Just stumbled across the following two articles which attempt to quantify climbing performance...
Mermier CM, Jeffrey M Janot1 JM, Parker DL, Swan JG (2000) Physiological and anthropometric determinants of sport climbing performance
Br J Sports Med 34:359-365Watts PB (2004) Physiology of difficult rock climbing
Euro J App Phys 91:361-372Read and draw your own conclusions from their research.
Have added them to the
wiki.
Perhaps collect other such articles here (and on the wiki of course).