Climbing is unique, there is nothing else like it in the Olympic Games,” says president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) president, Marco Scolaris. “No athlete today is pushing the limits in the vertical dimension like competitive climbers. We’re not using tools to climb, the equipment is for safety only. Strength, speed and endurance at height, climbing has it all!”
A sport that tests mind and body control, athleticism and strength, climbing has been added to the Olympic programme because of its youth appeal, IOC president, Thomas Bach has explained. “We want to take sport to the youth.” He continued. “With the many options young people have, we can no longer expect they will automatically come to us – we have to go to them.”
Athletes will all climb in three different formats. Speed, where they go head to head up a 15m wall in a knockout format. Bouldering, which involves creative gymnastic climbs without ropes, a short distance from the ground. And lead climbing, where they climb to extreme heights on a man-made structure. The winner in lead climbing is either the first to the top, or the one who gets to the highest point before falling. All formats will take place indoors on purpose-built walls.
Olympic inclusion
This format has received some criticism, because climbers usually specialise in only one of the disciplines. It has been likened to asking Usain Bolt to run a marathon. Czech climber, Adam Ondra – the only man in history to win both lead and bouldering World Cups in the same year – has threatened to boycott the Games, as he believes speed events are artificial. However, the UK’s top female climber, Shauna Coxsey, a double bouldering World Cup champion, has got behind the decision, saying it will make her a better athlete.
Other critics have railed against this anti-establishment sport being taken mainstream, saying it will destroy the art of each discipline and that rules will overregulate a sport that thrives on freedom of expression. However, the majority of the climbing community has welcomed the extra profile the Olympics will give climbing and say the proposed format will make for an exciting competition, which will engage young people, be telegenic and boost participation.
Ben Levey, head of membership services at the Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC), says the Olympics will be a great shop window: “The format has caused a conversation, but, for viewers, it will make climbing watchable and relatable.”
Scolaris believes the Olympics will boost an already fast-growing sport: “Along with inclusion in the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will allow the sport to continue to leap forward. This rapid development and growth, now also starting to register in many developing countries, proves climbing can be proposed as an alternative, spectacular activity to people of all ages, everywhere.”
Accessible sport
Although indoor climbing began as a winter alternative to outdoor climbing, it has been considered a sport in its own right for around a decade. “Think of it like swimming, where one could swim in natural waters outdoors, or in swimming pools inside,” says Scolaris. “The swimmers perform the same activity but express themselves in very different environments. The same is true for climbing, which is why we don’t use the term ‘artificial climbing walls’ anymore.”
Assuming the Olympics do spark widespread interest in climbing, how easy will it be for interested people to take up the sport? Levey says the sport is very accessible, with an estimated 200-250 climbing walls in the UK alone, while the IFSC estimates people have access to climbing walls in more than 150 countries.
“It’s a massively accessible sport, but the challenge will be to make sure that those who are inspired to try climbing will get a quality experience, and have time with an instructor,” says Levey. “Centres like Clip n Climb are great for entry level and make climbing look exciting, but it would be great if they could build links with the local climbing community, so people who are keen to do so can access clubs and other centres.”
Growth potential
Levey says a decent climbing centre can be created in a space the size of a tennis court. There are two main types of climbing area: tall ropes, up a wall, which need a height of around 10m, and bouldering, which only requires a four metre height and doesn’t use ropes. He advises using a climbing technical advisor to design a facility so it offers enough versatility and throughput, as well as signing up to ABC’s code of practise. “Safety is the most important thing,” he says. “You can make climbing safe, so it’s rare to have an accident or get an injury.”
He adds that climbing has good synergy with activities like yoga and swimming, so the crossover benefits could be promoted. Additionally, climbing is a fundamental movement, which means practising it could benefit children as they develop their physical literacy.
As a new sport, however, climbing still struggles with funding. Levey says it has the same number of participants as sailing, but while sailing receives £363 per head in funding, climbing shares just £18 a head with ski mountaineering, hill walking and mountaineering. He concedes the sport needs to pull together to start lobbying for funding and better promote itself.
Despite this, there’s plenty to be optimistic about. Those involved say it’s an addictive sport, with good retention. ABC estimates there’s a 50/50 gender split among children in the UK, and that one million people currently climb in the UK, with 70 per cent only climbing indoors and some even climbing five days a week. As 2020 nears, it will be interesting to watch progress.