[Bradders]

I guess they have the current scoring system to allow the speed climbers a chance of being represented in the olympics, If scoring was based on best al rounder then zero speed climbers would hav even qualified.

Which would have been precisely the right outcome given they're clearly not the best all rounders! (Mawem bros excluded)

[Bradders]

Just spoke to Daisy (non-climber) about the climbing. She saw some of the speed comp and I showed her the pitiful bouldering scoresheet of the top ranked speed punt.

"That's not climbing. They're just like frogs"
"This is a mockery"
"That isn't climbing"

My wife, ladies and gentlemen
 

Haha I had the same conversation with my wife. She likewise very sensibly agreed that speed climbing is shit.

[dr_botnik]

Much as it pains me, speed has been by far the most telegenic discipline. [...] The presentation of bouldering has been poor: too much simultaneous action and badly judged cutting between problems (as climbers are on all four problems at once). Too hard to track the ebb and flow of the round. After watching for an hour, i don't think I saw a single problem completed, just lots of low falls.  I found myself bored and frustrated, despite previously enjoying bouldering competitions.  Hopefully the finals will be better; if less climbers means the coverage can focus on one at a time on the bouldering.

Yeah totally agree with all this. Maybe the finals will be better? As others have said, fewer competitors to confuse/diffuse the action, and medals on the line to raise tensions. Can really see the lead format pulling this off, and hoping bouldering does too. I'm sure it used to work when I watched it in the IFSC channel?! Don't think anything has changed much, except they can't stay on after the times gone for a last burn (but it's been that way a while...)

[Bradders]

The combined format does seem to pervert the spirit of the Olympics, which I always thought was about top level competition.

Been thinking about this today, as I too thought the Olympics was about top level competition. But it isn't.

Yes it involves individual attainment, but particularly for climbing with the 20 athlete / 2 per nation limit, it's much more a contest between nations. If it really were a top level competition then you'd have people like Natalia Grossman, Oriane Bertone and Kokoro Fujii, etc. As it is you've got (and wishing her absolutely no ill will here) Erin "hasn't climbed harder than sport 8a" Sterkenburg falling off at move 7 of the lead route.

That's really devalued it as a competition for me.

[Coops_13]

The combined format does seem to pervert the spirit of the Olympics, which I always thought was about top level competition.

Been thinking about this today, as I too thought the Olympics was about top level competition. But it isn't.

Yes it involves individual attainment, but particularly for climbing with the 20 athlete / 2 per nation limit, it's much more a contest between nations. If it really were a top level competition then you'd have people like Natalia Grossman, Oriane Bertone and Kokoro Fujii, etc. As it is you've got (and wishing her absolutely no ill will here) Erin "hasn't climbed harder than sport 8a" Sterkenburg falling off at move 7 of the lead route.

That's really devalued it as a competition for me.

Was looking at how Erin qualified and looked like there were only 8 competitors total in the African Championship (7 RSA, 1 UGA) competing for the one spot, they seemed to all compete in qualifiers then all progress to finals. Looks like Graeme was the official there so maybe can shed more light. Wonder if there was a pre-qualification comp or if Covid prevented travelling competition (event I looked at was in December 2020)

https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php/component/ifsc/?view=event&WetId=1168

[Sidehaas]

The combined format does seem to pervert the spirit of the Olympics, which I always thought was about top level competition.

Been thinking about this today, as I too thought the Olympics was about top level competition. But it isn't.

Yes it involves individual attainment, but particularly for climbing with the 20 athlete / 2 per nation limit, it's much more a contest between nations. If it really were a top level competition then you'd have people like Natalia Grossman, Oriane Bertone and Kokoro Fujii, etc. As it is you've got (and wishing her absolutely no ill will here) Erin "hasn't climbed harder than sport 8a" Sterkenburg falling off at move 7 of the lead route.

That's really devalued it as a competition for me.

I don't think the two person limit has anything to do with Sterkenburg qualifying, that's down to every continent getting at least one place, which is a good thing in my book. None of the South African or Australian climbers are at the top level but the Olympics is supposed to be a worldwide competition that inspires people; I think it's all the better for giving people from these places a chance.
I thought the seedings order probably made the start of the bouldering comps seem really boring for non climbers though. The people likely to not get more than a couple of moves up the first problem should have been a bit more sprinkled through the field. It's not like the order makes any real competitive difference when there is still the lead to come anyway.
Neither Bertone or Grossman were competitive in world cups pre pandemic, I'm not sure they even entered Olympic qualifications? I do agree with you though that the two person rule has unfairly excluded a number of athletes. Without it we'd have had several more Japanese and possibly a couple more French, Germans or another American (Ashima or Margo, but I can't remember the exact rankings at the time). But if a quarter of the field had been Japanese that would have devalued it as a competition too. The better solution really is to have a bigger field so that these limits aren't so necessary. With only 20 climbers, in my view there is no good answer. Why not have 40?

[joel182]

It's worth noting that these kind of limits apply to other sports as well.

In Weightlifting countries were only allowed to send one athlete per weight class, and 4 athletes per sex. With 7 weight classes this meant many of the top (mostly Chinese) weightlifters weren't selected to compete.

