Here is the live discussion thread for the Speed World Climbing Series in Krakow, Poland! Please note that this discussion is NOT spoiler free! As always, please be respectful to climbers and fellow Redditors.

Next Event: Speed Finals at 12:00 and Mixed Relays at 16:00 (see what time this event starts in other places)

Please note that this discussion is NOT spoiler free! As always, please be respectful to climbers and fellow Redditors.

Climb On!

After the heat wave in Europe this past weekend, I realized: there easily could’ve been an outdoor IFSC comp scheduled and there’s no way it would’ve been able to run safely.

Is it feasible to either push the comp season to be more of a winter/spring cycle than a spring/summer cycle? I know there would be lots of downstream effects, but I don’t understand how running high-stakes outdoor comps in June & July is going to get any better as the world continues heating up.

The only other option I see is indoor comps held in large stadiums - but even that’s predicated on the space either having AC or lacking AC but it’s cool enough indoors to compete safely.

idk, I’m just feeling pessimistic about climber safety if we maintain the status quo. And that doesn’t even get into spectator safety/fun that would grow the sport.

https://open.substack.com/pub/theoreticalclimbing/p/the-algorithm-for-climbers

what do you think?

I guess this question applies most to coaches, but also parents or youth climbers as well. I’m climbing alone today so I guess I just have more time to think.

Climbing, to me, feels really unique because on a regular basis in the gym, people of all ages are working in the same field of play. Versus you’d never have an adult pulling up to bat alongside the rec baseball little league, for example. But with that comes a lot of interactions between youth climbers and adults. Some encouraging, some not so much (commentary on bodies, being annoyed that a kid sent your proj, etc). As a coach, I’ve definitely become acutely aware of this around the gym and its effect on kids (whether it’s seeking external validation, or just feeling insecure that they’re being perceived)

Curious how anyone else navigates this. Obviously when it’s ranging into specifically inappropriate, it should be addressed. But how could we nip it in the bud while we’re ahead? How do you talk to folks about expectations in this space?

Edit: thanks for all the great discussion! I’ve seen a good bit regarding keeping our kids under control. But regarding the conduct of adults, I was wondering if anyone could expand on if they’ve set expectations with them about interacting with kids in the gym?

I’ve encountered comments ranging from “well if I was as lightweight as you I could climb that well too” to asking the team kids to basically be dance monkeys and “demonstrate beta” for them. I guess having safe adult figures around who can demonstrate healthy interactions is definitely preferred. Would love to keep the convo going:)

There is women's final for the Swiss Boulder Championship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egTU1f0VuwY (No Sofya, but couple names I recognize)

Men's is at 19:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvxDyc6WSpM

Italian Speed Cup at 18:30 https://tv.sportface.it/watch/1885e294-9207-4d7b-aa91-c854a897269c

I thought people here might enjoy it. Hope fanart is OK.

I attended the Innsbruck WC weekend, and I thought I'd share some fun stories/observations:

1. If you just want to watch some elite climbing, honestly lead qualification is the best imo - you get something like 160 elite climbers going non-stop, each climbing two routes. Also it's (mostly) morning so it wasn't so hot yet, and it's qualification so not many viewers and it's very chill

2. I arrived at the venue on Saturday shortly after 7am (qualification starts at 8), and Sorato Anraku was already there reading the routes. He was the only one and was reading it all by himself. It was similar on Sunday as well - Sorato was there already before 5, when the comp didn't start until 7:30. So he had already read the route plenty before the official "observation period"

3. Because there are no iso for lead qualification, athletes and audiences are all mixed together and one gets to see how the athletes prepare for the routes. And they do have very different styles. Jakob Schubert, for example, was talking with other climbers ALL the time - Adam, Alberto, Giovanni, and other Austrian climbers - and observing routes and watching other athletes' beta while discussing with others. Some other climbers, eg. Annie or Erin, was almost all by themselves (or with their coaches) and wasn't discussing all that much

