A brief history of competition climbing

It is easy to forget how young competition climbing is in comparison with many other sports. Toby Dunne traces the origins of this unique sport.

It’s happened. Shauna Coxsey has competed in the Tokyo Olympics. It's the latest development in the so-far-relatively-brief history of competition in sport climbing, although some aspects of the sport have a more ancient heritage.

Perhaps the first recorded climbing competition was a speed-climbing event. It was held in what is now Uzbekistan, in 327 or 328 BC. No less than Alexander the Great donated the prize fund, he, “proclaimed that he would give a prize of twelve talents to the first man up, [to the fortress of Sogdian Rock] and of eleven to the second, and ten to the third, and so on to the twelfth, who would receive 300 gold darics.” History does not record the relative value of 300 gold darics compared to an Olympic gold medal.

In December 1987, in the now long departed High magazine, Chris Gore wrote an article about competition climbing, teasingly entitled “Olympics 1996?” which expressed a degree of amazement that climbing might one day be considered an Olympic sport. He wrote, “Like it or loathe it, competition climbing is likely to become a reality in Britain”. Competition climbing had barely existed as a formal event in Europe for more than a year or two, and there was still considerable controversy about its existence at all, as well as what form it should take.

Many of the competitions were held on rock outside, leading to considerable problems if it happened to rain. The early outdoor competition routes were artificially chiselled, timings of competitors were controversial if some of them had to climb in the sun, and accusations of local heroes being allowed extensive pre-practise of the routes were rife.

Speed climbing was already popular in Russia, where they had held some competitions since the 1940s. This is perhaps the oldest type of formal competition in the sport.

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It is a different world, now that competition climbing is a normal part of mainstream climbing, and there is a professional structure to it with annual world cup circuits and inclusion in the Olympics.

Although the first formal competition took place in Italy in 1985, two years later the BMC still vetoed the concept of the 1989 World Championships, as it was proposed to be held on outdoor rock.

Brit Simon Nadin went on to win the Lead Climbing World Cup in Lyon in 1989, and Jerry Moffatt won the Grand Prix, held at a climbing wall in Leeds. It was only in 1990 that the UIAA decided that all future competitions should take place on indoor artificial walls.

Since the 1990s, competition climbing as we know it today has gone from strength to strength, with international competitions now run by the International Federation for Sport Climbing (IFSC) developing alongside vibrant national competitions.

The development of competition climbing

A more detailed historical timeline of the sport of Competition Climbing, Coaching & Coach Development. Collated from the BMC, Mountain Training and IFSC).

1940-1984

1944 - Geoffrey Winthrop-Young successfully creates the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) to represent and speak on behalf of all climbers in Britain.

1985-1989

1985 - SportRoccia, the first European lead competition takes place in Italy launching a new era of modern sport climbing.

1986 - Competition climbing series in Europe, mainly on outdoor rock.

1988 - International Climbing & Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) recognises competitive sport climbing, creating competition rules.

1988 - BMC AGM is dominated by controversy over competition climbing and its place in the sport. BMC is instructed to embrace the sport on artificial structures. BMC first sets up a competition climbing committee.

1989 - The first UIAA World Cup Competition is held in Leeds, is a tremendous success and the Lead gold medal was won by Britain’s Simon Nadin and and Jerry Moffatt wins Grand Prix

1990-1999

1990 - The decision is made to only run international events on artificial walls to eliminate the environmental impact.

1992 - Climbing World Cup is held in Birmingham and attended by 6,500 people.

1997 - International Council for Competition Climbing (ICCC) created within UIAA to guarantee autonomy of the sport.

1998 - The first ‘Youth Climbing Series’ is held. Since 1998 this has become the entry point for youth competitions within the UK and is held across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Bouldering first introduced to competition alongside lead and speed

2000-2009

2000 - More than 45 countries are regularly participating in official UIAA events. The calendar includes World, Youth & Continental Championships, World Cups & Continental circuits.

2002 - National & International competitions are being run by the BMC, one of the main attractions of the annual                                   ‘Outdoor Show’.

2007 - 57 federations founded the International Federation for Sport Climbing (IFSC) to take over governance from UIAA

2010-2019

2010 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) grants definitive recognition to IFSC, welcoming sport climbing into the Olympic Family.

2011 - International Olympic Committee Executive Board included sport climbing on the shortlist as a possible new event for the 2020 Olympic Games. However, in this round it proved to be unsuccessful.

2012 - GB Junior Teams (Lead & Boulder), GB Senior Teams (Lead & Boulder)

2013 - Foundation Coach and Development Coach Awards are launched by the BMC and Mountain Training (MT).

Shauna - 2014 - 1st Female World Cup Winner (Boulder)

2015 - Aidan Roberts becomes Britain’s first European Junior Champion (Boulder).

2016 - Sport Climbing officially confirmed as a new sport for Tokyo 2020 Olympics by the IOC, alongside Baseball, Softball, Karate and Surfing.

2016 - Sport England Talent Funding, BMC recognised as NRB & NGB by SE.

2016 & 2017 - Shauna Coxsey is the overall IFSC Boulder World Champion 2016 & 2017

2020-to date

2020 - Progression Funding for the BMC and BMC sets up GB Climbing as a separate department

2021 - Sport Climbing debuts at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a Lead, Boulder, Speed Combined Medal, Shauna Coxsey becomes Great Britains’ first Olympic Climber.

