What Is Speed Climbing? – The New Olympic Sport Explained

For the first time, sports climbing will be featured at the Tokyo Olympics. This format includes three different disciplines, including speed climbing.

What is Speed ​​Climbing?

Speed climbing is a competition between two climbers to see who reaches the top first. Competitors start with a third beep and must sound a buzzer at the top of the wall to stop the timer. In the
early qualifying round, climbers do not compete with each other and simply try to get the best time. Then 16 of the best climbers advance to the 1/8 final and compete in pairs. The winner advances to the quarter finals, the winners advance to the semi-finals (1/2) and then to the finals.
A gold medal was awarded to the winner of the final, while a silver medal was given to the loser. The semi-finals determine whether the bronze medal will be awarded to the third or fourth place finishers. Falling or false starting automatically loses the round, so the most important thing is to not do either.

Other Types Of Speed Climbing

Climbing on big routes for the fastest time is definitely a thing, but it has little to do with speed climbing. It is similar to sprinting on a track, whereas running outdoors is similar to trail running. Watch Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell try to break the speed record on the Nose in Yosemite in Reel Rock 14.

What Are Autobelays?

Using an autobelay, climbers are able to safely ascend and descend a wall. At the top of the drum is a roll of strong fabric tape and at the bottom is a carabiner. The climbers clip their carabiners into the tie-in point on their harness, which locks automatically.
In one sense, the autobelay is much like a seatbelt in that the tape is always being pulled up into the machine.

It isn’t enough to pull the climber up, but just enough to keep the system from sagging. A climber would feel a big jolt if they fell with slack.

What Is Speed Climbing Autobelays

Whenever the climber falls or jumps, a high-strength metal coil is used to arrest the fall and to lower the climber gradually. So competitors don’t have to worry about huge leaps since the jump is rated for heavy people and big jumps.

Are Autobelays Safe? Have They Ever Failed?

It is very safe to use them. Climbers can walk alone without the need for a guardian at most gyms that offer general sport climbing routes. There are times when it fails, but this is usually due to the fact that it is an older model or that it has recently been serviced. In addition, accidents happen quite frequently.
The climber does not actually attach himself to the carabiner when using Auto Belay. Experienced climbers are more likely to experience this, as they usually tie themselves up with their partners after living together for many years. 

What auto belay is used at the Olympics?

The official descent machine – Perfect Descent Speed Drive. To keep the belt taut at all times, you need 15 feet per second, or 4.6 meters of slack. You can also buy similar belts from other manufacturers.

Speed Climbing at the Olympics

This is the first time a speed climb has been held at the Olympics. Tokyo is set to debut a new climbing sport in 2021. Competitions are divided into three categories: speed climbing, rock climbing, and bouldering.
Medals are awarded to athletes who rank well in all three categories. Ratings are multiplied and the person with the lowest overall score wins. A climber who finishes 1st in Lead, 2nd in Speed, and 4th in Bouldering would receive 8 points (1 x 2 x 4 = 8).

What Are The Speed Climbing Rules?

Speed climbers start with one foot on a pressure plate, the other on the wall, and two hands on the starting holds. There is an automatic timing system that starts on the third beep of the machine and finishes when the button at the top is pressed. There used to be person with a stopwatch or timer as well but it`s now computer only.
Referee declares “Done” and starts the timer by pressing the button on the timebase attached to both sides of the wall. After 1 second, the first beep sounds, followed by two more beeps with an interval of 1 second. At the third beep, the climber can walk.

The display shows time with an accuracy of 1/100 of a second, but time is recorded with an accuracy of 1/1000 of a second, that is, to four decimal places (0.001). In the event of a tie, the second best of the two climbers in that event will determine the winner. This has not happened in any IFSC competitions and is unlikely.
What is an uphill buzzer
Don’t fall!

What counts as a fall in rock climbing?

Fall is considered a loss in this round. Touching the side or top of a wall or touching the ground again after starting is considered a “fall.” Climbers can grab themselves and continue while using the last hold they just touched. If it’s low, it’s autumn.

High Speed ​​Climb Incorrect Start Description

A false start is detected if the climber’s foot is lifted off the pressure pad before the first beep. A bad start is considered a loss and results in “invalid time” without a second attempt. In the qualifying round, the climber is the bottom, and in a subsequent round he loses and moves to the lower bracket to try again to occupy a lower rank.

