[SamT]

Pity Snoop wasn't commentating for the whole event..

[Fiend]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/05/climbing-scoring-tokyo-2020-olympics-adam-ondra

The moaning hits the mainstream media (a good thing really, as it pushes further towards the welcome Paris 2024 changes)

[Fiend]

Ms particular stand-outs were the visual aesthetics of B3, Ondra's near flawless movement on lead, and Jakob bettering that on lead.

Surprised you say that as I thought it looks great in the photos now circulating on Instagram but the footage of it during the event was terrible!

Sorry what was that referring to, PB?

[Paul B]

Men's B3.

[teestub]

Yeah it’s all good if it looks pretty, but if no one does it and everyone fails at the same point then it had to count as a setting fail.

[Fiend]

That might be why I specifically said "visual aesthetics" 

[teestub]

Yeah it had wow factor when it was first unveiled, but this was soon spoiled by the visually unaesthetic footage of some of the best in the world failing to make progress in slopey screw ons!

[Will Hunt]

Pity Snoop wasn't commentating for the whole event..

Glorious. So much for Doylo to sample into his future videos.

[SA Chris]

Thinking about it, are there (m)any other Olympic sports where this is the case? Mountain biking and canoe slalom courses change but they do get practice runs on them.

Summer olympics, no. (pedantic point)

[Muenchener]

Mountain biking and canoe slalom courses change but they do get practice runs on them.

I was disappointed to see that the kayak course was the same between rounds. I can understand that they might not want to shift the big weirs every day (although they did look moveable) but I was hoping they might hang the gates differently.

[Danny]

An amusing take on how to deal with the random horse factor of the modern pentathlon:

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/18/modern-pentathlon-horse-punch-olympics-changes-tokyo-2020

Maybe it's the best place for speed climbers 

[teestub]

I wonder if for the Paris Games they will be able to change the speed route, to the Grandes Jorasses North Face, that would spice it up a bit!!

[Teaboy]

I like that idea, Stevie Haston doing expert punditry/co-comms

[SA Chris]

I wonder if for the Paris Games they will be able to change the speed route, to the Grandes Jorasses North Face, that would spice it up a bit!!

Well the surfing will be a bit different - instead of the crap lumpy waves they got to rush the competition into 1 day before it went flat, for Paris they have opted for the surfing to be held in French Polynesia - Teahupo'o no less.

 https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/460699/olympic-surfing-is-officially-coming-to-teahupoo-in-2024

[teestub]

Wow that’s cool, I remember seeing it mooted but didn’t realise they’d gone for it, assume it would have gone for somewhere on the Atlantic coast. I don’t really know much about surf comps, would you be looking at a different batch of surfers attempting to qualify with it being a big wave spot rather than a tricks in smaller waves type venue?

[andy popp]

I've just read climbing is not in the Paralympics. Is that correct? Seems a shame they couldn't be started at the same time.

[SA Chris]

Wow that’s cool, I remember seeing it mooted but didn’t realise they’d gone for it, assume it would have gone for somewhere on the Atlantic coast. I don’t really know much about surf comps, would you be looking at a different batch of surfers attempting to qualify with it being a big wave spot rather than a tricks in smaller waves type venue?

Most of the potential competitors are in the WSL comps which usually include bigger waves like Teahupo'o in the series, so most of them will be OK with surfing it (although I suspect they may not hold the competition on certain days if it's massive as not all the competitors (esp female) may not be comfortable surfing it at that size.     

[GraemeA]

I've just read climbing is not in the Paralympics. Is that correct? Seems a shame they couldn't be started at the same time.

You are correct Andy, which sports go into the Paraolympics is decided by the IPC

The Paraclimbing World Champs is once more incoporated with the World Champs next month in Paris, I suspect that the IPC will be watching very closely.

[Teaboy]

Jakob Schubert has his say:

https://jakob-schubert.com/en/blog-olympic-writeup.html#blogcontent

Nothing controversial just the usual comment the format and the mildest of rebukes to AO: “ if I hadn’t surpassed my personal best in speed in the qualification, I could have been last and therefore the lucky one to be given the freebie 4th place in speed. This scenario would have seen me earn gold.”

[JamieG]

Been watching some of Ondra's video's about Olympics training () and I can't help but wonder if he should have just not bothered training the speed climbing at all. It seems like it requires quite a different physique that doesn't suit him and is also counter to his strengths in lead and bouldering. It also uses up a lot of good training time. He wasn't ever predicted to do well (and basically got 4th by pure luck). Then he could have concentrated purely on bouldering and lead, to try ensure he got as best results possible (I suspect he was disappointed with his bouldering). I can't really think what the down side to this approach would have been.

In fact Teaboy points out that if Schubert noted had be basically not tried at all in speed he would have got gold because of the lucky boost to 4th place that last place qualifier got.

Anyway don't need to worry about it anymore for Paris.

[teestub]

Hope they go back to 4 boulders for Paris finals, will give both the setters and competitors a better chance I think.