Tjoms in Arms V5: Climbing, Creativity, and Community at its Best
There’s something about Tjoms in Arms that makes it more than just a climbing competition. Every year, the event feels like a celebration of friendship, movement, creativity, and the unique energy that defines Friends and Allies. This year was no different.
Building the Psych
In the weeks leading up to the event, the excitement was already palpable. With more people working at the gym since moving to the new location, the brainstorming sessions on this year’s Tjoms in Arms theme were filled with new ideas. There were many new flavours in this year’s theme and activities.
In the weeks before the comp, a cheeky gorilla marketing video made its feature on social media. From graffiti-covered walls to university buildings, the video captured the playful, community energy of Tjoms in Arms.
The video was the perfect way to tell our new homies what TIA is all about and build the climbing stoke in the heart of Jozi.
The Day of the Event
When the day arrived, the gees was high. Everyone showed up in crazy costumes, with the mix of returning homies and new faces that make Tjoms so special. TIA usually goes one of two ways: there are always the same pair of tjoms, and then sometimes you see a familiar tjom with a different tjom on their arm. It is fun to observe how the different pairs find their way to each other and how they climb together.
The larger venue this year made a noticeable difference. No one was fighting for a seat, and the vibe was easy-going but electric. Three quallie rounds kept everyone moving and mingling, with just the right balance of climbing time and downtime.
Candyland for Setters
With the move to a new, bigger gym space, the setting team had more freedom than ever before with new and bigger holds. This truly is a candyland for the setters who can play around with fun, weird and interesting new blocks for TIA. It is still undecided who had more fun, the setters or the climbers.
Growth and Roots
With this being the first Tjoms in Arms Competition in the new space, the vibes are still the same, if not higher. “As an umbrella event, not much has changed; it has really strong roots. The people who started it: Wes, Tim, Alistair and Lydia built something that just carries through. What changes each year are the small details, the faces, the energy. But the core? That stays the same,” reflects Anj.
The Grand Finale
There is never a lack of challenge and gees when it comes to the finals. After a whole day of quallies and chilling, everyone engaged in their own conversations. As soon as the final teams stepped onto the mats, all eyes in the room suddenly became focused on the same thing: the climbers on the wall. Everyone is rooting equally for all climbers as they reach a zone or the top. As one, the community of dozens cheer you on.
A Day for Everyone
Tjoms in Arms isn’t about grades or podiums; it’s about getting a taste of the climbing competition world at an accessible level. “It lets everyone try hard for just one day,” Anj said. “Even if you come in not expecting much, the energy pushes you to climb better, laugh more, and just enjoy being part of it.”
And that’s what makes Tjoms in Arms so special: it’s not just a comp. It’s a tradition. A reminder that climbing, at its best, is about connection, with movement, with friends, and with that little something that keeps everyone coming back year after year.
