Sponsored climbers are paid to climb hard while having photos / video taken of them. Sponsored climbers are also not paid to meet with clients (Sales reps do that). I think some people have a misunderstanding of what RocTrip is about. This from 8a.nu on a previous RocTrip:rhunt wrote:totally disappointed in the flash comp. I really think it sucked that petzl didn't make it maditory for all its athletes compete in the flash comp and all be there at the same time...I mean what do they pay them for?
"...the founder of the event, La Fouche, picked us up at the airport. His concept for the Roc trip is simple: Invite some true life-style climbers, put up some nice new routes and prepare for party...then it can't go wrong. - We don't want to make it competitive and instead we try to create a nice atmosphere where the best climbers can challenge themselves."
So RocTrip is not about presenting a competive spectacle. I think climbing has a long way to go as a spectator sport, if in fact that is the way it is going? When I watched Mickael Fuselier get the FA of 50 Words it was exciting to see but also strange to hear the polite applause when he reached the anchors, like Tiger Woods making his last putt on the 18th to win at the Masters. At the Flash Rally it would have been nice though to have someone announcing which climber was on which route. I think there was supposed to be some announcing but I am not sure why it didn't happen.
Were all these rockstars needed to have a good time? I think not. A good time can be had behind Miguel's on any given weekend. Having sponsored athletes at Rocktoberfest is not a new concept. We have had Katie Brown before, Ron Kauk, Jason Kehl. The only thing different about RocTrip was that the sponsored athletes were here in a big way. Along with Katie & Jason, Mal Daly, Brittany Griffith, Mike Doyle, Audrey Sniezek, and Emily Harrington are all big name climbers who have been to the Red before. The most important benefit from having these sponsored climbers come is having them fall in love with the Red like we have and then come back again. This in turn builds momentum and support for our cause of maintaining access.