Sport climbing

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This article uses climbing terms to describe the sport of rock climbing.

Sport climbing is a style of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, especially bolts, for protection. It contrasts with traditional climbing, in which the rock is typically devoid of fixed anchors, and climbers must place removable protection as they climb. Since the need to place protection is virtually eliminated, sport climbing places an emphasis on gymnastic ability, strength and endurance, as opposed to adventure, risk and self-sufficiency. As artificial means are used primarily for safety rather than to make upward progress, sport climbing is considered a form of free climbing.

Contents

[edit] Basics

Sport climbing equipment. From left to right, top to bottom are: rope, helmet, climbing shoes, harness, chalk bag, belay device, and quick draws.

A route suitable for sport climbing has pre-placed bolts following a line up a rock face. Sport climbs are typically between 20 and 120 feet in length, and have eight to twelve bolts (some routes may have as few as three bolts, while other routes may have twenty-five or more).

Sport climbing can be undertaken with relatively little equipment. Equipment used in sport climbing includes:

Two quickdraws. The left side of the draws are clipped directly to the bolt. The rope will be clipped through the right side.

To lead a sport climb is to ascend a route with a rope tied to the climber's harness, and with the loose end of the rope handled by a belayer. As each bolt is reached along the route, the climber attaches a quickdraw to the bolt, and then clips the rope through the hanging end of the quickdraw. This bolt is now protecting the climber in the event of a fall. At the top of sport routes, there is typically a two-bolt anchor that can be used to return the climber to the ground or previous rappel point.

Because sport routes do not require placing protection, the climber can concentrate on the difficulty of the moves rather than placing protection or the consequences of a fall.

Sport climbing differs from traditional climbing with respect to the type and placement of protection. Traditional climbing uses mostly removable protection (such as cams or nuts), and tends to minimize the usage of pre-placed protection. Sport climbing typically involves single pitch routes, whereas traditional climbing can include single-pitch routes as well as longer, multi-pitch ascents. There are areas like El Potrero Chico that feature multi-pitch sport climbs, but longer routes generally lack pre-placed anchors due to economical, logistical or ethical reasons.

Rock types that produce good sport climbs include limestone, granite and quartzite, though sport climbs can be found on almost all rock types.

[edit] Ratings

Main article: Climbing grade

Sport climbs are assigned subjective ratings to indicate difficulty. The type of rating depends on the geographic location of the route, since different countries and climbing communities use different rating systems.

The Ewbank rating system, used in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, is a numerical open-ended system, starting from 1, which you can (at least in theory) walk up, up to 34 (as of 2008).

The French rating system considers the overall difficulty of the climb, taking into account the difficulty of the moves and the length of climb. This differs from most grading systems where one rates a climbing route according to the most difficult section (or single move). Grades are numerical, starting at 1 (very easy), and the system is open-ended. Each numerical grade can be subdivided by adding a letter (a, b or c). Examples: 2, 4, 4b, 6a, 7c. An optional + (no -) may be used to further differentiate difficulty. Many countries in Europe use a system with similar grades but not necessarily matching difficulties. Sport climbing in Britain and Ireland uses the French grading system, often prefixed with the letter "F".

In the United States, the Yosemite Decimal System is used to rate sport climbs. Current grades for sport routes vary between 5.0 (very, very easy) to 5.15 (ridiculously hard), although the system is open-ended. Past 5.10, letter grades between a and d are sometimes used for further subdivision (e.g. 5.11a or 5.10d). Pluses and minuses may also be used (e.g. 5.9+ or 5.11-).[1] Originally, the YDS rating was designed to rate the difficulty of the hardest move on a given route.[2] However, modern sport grades often take into account other features such as length and sustainedness.

[edit] Ethics

The ethics climbers adopt toward their sport are not always steadfast, and they often depend on the venue. The following examples are merely outlines that do not always hold true.

[edit] Bolting

Whether a route should be bolted as a sport climb is often in dispute. In some areas, including some in the United States, if a route cannot be safely climbed with the use of traditional gear, it is acceptable to bolt it.[citation needed] However, in much of the U.K., similar bolting is widely considered unacceptable.[citation needed] Additionally, the method of bolting may often be challenged. Many early sport routes were bolted on lead by the first ascentionist. [3]

[edit] First Ascents

Sometimes, a newly bolted route is considered "red tagged," and ethics dictate that the person who bolted the route should be the only climber to attempt it until they can send it. Other times, the bolter will allow the route they developed to become an "open project" that anyone can try. Ascents of reserved routes have led to a number of controversies in the sport climbing world.

[edit] Chipping, Comfortizing, and Reinforcing

Changing the natural features of rock is often frowned upon, but in many parts of the world it is still accepted to some extent. At some areas, "chipping" of the rock with a chisel or similar tool to create a hold that did not exist naturally is considered acceptable. This is particularly true in some quarries as well as some European crags. However, at many other areas, local ethics absolutely forbid this.[4]

Comfortizing holds often involves aggressively cleaning a route to the point where sharp holds have been filed down, often making them somewhat easier to use. While many climbers frown on this, in some areas comfortizing is considered acceptable to a point.