In fact, tenths of a second (0.1 seconds) pass after the third beep, which is also considered a bad start. This is a bit controversial, but it’s about realistic human reaction times. However, some climbers were disqualified for a wrong start after 3 seconds, but less than 3.1 seconds, their foot fell off the pressure plate.

Where can I do speed climbing?

Check the local climbing website or social media for auto belays for speed climbing. You can usually take an introductory course in bouldering or rock climbing, and they teach you how to use Auto Belay because it’s so simple. You will probably find these other types of climbing more fun and enjoyable for you.

What is Skip Tomoa? Skipping Holds In Speed Climbing

The fastest way to get from point A to point B is always in a straight line when there are no obstacles. The speed climbing route has a zigzag bend through the wall. Climbers don’t have to touch every hold on their way up, so create the path that works best for you.
As a result, more leads to the side are completely skipped, and climbers tend to walk as straight as possible. Former record holder Reza Alipur started a trend called Reza, completely missing third place. see here Also, most miss the third and final delay.
The next step (…literally) came when Tomoa Narasaki skipped the 3rd support from the left and started raising her legs from the 3rd support to her arms. This allows him to push straight from there, called “skip tomoa.”
This is basically what everyone is doing now. In general, it’s easy to miss a bottom hold because the lower the wall height, the faster it moves. However, the Indonesian team started missing another delay over the wall and the result was…

What’s the world record for climbing?

The current world record for men’s climbing is 5.208 seconds. Installed by Veddrick Leonardo of Indonesia at the World Speed ​​Climbing Championships in Salt Lake City on May 28, 2021.
Surprisingly, this day broke the record for the second time! 5.208 was set in the final against Kiromal Kativin, where Wedrick set a new world record at 5.258 in the qualifying round.
Before that, it was 5.48 seconds, the best time in four years. Reza Alipur Shenazandifard announced this on April 30, 2017 and has long been regarded as a favorite of the upcoming Olympics. However, he did not qualify because he performed poorly, mainly in bouldering and climbing.
The current world record for women’s climb is 6.964 seconds. Installed by Yulia Kaplina of Russia at the IFSC Continental European Championships in Moscow on 21 November 2020. Previously, Aries Susanti Rahayu conducted with a score of 6.995 seconds and Iuliia will be competing at the Olympics in 2021 though Russia are officially banned.

Its likely shell compete under a neutral nation and wont be allowed to display a flag or have a national anthem. Shell also have to get through strict doping tests.

Iuliia Kaplina has held multiple Speed Climbing World Records and even beaten her own record a few times. Its likely shell place high for speed climbing at the Olympics.

Olympic rock climbing winner?

There is no separate medal for speed climbing, but the fastest climber in the Olympics still has a lot to say. For women, Russia’s Yulia Kaplina, China’s Yiling Sun or Poland’s Alexandra Miroslav are likely to take first place.
All three are very stable climbers. This is important when a lot of people get kicked out of the game because of bad starts and failures, and when you don’t need to be the fastest overall to win – just faster than your opponent. Julia is the current world record holder and Ilyn Son has already had her several times. For the
men, Rishat Khaibullin from Kazakhstan, Ludovico Fossali from Italy and Bassa Mavem from France all took first place in Olympic speed climbing. They all have personal bests of under 6 seconds and are very consistent in their training and results.

What boots and straps do climbers use?

Hiking boots are very different from regular shoes. It fits snugly around the foot, has good control, and the toes flex forward so you can press even on small holds. The rubber used is very soft and sticks to the hold and even the flattest wall surfaces. Rubber covers the forefoot and heel for more surface area.
Most climbers use soft, flexible shoes that are easy to put on and take off and light in weight. Popular speed climbing shoes – La Sportiva Cobra 4.99. This is the removed version of the Cobra and the 4.99 is named after the 5 second obstacle. For harnesses, really easy is best. The Petzl Sitta is one of the lightest full body harnesses on the market. A distinctive orange and white color can be seen in many Olympic athletes. Scissors approaching the harness is not recommended, although unnecessary parts such as gear rings may be cut off.
If you are a rock climbing enthusiast or just starting out, we would not recommend the Cobra or Sitta as they are very professional. Instead, choose equipment that is of a higher value and better suited for mountaineering in all conditions.

How difficult is the speed climbing route?

