Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium Hosts First Treetop "Iron Monkey Climbing Competition"

November 24, 2015 - They were racing against time up in the trees as competitors climbed, zip-lined and ran from the completion of one aerial trail to the beginning of another in the first "Iron Monkey Climbing Competition" held at The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach on November 15. It was the first adrenaline-pumping, heart-pounding event of its kind in the State. Well over 60 climbers participated in the all-day event that benefitted the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation and Camp Grom.

The Adventure Park is best known as a popular destination for kids, teens, adults and families who seek some treetop adventure for a few hours, but the Iron Monkey special event ramped things up for one day as only those climbers who sought the challenge and intensity of an actual race in the treetops had the run of the park.

Iron Monkey competitors would have to contend with all the challenges typically faced by any climber at the Adventure Park-scrambling up ladders and cargo nets, traversing wobbly logs on ropes, crossing high expanses on a tightrope, and any of the dozens of treetop challenges to be found in the aerial trails of The Adventure Park-but doing so in a race against time and the other climbers, and in the case of The Iron Monkey Challenge-climbing ALL 13 aerial trails-something the average climber seldom does.

Competitors could choose form three different Iron Challenges and compete as a team or solo:

1) "The Iron Monkey Challenge": Climb all 13 of the Park's aerial trails-beginner through expert, the winner to receive an Annual Pass good for unlimited climbs at the Park in 2016.

2) "Go Commando Challenge": Climb the Park's most challenging aerial trail—the Double-Black-Diamond, the winner to receive a pass good for ten full climb tickets.

3) "Barrel of Monkeys Challenge": This group event designed for friends and family of different ages and skill levels to climb as a team, dividing up a selection of trails among themselves to complete in the best total time. Each member of the winning team to receive a FitPass, good for ten 90-minute climbs.

AND THE WINNERS WERE…

First Place Winners -

Iron Monkey, First Place: Emmanuela ("Emmy") Nazario

Go Commando, First Place: Richard ("Doc") Guinand

Barrel of Monkeys Team, First Place: "The Average Joes"- Matthew Belling , Jonathon Garcia, Anthony Norris, and Hannah Norris

Second & Third Place -

Iron Monkey, Second Place: Brandon Beecher

Iron Monkey Third Place: Richard ("Doc") Guinand

"Participants were telling me what a great experience it was," said Wendy Tomkins, Park Manager, clearly exhilarated after the day's events, "They couldn't wait to tell their friends about The Iron Monkey Competition and said they would want to do it again. You can bet we plan to do this again next year!"

The Iron Monkey Challenge was also hosted at The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School in Sandy Spring Maryland this past October. Both Virginia Beach and Sandy Spring Parks were designed, built and are operated by Outdoor Ventures.