2021 - Hamish McArthur becomes Britain’s first World Junior Champion (Boulder & Lead)

2022 - Toby Roberts First European Junior Champion (Lead)

2023 - First Male World Cup Winner (Boulder)

2024 - For Paris2024 Speed climbing has it's own medal category and Lead & Boulder Combined have their own. Toby Roberts, Erin McNeice, Molly Thompson-Smith and Hamish McArthur represent GB at the Olympics.

2028 & 2032 - The future looks bright for climbing as we look forward to LA & Brisbane

Competition Climbing details 1985-2023

When looking back at the history of competition climbing to date, it is important to note the intertwined nature of how the sport has moved from being a recreational activity, to competitive sport and then becoming an Olympic sport; with the parallel evolution of athlete pathways, professionalisation of coaching and the organisations supporting governance of the sport, delivery of competitions and pathway activity, and coach education, learning and development.

In 1944, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) was founded by Geoffrey Winthrop-Young with the focus to represent and speak on behalf of all climbers in Britain. 45 years later, in 1985, the first organised lead climbing competition launches a new era of modern sport climbing. Within the next 5 years, the International Climbing & Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) recognises competitive sport climbing creating rules to govern the sport, the BMC embraces the sport holding the first UIAA World Cup Competition in Leeds and is won by Britain’s Simon Nadin.

Between 1990 and 1998, the evolution of the sport continues with the decision to only run international events on artificial and purpose built climbing walls, another World Cup is held in Birmingham (1992), an International Council (ICCC) is created to guarantee the autonomy of the sport and the first Youth Climbing Series (YCS) is run by the BMC in 1998. The YCS series will go on to be delivered across all 4 home nations in collaboration with Mountaineering Scotland and Mountaineering Ireland, becoming the entry point for youth climbing competition in the UK.

The next 10 years, sees the international competition calendar grow to include Continental and World Youth Championships alongside Senior World Cups and continental circuits. The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is founded by 57 nations taking over governance from the UIAA in 2007 and in 2010, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) grants recognition to the IFSC, welcoming sport climbing into the Olympic family.

Two years later, in 2012 the GB Junior Bouldering Team is founded, supporting Junior athletes to compete internationally alongside the GB Junior Lead Team and GB Senior Lead and Boulder Teams. At this point GB Coaching and Team Management is delivered on a voluntary basis. 2013, brings the creation of the first coaching awards (Foundation Coach & Development Coach), launched in collaboration between the BMC and Mountain Training (MT). MT is the recognised awarding body in the UK, and the modular awards are delivered in partnership with the BMC, Mountaineering Scotland and Mountaineering Ireland. In 2014, Shauna Coxsey is crowned as Britain’s first female World Cup Winner in Boulder, and in 2015, Aidan Roberts becomes Britain’s 1st Junior European Champion in Boulder.

2016, proves to be a significant year for UK Competition Climbing with sport climbing officially confirmed as a new sport for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and a successful Sport England Talent Bid securing funding for the creation of the GB National Development Squad (GBNDS), GBNDS coaches become contractors and the third coaching award (Performance Coach) begins to be piloted. The BMC is now recognised as both National Representative Body (NRB) and National Governing Body (NGB) by Sport England.

Fast forward to 2020, the BMC creates the GB Climbing department and as the covid-19 pandemic hits, a successful UK Sport Progression bid is submitted. The first competition climbing Elite Training Centre (ETC) is opened in Sheffield supporting athletes through the pandemic, England Regional Squads (ERS) are created and in 2021 sport climbing debuts at the Tokyo Games as a Lead, Boulder and Speed Combined medal. Shauna Coxsey becomes Great Britain’s first Olympic Climber, finishing 10th overall. 2021 also sees Hamish McArthur become Britain’s first Junior World Champion in Boulder & Lead. 2022 sees the arrival of contracted GB Coaches, Toby Roberts becomes Britain’s first European Junior Champion in Lead and the first cohort of coaches complete the Performance Coach Award.

In 2023, another Lead World Cup is held in Edinburgh, Toby Roberts gains the title of Britain’s first male World Cup Boulder Winner and then qualifies for the Paris Games in 2024 for the Lead & Boulder Combined medal (Speed, now as a separate medal) alongside Erin McNeice, Molly Thompson-Smith and Hamish McArthur. The second cohort of coaches begin the Performance Coach Award. The GBNDS becomes the England National Squad (ENS) and the athlete pathway evolves to include ERS, ENS & GB Teams. Continued collaboration with Mountaineering Scotland sees the alignment of Home Nation pathways with the creation of a Scottish National Squad (SNS) supporting athletes via Scottish Regional Squads (SRS), SNS and GB Teams. Welsh athletes are eligible to join ERS or ENS and Northern Irish athletes are eligible to join either England Squads or the Irish pathway (Mountaineering Ireland is an all Ireland organisation).

References:

International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). (n.d.). What is the IFSC?. [Online]. Available from: <https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php/about-us/what-is-the-ifsc> [Accessed on 21.01.24].

British Mountaineering Council (BMC). (2017). A Brief History of the BMC. [Online]. Available from: <https://www.thebmc.co.uk/a-brief-history-of-the-bmc> [Accessed on 27.01.24].

Mountain Training (MT). (n.d.f). What is the MTA?. [Online]. Available from: <https://www.mountain-training.org/membership/mountain-training-association/about/what-is-mta> [Accessed on 18.01.24].

With so many climbers competing internationally today, it’s easy to forget how young competition climbing is in comparison with many of the other sports on offer.

It was great to see Shauna representing GB Climbing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the country on a truly international stage. Here’s looking the continual evolution of our sport.