This past weekend, 9 to 11 September, saw dozens of sport climbers flocking to the beautiful De Bos Backpackers & Camping for the 2022 Montagu Rock Rally. The climbing community had been waiting for over two years for this historic event thanks to COVID, and we think it’s safe to say that it lived up to the hype!
Things kicked off on Friday evening with the first registration session, accompanied by live music from a local guitarist & singer – after that, the campsite tucked in for a good sleep before the big day.
The CityROCK crew and event competitors were up bright and early on Saturday morning for the final registration, with all enjoying freshly brewed coffee sold by M•Koppi•G T & Coffee. When everyone was signed in and dressed up in their snazzy event tees, we had a quick briefing, and then it was go time!
The registration crew ready for the day! 
Campsite sweetheart Sydney showing off the 2022 event shirt. 
The Oompa Loompa senders. 
Ready to sail the seven seas and send all day long! 
The overcast weather offered perfect sending conditions for the competitors, with climbers top-roping, leading and having a darn good time all over Montagu’s many stunning crags. Those who headed to Legoland were greeted with a welcome caffeine boost courtesy of Jetboil and the coffe stand crew from Black Diamond South Africa. As a big plus, Catie Monteiro – climber, photographer and co-founder of the Figure 8 YouTube channel – floated around the crags (and campsite) snapping up some stunning pics of the action.
Legoland and its senders looking mighty fine.
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Even fairies need a spot before the first draw… 
The psych is high! 
Brigitte Pegado of Climbable crushing hard.
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
“Be stronger, fingers!”
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
After a day of dedicated rock-wrestling, the brave and battered Rally-ers made their way back to the campsite to submit their scores and await the verdict. Luckily for all hungry tummies, the De Bos team was ready with delicious boerewors rolls fresh off the braai.
After a small delay thanks to good ol’ load shedding, the final scores were calculated and the barn filled up with competitors eager to find out if their hard work had earned them any prizes from the event’s long list of sponsors, including Climbable, The North Face, Petzl, Black Diamond, La Sportiva and Ocún.
A few of the winners weren’t present at the prize-giving, but their fellow competitors were more than happy to fill in for them on the podium on their behalf. Applause and whoops of victory were abundant as the champions were called up to claim their winnings, with everyone in good cheer by the end thanks to MC Tarryn MacLean.
Sprogs Male Winner
1st: Caden Miles
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Sprogs Female Winners
1st: Jessica Fitschen
2nd: Nina le Roux
3rd: Sophie Gray (absent)
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Youth Male Winners
1st: Patrick Bartleet
2nd: Thomas Luger
3rd: Stephen Bartleet
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Youth Female Winners
1st: Georgina Gray
2nd: Ilke Pepler (absent)
3rd: Annelien le Roux (absent)
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Open Male Winners
1st: André Badenhorst
2nd: Elan van Biljon
3rd: AMC Greyling
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Open Female Winners
1st: Antoinette Smit
2nd: Lorène Jeantet
3rd: Kate Ferreira (absent)
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Veteran Male Winners
1st: George Horn (absent)
2nd: Guy Pike
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Veteran Female Winners
1st: Megan Beaumont
2nd: Angelique van Nieuwenhuizen
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
The valiant winner of Lowest Score! 
The winners of the Kids Best Dressed – (the pirate & the parrot). 
Our Adult Best Dressed winners (the Oompa Loompas). 
The deserving winner of the Tour de Force award, who spent the day running between crags looking for belays on his projects.
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
The winner of the Worst Injury / Hardest Fight award, whose knee popped out on a route… after which he popped it back in place and nabbed the send! 
Our Top Rope Hero winners put on a stellar performance and were rewarded with two R2200 Climbable vouchers for the course of their choice!
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
The female competitors in our handstand challenge giving it their all.
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
The male competitors in the handstand challenge – congrats to Ryan (right) for the win!
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
After a few spot prizes were handed out, it was time for the party to begin, led by local musician, DJ and climber Daniel Wilcox. Climbers headed back to their respective campsites for a chilled end to the day, or joined in on the wild dance party going on in the barn – either way, a lekker jol was had by all!
The campsite had a late and deliciously lazy start on Sunday morning, with everyone re-living Saturday’s best moments and enjoying a few more breakfast boerie rolls courtesy of De Bos.
At 11am, CityROCK yoga teacher Amy Smith led a wonderfully gentle and restorative yoga class under the pecan trees, accompanied by a spot of light drizzle and visit from the campsite dogs – the perfect conclusion to an outstanding weekend.
Score counting is serious work.
Photo by Catie Monteiro.
Getting all dolled up for prize-giving. 
Stephen Bartleet doing a great job filling in for the 2nd & 3rd place Female Youth winners. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
Photo by Catie Monteiro. 
A relaxing & refreshing yoga class was the perfect cherry on top of a stellar weekend.
If you took any stand-out pictures or videos, upload them to Instagram and/or Facebook as a feed post by Sunday 18 September with #MontaguRockRally2022 in the caption and you could WIN a R3000 La Sportiva shoe voucher! T’s & C’s apply.
Well done to all the winners and competitors – we can’t wait to see you all in Montagu again next year!
