Hey guys✌️! I’m back!! Today we’re talking about one of my favourite things, climbing! If you don’t know climbing is going to be a brand new sport in the 2020 summer Olympics! Today I’m going to tell you about what types of climbing are going to be in the Olympics, and one of my favourite athletes who’s competing. Also Just letting you guys know that I don’t know the exact order of the rounds, I just know the type of climbing.

Alex Puccio bouldering outdoors. Photo Joel Zerr

The first round (not the order) is bouldering. Bouldering is climbing without ropes. You start on the ground and then climb from there. Sometimes boulder problems will be taller but usually they don’t go to high. In North America, the grading scale that outdoor boulders are rated by is called the Hueco scale or the “V” scale. The lowest grade starts at V0 and the world’s highest grade is V17. In the Olympics all the Olympic climbers will try all the boulder problems that have been set by route setters. They will try to get to the top, and if they can’t they want to reach a bonus hold.

Adam Ondra climbing a 5.15d

The second round (not in order) is lead climbing. Lead climbing is climbing with ropes. A rope is tied to a harness around your waist, when you climb you clip the rope into carabiner. Lead climbing goes a lot higher then bouldering. When you’re climbing outside sometimes the climbs can go thousands of feet up. The grading system for lead climbs in North America is called Yosemite Decimal System or the YDS system. The easiest grade is 5.0 and the hardest lead climb in the world is a 5.15d. In the Olympics climbers will try to reach the top of the climb.

The universal speed climb. Photo by Stone Summit Climbing team

The third and final round, (not in order) and by far the most controversial is speed climbing. Speed climbing in my opinion is both insane and incredible. The same route is 15 meters tall an is used over the entire planet, everyone practices on the same route! In the Olympics, climbers  will race to the top as fast as they can, the fastest speed ever recorded was 5.48 seconds to climb 15m! It was achieved by Reza Alipour nicknamed “The Persian cheetah”.

Sean McColl lead climbing in a climbing gym. Photo: MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images

 One of my favourite climbers who will be trying to get to the Olympics is Sean McColl. A Canadian climber who is aiming for the Olympics. Sean McColl has done very well in the international competitive climbing scene. He has also (fun fact) been on the TV show American Ninja Warrior! Personally I’m very excited to see if he makes it to the Olympics, and I can’t wait to see him represent Team Canada!!

Thanks so much for reading my post on climbing, I know many people won’t be interested but I love climbing and I had fun talking about it! Make sure to tell me what you’re most excited for in the 2020 Olympics in the comments!

Bye for now✌️!