[Durbs]

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) -Meiringen (SUI) 2016 PROVISIONAL
16 - 17 April 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) - Kazo (JPN) 2016 PROVISIONAL
23 - 24 April 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B,S) -Chongqing (CHN) 2016 PROVISIONAL
30 April - 1 May 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) - Navi Mumbai (IND) 2016 PROVISIONAL
13 - 15 May 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) - Tyrol (AUT) 2016 PROVISIONAL
20 - 21 May 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) - (CAN) 2016 PROVISIONAL
4 - 5 June 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) - Vail (USA) 2016 PROVISIONAL
9 - 12 June 2016

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (L,S) - Central Saanich (CAN) 2016 PROVISIONAL

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (B) - Munich (GER) 2016 PROVISIONAL
12 - 13 August 2016

Master Event - Adidas Rockstars (B) - Stuttgart (GER) 2016
30 September - 1 October 2016


Months too early - but as 2015 is finished, can start on 2016 discussion now :D

Any predictions at this early stage?

Mass illness in Mumbai?
Return of the Russians?
Year of the Youth?
Can China sort out internet?

All will be revealed.

[GraemeA]

Mass illness in Mumbai?
Return of the Russians?
Year of the Youth?
Can China sort out internet?

1. Only if people are stupid (BTW more people were ill in Millau 2013 than in Chongqing 2013. One particular dish in one particular restaurant got about 6 people including me)
2. Rumour has it that Dima will quit
3. It is already the time of the Youth, Jongwon is only 19
4. If it wants to then yes. But we aren't FIFA or the IOC so probably no.

[Durbs]

 

1) True dat - I was in India for 5 weeks with the Mrs and neither of us got ill, even eating street food (Clue: Don't eat the meat).

2) Dima looked like he'd already given up in Munich, lots of half-arsed attempts in the semi's with him just dropping off the wall, or giving up with over a minute left. Shame that. Out of interest, is there anything in the IFSC rules about non-competitiveness? As in, if someone got a place in the semi's, then just walked on, then off again (if they're having a strop) is it legal? A few sports have rules saying something along the lines of competitors must try.

3) Chon, Nathaniel, Gibert, Masceranas... all < 19 and making finals.

4) Out of interest, do you know why China are so keen to host IFSC events? They don't seem to have many top-level competitors (at least in Bouldering), but are regular hosts. There's lots of good rock climbing in China,  so is it a tourism thing, or are they trying to build a climbing squad?

[around]

4) Out of interest, do you know why China are so keen to host IFSC events? They don't seem to have many top-level competitors (at least in Bouldering), but are regular hosts. There's lots of good rock climbing in China,  so is it a tourism thing, or are they trying to build a climbing squad?

I think it's probably a prestige thing: hosting sports events is one way of trying to get your city's name out there. Haiyang and Chongqing aren't particularly glamorous places.

If China wanted to build a climbing squad centrally, then they'd just get some of the leftovers from the gymnastics program and crush very quickly.

[GraemeA]

2) Dima looked like he'd already given up in Munich, lots of half-arsed attempts in the semi's with him just dropping off the wall, or giving up with over a minute left. Shame that. Out of interest, is there anything in the IFSC rules about non-competitiveness? As in, if someone got a place in the semi's, then just walked on, then off again (if they're having a strop) is it legal? A few sports have rules saying something along the lines of competitors must try.

It would come under Unsportsmanlike behaviour so could be punished with a yellow or a red card.

You have just reminded me of something from a BICC at the Rock Face in Brum back around 1998. If a certain Mr Parry won he would finish 2nd overall, but that would mean beating Mr Vickers, which was nigh on impossible in those days. Mr Vickers fell off the 1st move. Both Gaz and Ian were red carded for unsportsmanlike behaviour as it was very deliberate 

[GraemeA]

4) Out of interest, do you know why China are so keen to host IFSC events? They don't seem to have many top-level competitors (at least in Bouldering), but are regular hosts. There's lots of good rock climbing in China,  so is it a tourism thing, or are they trying to build a climbing squad?

I think it's probably a prestige thing: hosting sports events is one way of trying to get your city's name out there. Haiyang and Chongqing aren't particularly glamorous places.

