Rope ascending video

[Scott McCrea]

1. How does the embeded video work for everyone?
2. What method of rope ascending are these dudes using? I've never seen anything like it.

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/772fXqUEUcA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed>

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Video works well. Most videos I can't play or make my browser die (can't be bothered installing the codecs)

Watch the middle guy as he gets off rope at the top if he had an ascender on you'd expect the rope to pull in with him as he gets off at the balcony but it doesn't (may have a prussik or ascender on a cord that he detaches later) the same guy seems to be using his right leg as a sort of foot lock whilst he moves his hands further up the rope.

The one on the right seems to have a belay line attached to his back and might be going up hand over hand (his feet don't seem to be doing anything but pushing off the wall).

The one on the left looks to have some footloops (as he nears the top you can see something)

I'm guessing they are having a race (middle one beats the railing at the end to say he's finished?) also if they are having a race the one on the right seems to start early (perhaps he has nothing to attach to the rope and gets an earlier start? hence the belay)

Guesses all guesses it's pretty hard to see.

[NZcaver]

1. How does the embeded video work for everyone?

Works great for me. (But I can see it slightly better when I watch it directly on YouTube.)

2. What method of rope ascending are these dudes using? I've never seen anything like it.

Looks to me a bit like climbing the old gym rope by hand, just like in school and/or the military for those who remember. So that's how the Taiwanese Red Cross do their SAR training!

None of them appear to be physically attached to the ropes, but at least they're all belayed by separate lines attached to dorsal points on the harnesses. I guess climbing by hand on 2 ropes gives a person better grip than just 1. The guy on the left is using an interesting footlock technique - 1 rope per leg. But the guy in the middle with both ropes wrapped around 1 leg still streaks into the lead and wins the prize!

Fun!

[Scott McCrea]

Does the guy on the left have ascenders on the back of his legs? Or is that just his socks?

The guy on the right seems to be levitating as he wildly flings his legs around. Hand-over-hand? Maybe. Almost looks like he's being hauled.

I also think the guy in the middle is doing a foot-lock thingy. Maybe he is sticking his heal in a big bite of rope and pulls the slack up with every step.

Whatever they are doing, they are pretty fast.

[JoeyS]

Ummm Hello??

They're Ninjas

[Scott McCrea]

Ummm Hello??

They're Ninjas

[NZcaver]

All are climbing hand-over-hand with various footlock techniques...

No ascenders...

Very fast...


...Yep, Ninja spidermen!