nail biting final, racing up mirrored routes. Like in the semis, each level could use extra holds depending on their category. The crowd was right there with them, watching every move as they battled it out to be the first to the top. It was a tense finish, with both climbers pushing hard, but only one came out on top in each category. It was an exciting way to cap off an incredible day of climbing!

The Results: Who Took the Top Spots?

Here’s how the winners lined up in each category:

• Blue category: Corey C

• Grey category: Guy

• Orange category: Callum C

• Yellow category: Alfie R

• Purple category: James A

And a big congratulations to the overall Bloc Stars Champion, Alfie R, who was the fastest to top the final route!

A Massive Thank You

A big thank you to everyone who participated – climbers, spectators, and all the helpers. You all made the day what it was! Special thanks to Tenzing for keeping us energized throughout the event, House of Loft for the great music, Cassy’s Emerald Isle Cuisine for the delicious grub, Lee for the photos, and the amazing City Bloc team for their hard work in putting it all together.

Bloc Stars 2025

Bloc Stars is all about fun, community, and pushing yourself while having a laugh. We can’t wait to do it all again next year with an updated format – see you at Bloc Stars 2025.

Love CB x