If China wanted to build a climbing squad centrally, then they'd just get some of the leftovers from the gymnastics program and crush very quickly.

Yep, it is about prestige although in the case of Chongqing it is also about show casing the products of Geckoking, a wall manufacturer based in Chongqing.

If climbing gets into Tokyo 2020 then you can be sure that China will have a centrally built squad.

[Fiend]

1. Will miss Wurm's tongue-sticking-out smiles - YES.
2. Will be watching and enjoying almost all the comps - YES.

[GraemeA]

1. Will miss Wurm's tongue-sticking-out smiles - YES.
2. Will be watching and enjoying almost all the comps - YES.

She will be at the BIFF 

[a dense loner]

The world fell out of my body for 5 wks in India. I felt like I was going to die, much to the chagrin of others I didn't.

I think India's a very silly addition to the circuit.

[Pako]

Perhaps Rustam and Alexey will reimpose Russian domination. Would also be interesting to see a new Russian boulderer doing well, seems like all the good ones have been competing for ages now. Will be great to see all the new world cups, lots of them is better than less imo.

[GraemeA]

Perhaps Rustam and Alexey will reimpose Russian domination. Would also be interesting to see a new Russian boulderer doing well, seems like all the good ones have been competing for ages now. Will be great to see all the new world cups, lots of them is better than less imo.

And I get to spend some time in Japan and India 

[Grubes]

I worked in India for a week eat lots of veg and non veg meals and I was not ill. the food was amazingly good. I did get very ill for a few days from my injections before I went.
As long as you are careful and remember to brush your teeth with bottled water and keep you mouth shut in the shower you should be fine.

Have to say I hated India and will not return unless I am really pushed by work never by choice/holiday.
The people are fantastic but found the experience aweful. The worst thing for me was the treatment of what they saw of the lesser people. Like the security guard outside my hotel checking on the guy laying dead in the street by giving him a boot to see if he moved. He did not so just walked away.
I could not deal with the traffic either thankfully I did not have to drive but I am always worried about traffic after being in a car crash in Shanghai

[Pako]

Not sure if anyone here can speak Russian, but here is a great recent interview with Alexey Rubtsov. The questions and answers are characteristically blunt and detailed, makes for very interesting reading. The main points of the interview are that:
Rubtsov thinks that he is just as strong, or sometimes stronger than the other regular finalists, and that it is not strength that separates the competition but technique at this point
His two main goals of 2016 are to get in the top three of the overall championships and climb 8C. He plans to attend all bouldering events.
He has no sponsors, works as a coach at his gym
Also aims to get into the 2017 Olympic showing of bouldering in Poland, has anyone else heard about this or have any information? According to him the quota of sportsmen that get into it is based on pure competition results, and nothing to do with countries.
Would be nice to collect IFSC related interviews and news here as well as competition results, hopefully people are interested in the above.

[lagerstarfish]

The world fell out of my body for 5 wks in India. I felt like I was going to die, much to the chagrin of others I didn't.

I think India's a very silly addition to the circuit.

but it might reduce the number of people muttering "eating disorder" - perhaps it should be the first venue, so people have a reasonable sounding excuse for being thin for the whole series?

[a dense loner]

That's a pretty good idea

[Sasquatch]

Not sure if anyone here can speak Russian, but here is a great recent interview with Alexey Rubtsov. The questions and answers are characteristically blunt and detailed, makes for very interesting reading. The main points of the interview are that:
Rubtsov thinks that he is just as strong, or sometimes stronger than the other regular finalists, and that it is not strength that separates the competition but technique at this point
His two main goals of 2016 are to get in the top three of the overall championships and climb 8C. He plans to attend all bouldering events.
He has no sponsors, works as a coach at his gym
Also aims to get into the 2017 Olympic showing of bouldering in Poland, has anyone else heard about this or have any information? According to him the quota of sportsmen that get into it is based on pure competition results, and nothing to do with countries.
Would be nice to collect IFSC related interviews and news here as well as competition results, hopefully people are interested in the above.

do you have a link?

