Photo’s Courtesy of Bob Lockhart
New Jersey Rock Gym team members
make USA Climbing Team!
Atlanta, GA – On July 7-10, 2011, Seven members of the New Jersey Rock Gym climbing team
competed at the 2011 SCS (Sport Climbing Series) National Climbing Competition with stellar
results.
Sam Kim, Andrew Kim, Jesse Grupper, Maddy Grupper, Eleanor Wright, Anne Kavalerchik and
Gratia Sullivan - all climbing team members from the New Jersey Rock Gym Climbing facility
competed against 422 of the best youth climbers from around the nation. After four days of
intense competition and elimination, brothers Sam and Andrew Kim, of Livingston, NJ earned
spots on the USA Climbing Team. In order to make Team USA, a climber must rank in the Top
4 of his or her category at the end of the season. Andrew Kim, age 18, qualified fourth for
USA in Difficulty Sport Climbing. Sam Kim, age 13, qualified first in Speed Climbing.
Additional results include:
Jesse Grupper, age 14, Montclair, NJ finished 11th in Difficulty and 17th in Speed Climbing.
Maddy Grupper, age 18, Montclair, NJ finished 11th in Difficulty and 10th in Speed Climbing.
Eleanor Wright, age 16, Glen Ridge, NJ finished 10th in Difficulty and 13th in Speed Climbing.
Anne Kavalerchik, age 16, Fair Lawn, NJ finished 12th in Difficulty and 25th in Speed Climbing.
Gratia Sullivan, age 13, Glen Ridge, NJ finished 31st in Speed Climbing.
The New Jersey Rock Gym Team (NJ Rockers) placed 12th out of 71 teams in attendance!
The top finishers in the country, ages 14 and older, received invitations to the Junior World
Championship taking place in Austria in late August. Andrew Kim is now preparing to climb
for a World Championship!
The SCS season takes place every spring/summer and includes over 65 competitions across
the country. These events are sanctioned by USA CLIMBING, which is recognized by the
International Federation of Sport Climbing and the International Olympic Committee.
The New Jersey Rock Gym is a full service climbing facility offering a full line of indoor and
outdoor lessons, youth programs, birthday parties, group events and experiential programs
for corporate and non-profit groups. With over 12,000 square feet of climbing surface and
more than 40 rope stations, the gym provides hundreds of climbable routes making NJ Rock
Gym the place to climb in New Jersey! Excellent beginner routes and introductory courses
offered every week, making it easy for new climbers to get started. Feel free to stop in for a
free trial climb anytime!