Sport Climbing Preview
Sport climbing will make its debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The International Olympic Committee added the sport during the 129th IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Sport climbing takes the challenge of scaling steep ascents to a whole new level. Using a range of hand and foot holds of different shapes and sizes, climbers put their skills and strength into practice on a vertical wall. The wall may feature varying angles of either positive (known in climbing as a slab) or negative (steep, overhanging) sections.
Athletes will compete in the “combined” format which will feature all three sport climbing disciplines – bouldering, lead and speed – in one event with a total of six medals handed out to the sport’s first Olympic athletes. Each climber will compete in all three disciplines, and the final rankings will be determined by multiplying the placement in each discipline, with the athletes achieving the lowest scores winning medals.
In some disciplines, climbers attach safety ropes; however, no other equipment is permitted, and competitors must climb using only their bare hands and climbing shoes. The sport requires strength, flexibility and skill, together with careful advance planning: the first ever medalists will all possess this unique combination of physical and mental capability and decisiveness.
Speed
Speed climbing pits two climbers against each other in head-to-head competition. Both climbers are secured to safety ropes and attempt to scale a 15-meter high wall, set at an angle of 95 degrees, faster than their opponent on identical routes. Winning times for the men’s and women’s events tend to be around six to eight seconds. A false start results in instant disqualification.
Bouldering
In bouldering, athletes climb as many fixed routes as they can within four minutes, climbing on a 4-meter-high wall equipped with safety mats. The routes vary in difficulty and climbers are not permitted to practice climbing them in advance. When a climber grabs the final hold at the top of a route with both hands, they are deemed to have completed it. Climbers tackle the wall without safety ropes and can try a route again if they fall during their initial attempt. The walls used for bouldering present a range of challenges, with overhangs and some holds so small that they can only be held by the fingertips. Climbers must plan each move carefully, thinking about which hand and foot to place in the next holds, while constantly being aware of the time limit. The physical and mental dexterity required for success is extraordinary.
Lead
Lead involves athletes attempting to climb as high as they can on a wall measuring more than 15 meters in height within six minutes. The climbers use safety ropes and attach the rope to quickdraws (equipment that allows the rope to run freely while leading) along the route. When a climber attaches their rope to the top quickdraw, they have completed the climb. If a climber falls, the height (hold number) attained is recorded. There are no re-climbs. If two or more athletes complete the climb or reach exactly the same height, the fastest to do so is declared the winner. This is a demanding whole-body activity and dynamic climbing techniques are greatly important.
To prevent athletes from gaining an advantage from watching others scaling the bouldering and lead climbing walls before them, each climber is kept away from the climbing wall in “isolation” before their turn and given just a few minutes to examine the wall and routes prior to starting.