The official speed climbing route is approximately 5.10c/d or 6a+. It’s not that hard as the leads are generally pretty good. The difficulty is more difficult, but driving at speed shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, most climbers tend to skip as many holds as possible on the route to save time.

What Is Speed Climbing

Climbers can push their feet against the walls because they are slightly textured. It is usually found on indoor climbing walls as it is similar to the porous textured rock you’ll find outside.

Speed ​​Climbing Holds

A hold is a hold that is repeated at different angles with one hand and one foot. Some parts of the X-Hold are superior to others, so climbers remember when they can make big jumps with near-guaranteed holds. There are copies with official dimensions issued by
IFSC, but you can purchase official speed climbing bindings manufactured by Volx.

How high is the wall of climbing?

The climbing wall is 15 meters or 49 feet high. This is about the same height as most indoor climbing walls. It can give you a few meters or you can take it. The wall has two strips 3 meters wide. Outdoor routes can be much higher. The
has a 5 degree overhang (tiltback) so it’s a bit more difficult than a completely straight route. This is a small overhang that helps the climber to stop the hold on the way up and down. The path seen in the first part of the climbing competition will have a steeper overhang.

The climbing wall heights in the training room may vary. National speed climbing training centers usually have two or three small walls with only a top or middle section. This allows climbers to practice these sequences individually.

Why is rock climbing at the Olympics?

Bouldering and rock climbing are the most popular sports in Western climbing. Speed ​​climbing is not really well known. Many famous climbers have never attempted it before the Olympic Games were announced. However, this is a huge phenomenon in many other countries, such as Russia and Indonesia.

When the International Olympic Committee was offered sport climbing, they told the IFSC that only a limited number of medals were offered. The selection was basically all three categories or only one. As a result, the IFSC has decided to switch to a unified format in which you must be in all three categories to compete for an Olympic medal.

Why is climbing controversial?

The high-speed ascent to the Olympics is controversial due to its combined format. Previously, climbers were divided into strict speed climbers and rock climbers engaged in lead and bouldering, but only one could do better.
The skill gap is huge. Reading and bouldering requires a lot of route reading, planning for new challenges, delicate balance, finger strength and core training. Basically, the main difference between the two is simply stamina and endurance.

Speed climbing is all about explosive power and repetition of specific areas. People who normally climb outdoors but can train to climb walls usually don’t see the attraction of speed, but respect it.
The biggest problem is that some of the best climbers in the world have to practice something they’ve never done before and may not enjoy it at all. This means that the best climbers can lose, and speed experts can completely overwhelm others without winning a medal.

This is not the best situation for both groups, and some of them are quite mean to it. Fortunately, there are two sets of medals for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Boulder and Lead are combined and Velocity is separate. You will see many climbers competing only for what they are good at.

When did the climb start?

Although speed climbing has existed in various forms over the years, it has established itself as a friendlier competition. It was quite popular in Russia for its spectacular outdoor sports. They used gloves, helmets and incorporated the descent into the competition. The
modern climbing competition started in the 1980s but was generally fairly slow and static. Participants took turns taking the same route to see how far they could climb with tiebreaks. For climbers, this is interesting, but for the most casual onlooker, it may not.
Modern Climbing started in earnest with the X Games in the 90s. They began to show dynamic and powerful climbing moves and started driving face-to-face with climbers along the same route. It wasn’t really successful, but many experts thought it was a great way to earn extra money to fuel outdoor adventurers. In particular, 4,444 Russian and Soviet national climbers have found that if they prepare their competitions relatively cheaply and take them home, they can win relatively large prizes. It is very popular in Indonesia and Russia, but less in the West.

Is speed climbing always the same route?

Yes, the speed climbing route is always the same. Everyone knows they are on the same route, so everyone can practice in exactly the same position and with the same grip. This is the first time since the speed climbing route was originally set to
. There used to be a variety of routes, but they were actually standardized because there was no official speed climbing organization. There is a call to change routes every few years. In today’s Olympics, it makes sense to change every four years immediately after the Olympics.

Who set the speed climbing route?

Jacky Godoffe set up a route standardized by Arco in 2007. He was asked by the competition organizer to create a more dynamic route. He knocked it down one afternoon with a handle found and it worked. The next tournament took place on the same route, followed by everyone.

How do I train for speed climbing?

Explosive movement and strength far exceeds standard climbing techniques. Heavy squats and weighted pull-ups are important. The walls have practice dyno and dynamic movements that help balance and proprioception.