[Duma]

Re Bassa withdrawal, I'm not sure it's going to have much effect: the two big contenders are Ondra and Narasaki, and this probably halves both their scores - in speed Adam goes from 8th to 4th, and Tomoa goes from 2nd to 1st. The alternatives would benefit Narasaki much more.

[petekitso]

Megos should turn up anyway and the crowd should start chanting "LET HIM CLIMB, LET HIM CLIMB". If films have taught me anything he'd take gold.

Agreed, I'll start . . .

LET HIM CLIMB
LET HIM CLIMB

[Durbs]

Women's - credit to Shauna, sterling effort in the bouldering, good show in lead. Speed, meh, looked a little lethargic but it's speed.

Really impressed by Akiyo, seems to have peaked at just the right time - Janja in bouldering does seem next level.

Having someone in the final who didn't get a single "zone", and made my lead skills look Olympic-ready isn't a great showcase for the sport, though hats off - her speed climbing is incredible.

In terms of a "show" - the bouldering was slooooooooooooooow, but then I don't usually watch the world cup quali's or semi's, so expecting these to be more interesting was a big ask.
I still don't really understand why the default camera angle isn't a wide angle, showing all 4 routes, with occasional zooms when people on crux/top. Would surely make the directors life easier too.

They're certainly enjoying the 3D mapped renders of the wall... Jesus.

Highlight for me was Shauna, with the entire Olympic stage to herself, sitting on the mat, and "Always look on the bright side of life (remix)" from the DJ. Surreal genius.

Eurotrash commentating was mildly less annoying as there was only one obnoxious bloke, the lady seemed more sensible and less prone to bullshitting. Jonny is still a tool of the highest proportion.

Ondra getting 4th from a bye is bit of a joke which I can't believe the other competitors are happy about.
Equally I can (almost) understand whey they can't replace Bassa with Megos, though I don't like the decision.

[Nutty]

Re Bassa withdrawal, I'm not sure it's going to have much effect: the two big contenders are Ondra and Narasaki, and this probably halves both their scores - in speed Adam goes from 8th to 4th, and Tomoa goes from 2nd to 1st. The alternatives would benefit Narasaki much more.

Ondra goes from probably 8th to nailed-on 4th (minimum). Narasaki was .01 faster than M. Mawem in qualification, so him getting first in speed isn't a given: 3rd is a real possibility. That's ignoring Ondra's advantage over Schubert.

[mr chaz]

A review in Haiku:

Good show from Coxsey
Jammy Ondra fucks Megos
Speed climbing is shite

[GraemeA]

With only 20 climbers, in my view there is no good answer. Why not have 40?

Because the IOC only gave us 20 places.

[Bradders]

the Olympics is supposed to be a worldwide competition that inspires people; I think it's all the better for giving people from these places a chance.

Yeah that's the point I was making really, the Olympics is a worldwide competition designed to give everyone a chance. Inclusive yes, but that doesn't make it the pinnacle of sporting competition, which is how I felt it was sold for climbing.

Neither Bertone or Grossman were competitive in world cups pre pandemic, I'm not sure they even entered Olympic qualifications?

Sure pre-pandemic they weren't quite there but they're now on the podium regularly or winning events. You can't argue that it wouldn't be a better spectacle to have them there over Sterkenburg etc.

The point I'm making is that the Olympics was supposed to be the biggest event in climbing competition and the absolute top of the sport, when in reality we already have much more competitive events in the world cups and world championships.

[andy popp]

Ironically, it appears Ondra has just posted a PB in speed.

[Nutty]

Ironically, it appears Ondra has just posted a PB in speed.

Three PBs in a row!

[GraemeA]

Ironically, it appears Ondra has just posted a PB in speed.

3 PBs in his 3 races

[andy popp]

Realizing I don't understand how speed works in a final?

[Wellsy]

Anyone see Megos on Instagram

"My last speed climbing run.... ever" lol

[User deactivated.]

The point I'm making is that the Olympics was supposed to be the biggest event in climbing competition and the absolute top of the sport, when in reality we already have much more competitive events in the world cups and world championships.

I agree but this is true for other sports too. For example, none of the boxing gold medallists will be regarded as the best boxers in the world.

(yes I know i'm comparing amateur and professional boxing, but most of the gold medallists will immediately turn pro and then fight taxi drivers and plumbers with losing records for the next 3 years).

[galpinos]

Well, I'm in the "speed climbing is rubbish" camp but thoroughly enjoyed that. Very exciting.

[Fiend]

Will be easing off on this thread for now to avoid too many spoilers, but I need to say, apart from the farce that is speed climbing, and the farce that is the commentary, I've definitely enjoyed what I've seen so far of the actual climbing (M lead qualis and F bloque qualis). Although the camera choice has been a bit wonky (it was a merciful relief at the end of the F bloque when no-one was on that fucking slab), the quality of the footage has been good. And the overall climbing has been great, high quality and varied problems as usual. Plus great to see some of the biggest names in action all together (apart from a few missing rising stars). So, sure there's a few obvious issues, but hell, we're getting to watch more people pull off cool moves on shapely resin holds and volumes 

[Aussiegav]

What time does the bouldering start?
(UK time)

[Nutty]

10:30, Lead at 13:10.

[SA Chris]

Did discovery+ skip large chunks of the women's bouldering for adverts? Or was the coverage so bad that I just missed several competitors doing problems?