Climbing competition

Lead climbing

Lead climbing is the most common type of sport climbing. Competitors climb a long, difficult route designed and set by the route setter and attempt to reach the top. The climber's performance is determined by the highest hold reached and whether or not that hold was "controlled", meaning the climber achieved a stable position on that hold, or "used", meaning the climber used the hold to make a controlled climbing movement in the interest of progressing along the route.

In lead, climbers are belayed from below, and are required to clip quickdraws along the route. The route must be climbed within a certain time limit, usually 6 minutes, but can be extended to 7 or 8 minutes according to the route setter's opinion. 26 athletes qualify for the Semifinal, 8 proceed to the Final.

All standard Lead competitions consist of three rounds: qualifications, semifinals, and finals. In the qualification round competitors climb 2 similar routes 'flash', meaning there is no isolation and they can watch other competitors climb before their own attempt. Their rank will then be calculated as the square root of their rank on either route multiplied by each other.

At championship-level events, lead climbers must climb the route on sight. This means that they are allowed only one attempt, and they are not allowed to see other climbers on the route, or receive any form of advice (beta) from others after the competition has started. Otherwise, later climbers would be able to learn from previous competitors' mistakes, giving them a considerable advantage. Climbers are usually given a limited amount of time to visually inspect the route from ground level. In the case of ties, the athlete's rank from the previous round is taken into account (the "countback" process). In the Finals, and if the tie is not broken using the countback process, the climbing time will be considered.

Speed climbing

Speed climbing with two lanes

Kids speed climbers in Mashhad

Speed is the only factor that counts in the Speed Climbing event. This is a top roping climb in which competitors climb a slightly overhanging IFSC certified vertical piste with belaying from the top. Since 2007 the IFSC has created a standard wall layout for the world record. The climbing time is determined by mechanical-electric timing (the competitor strikes a switch at the top of the route) but manual timing is also possible. When mechanical-electric timing is used, the climbing time shall be measured with an accuracy of 0.01 second. As of 30 April 2017, Iranian climber Reza Alipourshenazandifar holds the men's 15 meter speed world record; 5.48 seconds.^[1] Iuliia Kaplina from Russia holds the women's 15-meter speed record at 7.38 seconds, which was set at the same event.^[1]

Team speed climbing

The new Team Speed discipline was introduced as a medal showcase for the 2011 World Championship. It is a relay competition with teams of three. The teams are made up of 3 athletes of the same sex. Before the 2012 set of rules was introduced, the teams had to be mixed sexes. The race is held on the world record wall split into four lanes, two for each team. The first athlete races to hit the button at the top of the wall, at which point the second athlete climbs the second leg to release the third and final athlete whose final button marks the total time.

Bouldering

The bouldering competition consists of climbing without belay ropes on short walls. Falls are stopped by specifically engineered mattresses. This discipline is marked by high difficulty concentrated into a short route, limited competition time, and close proximity to the spectators. It differs especially from Lead in the respect that the climber can attempt a route more than once; the climbers are typically allowed several attempts, but they cannot see other climbers on the boulder, or receive from others any form of advice after the competition has started.

The competitor's score is determined by the overall number of routes sent by him/her and the number of attempts needed. If athletes do not reach the finishing hold they may be awarded a bonus point for having reached a particular hold, the Bonus hold (called the "Zone" by the IFSC), which is marked by the route setter. In bouldering 20 athletes qualify for the Semifinal, and 6 proceed to the Final.

Bouldering competitions at higher levels usually use isolation like the roped competitions.

Olympic games

In August 2016 it was announced that climbing would become an Olympic sport in 2020.^[2] Competitors will take part in three disciplines (Lead, Speed and Bouldering), to decide the overall winner.

Youth climbing

The main international youth climbing competitions are organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing, including:

• The IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships
• The IFSC Climbing European World Cup

In the United States, youth climbing is organized by USA Climbing (USAC).