Competition climbing

Competitive rock climbing
the sport of competitive rock climbing

Competition climbing is a form of regulated rock climbing competition held indoors on purpose built artificial climbing walls (earlier versions were held on external natural rock surfaces). The three competition climbing disciplines are lead climbing, bouldering, and speed climbing. The result of multiple disciplines can be used in a "combined" format to determine an all round winner (or the "combined" winner). Competition climbing is sometimes called "sport climbing", which is the name given to pre bolted lead climbing. In 1988–89, the French Federation and Paul Brasset convinced the UIAA to regulate and administer competition climbing; it was agreed that events would be held on indoor artificial climbing walls. During August 3–6, 2021, Alberto Ginés López and Janja Garnbret won the first ever men's and women's Olympic climbing gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, in the newly created combined event consisting of all three disciplines. After the Tokyo Olympics, it was announced that the 2024 Paris Olympics would only combine lead climbing and bouldering into a single medal event, with speed climbing split out into a standalone medal event.

In competition lead climbing, the competitors have 6 minutes to climb a challenging, and usually significantly overhanging, pre bolted sport climbing route (with pre placed quickdraws for their protection), which was constructed by a route setter. The climber is allowed one single attempt at the route.

In competition bouldering, the competitors have to "solve" multiple short bouldering problems over a set time period, with the fewest falls.

In August 2016, it was announced that climbing would be included for the first time in the 2020 Olympics.

As of 2023, the most successful overall male competition climber in history is Austrian climber Jakob Schubert, followed by Czech climber Adam Ondra, and French climber François Legrand. Legrand is the most successful lead competition climber, Austrian climber Kilian Fischhuber is the most successful bouldering competition climber, and Chinese climber Zhong Qixin is the most successful speed competition climber. As of 2023, the most successful overall female competition climber in history is Slovenian climber Janja Garnbret, followed by French climber Sandrine Levet, and Austrian climber Angela Eiter. Garnbret is also the most successful lead competition climber, Levet also is the most successful bouldering competition climber, and Russian climber Tatiana Ruyga is the most successful speed competition climber. As of 2023, Garnbret is the most dominant competition climber, male or female, of all time.