Reinforcing rock with glue is the most widely accepted modification to natural features in the sport climbing world. When a popular route is climbed over and over, holds may become looser and closer to breaking. Sometimes, these holds will be reinforced to prevent them from breaking. Other times, if a hold entirely breaks off, it may be glued back on. In most areas, these practices are considered acceptable if done neatly.

[edit] Sending

Sometimes, an ascent or the style in which it is done will come into dispute. For example, a leader who experiences tension on their rope from their belayer while climbing without falling may have not made a valid ascent, through no fault of their own. Additionally, the line between an onsight and a flash is often disputed. Some climbers consider any knowledge of a route, including its grade, to be beta that invalidates an onsight. However, other climbers will go so far as to belay another climber on a route and still claim that they did not have enough prior knowledge to move from the onsight realm to the flash realm.[5]

[edit] Not Sending

If a climber fails to onsight or flash a route, they may decide to "work" it by attempting to climb it despite falling and hanging on the rope. However, at popular destinations, multiple parties of climbers will often line up to try a route. A climber working a route may spend an inordinate amount of time on it, preventing other parties from climbing it. This is often frowned upon, particularly if the climber is toproping rather than leading.

Not sending a route means that a climber was unable to finish or top out a route.

[edit] Venues

[edit] Australia

Australia has some excellent sport climbing areas, and from time to time some of the hardest climbs in the world are established by either locals, or visitors such as Wolfgang Güllich.

Major sport climbing areas:

Nowra
The Blue Mountains,
The Grampians

[edit] France

France was the birthplace and longtime champion of hard sport climbing in the 80s and 90s. This was partially due to their rock not being suitable for traditional type routes. In France, sport climbing and bouldering are very popular and competitive climbing is big business. Blessed with limitless limestone and balmy weather, there are many sport routes to be climbed in France.

Major sport climbing areas:

Ceuse
Buoux
Verdon Gorge: Long routes or hard routes that start at the top of a thousand-foot high rock wall
Les Calanques

Some of the hardest routes in France:

Akira, Charente, 9b?
Realization (Biographie Extension), Ceuse, 9a+
Salamander, Saint-Pierre en Faucigny, 9a+?
Hugh, Eaux-Claires, near Vilhonneur 9a
L'autre côté du ciel, Eaux-Claires, 9a?
Mandallaz drive, D’Allonzier la Caille, 9a?

All of these routes (except Realization) were first climbed by frenchman Fred Rouhling. Hugh is the only one of his routes to have seen a repeat and was confirmed at 9a.

[edit] Germany

Many consider Germany to be the next country after France to embrace sport climbing.

Notable climbers:

Kurt Albert was in many ways the original free climber.
Wolfgang Gullich put up the world’s first 9a, Action Directe in the Frankenjura.

Major sport climbing areas:

Frankenjura (aka Fränkische Schweiz) - a world famous climbing area with over 4,000 routes on various types of limestone formations.
Elbsandsteingebirge (aka Sächsische Schweiz), is a major sandstone climbing area in East Germany.
Holzen
Lürdissen
Ith

Some of the hardest routes in Germany:

Action Direct, Frankenjura, 9a
Die Welle, Leonhardstein, 9a

Many world class routes in the 8b+/9a/9a+ range are in nearby Austrian Tyrol.

[edit] Korea

Sport climbing in Korea is getting more and more popular. Most cities and municipal governments have their own indoor or outdoor climbing walls now. More than 300 climbing areas throughout the country are packed up with climbers on weekends. Korea uses USA grading system.

Notable climber:

Ko Miyong was world top 5 climber in both sport climbing and ice climbing. She also climbed all peaks of Mount Everest in 2007.

Major sport climbing areas:

Seoul Metropolitan Area
Ungbong Park
Tuksom Park
Bukhansan Park
Boramae Park
Gwangmyoung Sports center
Buchon Park

[edit] Spain

In the 1980s, Spain's limestone crags became known as excellent winter sport climbing destinations. With excellent weather and some of the finest climbing in Europe, Spain is popular with both local climbers and visitors from across Europe. A wide variety of rock can be found in this world-class climbing locale, including granite, slate, limestone, and sandstone. With the highest number of 9a routes in the world, Spain has become one of the premier climbing destinations for the highest-caliber climbers. The island of Majorca, for example, is considered the birthplace of deep-water soloing, and such world-class climbers as Chris Sharma have featured Majorca in their videos.

Spaniards are considered among the finest climbers in the world. It is reported that roughly 30 people in the world can climb 5.14d, and that out of those, a little over half are Spaniards.[citation needed]

Major sport climbing areas:

Mallorca
Rodellar
Riglos
Vilanova de Meia
Siurana
Baltzola
El Chorro in Malaga
La Pedriza in Madrid

Some of the hardest routes in Spain (and the world):

Chilam Balam 9b+?
La Rambla, Siurana 9a+
Orujo, Malaga, 9a+
Il Domani, Baltzola, 9a

[edit] Thailand

Thailand offers exceptional sport climbing on limestone crags right off the beach of the southern islands. The Rock around Railay Beach The rock is all limestone and is part of the world's largest coral reef, stretching from China to Papua New Guinea. The routes are all bolted sport climbing routes. The French grading system is used. With over 700 routes ranging from beginner 5a's to classic multipitch 6a's right up to the extremes of 8c, there's enough to keep any climber busy for years. [6]

[edit] United Kingdom

Sport climbing began in the UK around 1984.