[Pako]

Not sure if anyone here can speak Russian, but here is a great recent interview with Alexey Rubtsov. The questions and answers are characteristically blunt and detailed, makes for very interesting reading. The main points of the interview are that:
Rubtsov thinks that he is just as strong, or sometimes stronger than the other regular finalists, and that it is not strength that separates the competition but technique at this point
His two main goals of 2016 are to get in the top three of the overall championships and climb 8C. He plans to attend all bouldering events.
He has no sponsors, works as a coach at his gym
Also aims to get into the 2017 Olympic showing of bouldering in Poland, has anyone else heard about this or have any information? According to him the quota of sportsmen that get into it is based on pure competition results, and nothing to do with countries.
Would be nice to collect IFSC related interviews and news here as well as competition results, hopefully people are interested in the above.

do you have a link?

Well that was stupid of me, forgot to paste it there. Here it is: http://c-f-r.ru/press/news/4957/

[Doug]

The IFSC have released a video interview of Jule Wurm discussing why she retired from the World Cups:

[Durbs]

Not sure if anyone here can speak Russian, but here is a great recent interview with Alexey Rubtsov. The questions and answers are characteristically blunt and detailed, makes for very interesting reading. The main points of the interview are that:
Rubtsov thinks that he is just as strong, or sometimes stronger than the other regular finalists, and that it is not strength that separates the competition but technique at this point
His two main goals of 2016 are to get in the top three of the overall championships and climb 8C. He plans to attend all bouldering events.
He has no sponsors, works as a coach at his gym
Also aims to get into the 2017 Olympic showing of bouldering in Poland, has anyone else heard about this or have any information? According to him the quota of sportsmen that get into it is based on pure competition results, and nothing to do with countries.
Would be nice to collect IFSC related interviews and news here as well as competition results, hopefully people are interested in the above.

do you have a link?

Well that was stupid of me, forgot to paste it there. Here it is: http://c-f-r.ru/press/news/4957/

Google attempt at translating:
https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fc-f-r.ru%2Fpress%2Fnews%2F4957%2F&edit-text=

[Doug]

A slightly revised calendar, with no Canada WC. Iffy time conversions are my own:

Day	Date	Finals:	Finals:	Venue	Country
		Local time	UK time
Sat	16/04/16	18:30	17:30	Meiringen	Switzerland
Sun	24/04/16	14:20	06:20	Kazo	Japan
Sun	01/05/16	17:00	10:00	Chongqing	China
Sun	15/05/16	18:30	14:00	Navi Mumbai	India
Sat	21/05/16	20:15	19:15	Innsbruck	Austria
Sat	11/06/16	16:30	23:30	Vail	USA
Sat	13/08/16	??:??	-1 hour	Munich	Germany

I also noticed this fundraiser was posted on UKC yesterday for the hire of an internationally credited comp wall for the Mumbai WC, which is scheduled for a little over 6 weeks time: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=637685

[Muenchener]

Bugger. The Munich round falls in school holidays & I'll be away. Innsbruck is on M jnr's birthday. Efforts to convince him it would be the perfect birthday outing are ongoing but haven't succeeded yet.

[a dense loner]

Did no one think they'd have to host the world cup at a wall when they were given the task? Seems all thats happened is the ifsc has expected other people to pay for it, leaving it till now to get the tugging of heart strings involved. Fantastic choice for a venue

[Durbs]

This seems mental?

Aside from the fact they don't have a wall (not a problem, you can build a comp wall - though Baku is perhaps an example of why this is perhaps a bad idea).
If you are going to crowd-fund, 6 weeks beforehand seems a little pushed to raise the money, cash it, source a wall, and build it (and all supporting infrastructure).

Madness.

[Sasquatch]

The date is also a bit shit.  Why do it 2 weeks post China instead of 1 week?  if it were one, then all of the western travelers could knock out all three in a two week trip. 

Same basic question for Swizz/Austria comps.  Why separate them?  Why not make it feasible for the eastern guys to do both in a single trip?

[Doug]

I don't know anything about the scheduling of the WC's, but from trawling through the IFSC calendar I saw that the week after the China comp there's a Masters event in Nanjing, China. The prize money is a touch more than a WC too, so I'm presuming that the organisers are hoping that the big names will stick around for it.

More interestingly, Megan Mascarenas has registered for the first WC of the season.