Salt City Showdown ropes rookie, experienced climbers into 3rd contest
Community members cheered on other climbers at Central Rock Gym’s Salt City Showdown competition this Saturday. The sport is a welcoming space, competitors said. Alexander Zhiltsov | Staff Photographer
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Twisting and turning, Anthony Palermo straddled two climbing holds as he moved up the wall, sweat dripping down his forehead. After several minutes of maneuvering, the Syracuse University senior completed the climb in his first attempt, known as a flash.
“I wanted to prepare a lot more, but I didn’t train to the level I wanted to,” Palermo said. “This morning, I woke up and was thinking about something my roommate had told me, and I was like, ‘F*ck it, I’m just gonna do it.’”
Syracuse’s Central Rock Gym hosted its third Salt City Showdown competition on Saturday. Held by the only climbing gym in Syracuse, the competition gathered rock climbers of all experience levels from neighboring regions. The event was a Redpoint Rounds competition; climbers had three hours to climb any wall of their choosing, trying to get all the way up in as few tries as possible.
The Salt City Showdown, which began in 2022, was created to broaden local rock climbing opportunities for climbers of all ages and abilities.
This year’s competition featured competitive teams from SUNY Cortland and experienced climbers, but many competitors climb recreationally, having only taken up the sport recently. Nathan Luangaphay, a University at Albany sophomore, said he never played any sports in high school, but when a friend recommended rock climbing to him, he fell in love with the sport.
On Saturday afternoon, Luangaphay, accompanied by his friend Joey Kawola, climbed a V5, an intermediate level on the V-scale for each climb’s difficulty.
The Salt City Showdown is split into two categories: Citizens — V0 to V6 levels for less experienced climbers — and Open, featuring more challenging climbs that are V7 and higher.
The competition is less about time and more about attempting to get a perfect score on the first few attempts. Attempts are graded based on the difficulty level, with more challenging climbs, like a V7, graded on a higher scale. It’s recommended that climbers complete as many climbs as possible, but only get to choose their top five for the final scoring.
Syracuse University senior Anthony Palermo climbed a V6 level rock climb on his first attempt at The Salty City Showdown. Alexander Zhiltsov | Staff Photographer
Despite not training as much as he wanted to, Palermo completed a V6 climb in his first attempt, an impressive feat for him. However, he wanted to go further.
“I flashed a 600 (which) was nice. But I’m planning to get up (to an) eight,” Palermo said. “Hopefully, maybe send a seven, at least.”
Lilya Teal said she trained for an entire week for the competition by going to Central Rock Gym to practice different climbs. She wanted to prepare herself physically and mentally, she said. Teal described herself as a competitive person who often gets in her head, but familiarizing herself with the routes eases her conscience.
While all sports require a certain amount of strategy, it’s especially true for climbing, Kawola said. A small misalignment of a foot can lead to an awkward position; a slight overswing of the body can make the climber slip.
Climbing is also a tough mental game, Kawola said, calling the wall a “puzzle” climbers must figure out.
“I find climbing very meditative and therapeutic,” Palermo said. “I love exercising, but climbing doesn’t really feel like an exercise. It feels like something totally different that makes me feel really good.”
Climbing offers a welcoming space for new participants, Teal said. Ironically, Teal was introduced to the sport through her ex-boyfriend, she said, but stayed for the friendly company climbing brings.
Years later, Teal was on the flip side of things, roping her friends into the sport herself. Her friend, Joanna Baxter, was convinced, attending Saturday’s event to watch Teal compete. The sport has an inherent congenial atmosphere, she said.
“If you need help, you can literally talk to anyone. Everyone’s just so kind, understanding and helping,” Teal said. “(Climbing) made me feel very comfortable at first, which you don’t really see in a lot of athletic communities.”
With competitions like Salt City Showdown welcoming climbers of all abilities, climbing has become more than just a recreational activity; it’s a shared community, Baxter said. Since joining the sport, Baxter has seen how the climbing community is a judgment-free zone for rookie climbers like herself.
Though Palermo attended the competition alone, an entourage began to form as he ascended to the top of the V6 wall. Palermo had never met the people who were encouraging him, magnifying the sport’s warm nature.
“I was sitting here doing the climb, and a bunch of people that I don’t even know are all cheering me on, giving me good praise, and it feels really nice,” Palermo said. “It’s something we can all do for one another. To kind of help each other, uplift one another and give each other confidence.”
