Rock Climbing & the Tokyo Summer Games

There’s nothing more exciting to those of us that love rock climbing than the fact that it’s going to be in the next Summer Games! Read our past blog post to get an overview of Sport Climbing and its three climbing categories: lead climbing, bouldering and speed climbing.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has delayed the games and today marks the day that they were originally set to begin. To help pass the time between now and next summer, why not infuse a little Summer Games of your own into your climbing program? Here are two competitive climbing activities that have been modified for a Traverse Wall:

Speed Climbing Event

Materials needed: Stopwatch or timing device

Prep: None

Grouping: Partners

Grade Levels: 3 & up

Activity: One person climbs while the other times the climber going across the climbing wall. Switch roles. Fastest time wins. Keep a record of all climbing times and award medals to the winners.

Variation: Create one climbing route that all climbers must follow to make it more like the Summer Games event where climbers are climbing identical routes.

Bouldering Event

Materials needed: Gaffers Tape & stopwatch

Grouping: Individual

Grade Levels: 3 & up

Prep: Set three routes of varying ability levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). Mark with tape and uniquely identify the three different routes.

Activity: Have climbers attempt to climb all three routes, one at a time. Compete to complete all three routes in the least amount of time. Keep a record of all climbing routes and times and award medals to the winners.