Major sport climbing areas include:

Raven Tor
Portland
Malham
Pen Trwyn
Kilnsey

Some early proponents of the sport climbing revolution in the UK were Ron Fawcett, Jerry Moffatt, and Ben Moon. They were heavily influenced by climbing in France, and the German conception of free climbing.

Some of the hardest UK sport routes:

Overshadow 9a+, at Malham Cove
The Big Bang, Lower Pen Trwyn, 9a
Mutation, Raven Tor, 9a
Rainshadow, Malham, 9a
Northern Light, Kilnsey, 9a

At most UK climbing areas, sport climbing is frowned upon because many climbers believe that the permanent placing of bolts in mountainous and sea-cliff areas detracts from the wilderness experience, damages the rock, and devalues the achievements of the first ascensionist who climbed in traditional style, placing their own protection. Sport climbing takes place on indoor climbing walls and on a limestone and slate cliffs that are unsuited to traditional climbing.

[edit] United States

Sport climbing is a relatively modern branch of the sport, becoming popular in the US during the 1980s. The original sport climbers in the U.S. were trad climbers that adopted a European style of climbing. They created routes that provided plenty of fixed protection (pre-installed Bolts) put in on rappel (or 'top-down'). The first routes tended to be vertical with small handholds. As time went by, new routes got steeper, placing an increased emphasis on stamina.

Allan Watts was the first person in the U.S. to adopt a top-down style of climbing. His rappel-bolted routes at Smith Rock were soon internationally acclaimed as some of the best climbing in the U.S. In 1988 Frenchman J.B. Tribout established the first 5.14 in the U.S. at Smith Rock called "To Bolt or Not to Be". Other notable early developers were: Scott Franklin, Dale Goddard and Christian Griffith.

In the early 1980’s, Dan Goodwin, aka Spider Dan, Skyscraperman, who gained fame for scaling skyscrapers, broke from rock climbing tradition by free soloing without a rope difficult climbs, including the then tallest structure on the planet, the CN Tower, thus opening a new era for skyscraper climbers. On American national television Goodwin, while free soloing Mickey's Beach crack at Stinson Beach, California, performed the One Arm Fly Off and the Flag Maneuver. Responding to traditionalists within the rock climbing community who hailed his ascents as stunts, Goodwin stated he was sport climbing and therefore not bound by the rules of rock climbing.[7] In 1988, Goodwin built the climbing wall for the First International Sport Climbing Championship which was held at Snowbird, Utah, where he served as a commentator for CBS Sports.[8]

Major sport climbing areas:

American Fork Canyon, Utah
Barn Bluff, Minnesota
Mt. Charleston, Nevada
New River Gorge, West Virginia
Owens River Gorge, California
Red Rocks, Nevada
Red River Gorge, Kentucky
Rifle, Colorado
Rumney, New Hampshire
Smith Rock State Park, Oregon

Some of the hardest sport climbing routes in the U.S. rated by the European scale (and U.S. scale in parentheses):

Jumbo Love, Mt. Clark, California, 9b (5.15b)
Flex Luthor, Fortress of Solitude, Colorado, 9a+ (5.15a)
Jaws II, Rumney, 9a+ (5.15a)
Kryptonite, Fortress of Solitude, Colorado, 9a (5.14d)
Psychedelic, St George, 9a (5.14d)
The Fly, Rumney, 9a/8B (5.14d)
Livin’ Astroglide, Rumney, 9a (5.14c/d)

[edit] Access and conflicts

The United States has a strong history of traditional climbing, especially at certain crags, and considerable value is placed on routes staying as they were done by the first ascensionist. In the U.S. it is considered unacceptable to add bolts to an established traditional route to turn it into a sport climb.[citation needed]

In the UK, a number of established routes have been 'overbolted' by sports climbers. In Spain also, traditional climbs have been overbolted against the wishes of traditional climbers.[citation needed]

In 2007, the British Mountaineering Council introduced 10,000 bolts into the UK climbing scene[citation needed], which some[who?] fear will cause further conflict.

Bird watchers and other non-climbing wilderness visitors sometimes object to being distracted by brightly-colored slings left at rappel anchors, leading climbers to use webbing the same color as the rock.[citation needed]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Long, John (2003). How to Rock Climb! 4th edition. Helena, Montana, USA: Falcon Publishing. ISBN 0762724714. 
  • Horst, Eric (2003). How to Climb 5.12, 2nd edition. Helena, Montana, USA: Falcon Publishing. ISBN 0762725761. 
  • Goddard, Dale; Udo Neumann (1994). Performance Rock Climbing. Mechanicsburg, PA, USA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811722198. 
  • Mellor, Don (2003). Rock Climbing: a trailside guide. New York, NY, USA: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 039331653X. 
  • Climbing Magazine (August 2006)
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