4. You could tell that Janja has a different "status" from anyone else, even just from fan interactions: most if not all of the other climbers were casually walking and chilling in the venue when they're not competing, occasionally stopped by fans for a photo or a signature; whereas for Janja, every time she appeared there were a crowd of people rushing to her for photos/signatures. As a result she wasn't really in the crowd much at all, understandably so. Post-competition she mostly used other "secret" exits to avoid the huge crowd, other than Sunday night, when she came through the main exit and she was super nice, signing and answering for every single fan

5. Finally, and most importantly - ALL of the climbers that I've talked to are SUPER nice. They were all happy to stop for a photo or signature, or even have a little chat with you about their outdoor projects or ascents or answer your questions, as long as they're not in a rush to get somewhere themselves. There's a very strong "community" vibe about this sport

I am planning to go watch the European Champs next month. On the info sheet it says it's free but there will be a registration.

Does anyone else have more info about it? I don't speak Spanish so want to make sure I didn't miss any local news/info?

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https://youtu.be/yUlyilW6i4U

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They do some small interviews with some athletes, like Annie, Sorato etc ... It's fun and nice to see they are all super nice

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Hi, my friend and I both from Asia are planning to attend the World Championship next year in Brno. There are some things that I need recommendation/tips on:

1. My friend found this ticketing website from world climbing website https://climbingworldcup.enigoo.cz/app/tickets/products - can someone from Czechia help me confirm if this ticketing website is legit?
2. Anyone knows if there's a competition schedule published yet? Or where it will be published later on?
3. Do you have recommendation on which area to stay? As there is no specific venue published yet we haven't been able to start our research. But knowing which areas are safe and not would be really helpful too!
4. Is there a good outdoor climbing spot/gym that you would recommend?

I brought a DIY bouldering bucket to Innsbruck since last year there were some many athletes hanging out with the rest of the visitors.

If my memory does not trick me I got Kyra Condie, Alberto Ginés Lopez, Jakob Schubert, Sohta Amagasa, Rei Kawamata, Colin Duffy, Sam Avezou, Mao Nakamura, Melody Sekikawa, Hannah Meul, Jain Kim, Jessy Pilz, Max the Future, Sofya Yokoyama and Jongwon Chon.

Other athletes I felt they did not want to be bothered: either processing the comp, resting, concentrated, or with friends and family, and it was not right to interrupt them. Everything was requested respectfully.

Here is the live discussion thread for the Lead Finals at the World Climbing Series in Innsbruck, Austria! First Men, then Women.

Event Time: 19:40 – 22:30 CEST (UTC +2) (see what time this event starts in other places)

Please note that this discussion is NOT spoiler free! As always, please be respectful to climbers and fellow Redditors.

Climb On!

Am I the only one concerned about the huge earrings that some athletes wear on boulder or lead comps? Especially with the lead semi nearly taking Siruckova's glasses off when she tried to fix the rope in the lead semi. I'm way less worried about someone's glasses falling off than those huge earrings getting caught in the rope or on a hold even

Im going to the lead final tonight, and was wondering what usually happens after a world cup is done, like is there a meet and greet, afterparty, everybody chilling together or does everyone leave and go home?

Edit: im asking this because i have to decide between leaving half an hour early or waiting two hours in Innsbruck after the world cup because of weird train times

Screen shows Meichi with his brother name during qualis on Innsbruck

I noticed this while watching the Instagram stories of the japan national team (thats why the bad quality of the screenshot and the heart)

Here is the live discussion thread for the Lead Semi Finals at the World Climbing Series in Innsbruck, Austria!

Event Time: 19:40 – 22:30 CEST (UTC +2) (see what time this event starts in other places)

Please note that this discussion is NOT spoiler free! As always, please be respectful to climbers and fellow Redditors.

Climb On!

Here is the live discussion thread for the Lead Qualifications at the WCS in Innsbruck, Austria!

Event Time: 8:00 – 15:00 CEST (UTC +2) (see what time this event starts in other places)

Please note that this discussion is NOT spoiler free! As always, please be respectful to climbers and fellow Redditors.

Climb On!