Speed Climbing

The big question was when—or even if— a party would eclipse the 24-minute mark on one of the finest multi-pitch climbs in North America.

This year wasn’t a disaster—it had its jaw-dropping moments, but it also proved that the competition circuit is still in somewhat of a dizzy tailspin, the same one it has been in for three years.

In his most recent history-making run, Katibin clocked a time of 5.009 seconds.

With a final time of 5.04 seconds Katibin is within reach of the mythical sub-5-second bar, a time that was thought untouchable just a few years ago.

And it's just the qualifying rounds at the World Cup in Salt Lake City.

Everything you need to know about this faster version of climbing.

Girls weren't even allowed to use the local climbing wall. She fought for her access, and then made her way to the world stage.

Two climbers want to be the youngest to summit the 14 peaks.

Is speed climbing just a fringe activity whose glory days (the X Games) are long behind it? Reel Rock filmmaker Zachary Barr takes an in-depth look.

Is speed climbing just a a fringe activity whose glory days (the X Games) are long behind it? Reel Rock filmmaker Zachary Barr takes an in-depth look.

Slips by top seeds, a rare tie and a missed buzzer kept the crowd on its feet at USA Climbing's Speed National Championships.

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Implausible as it sounds, Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland did just that in Tokyo 2020's Sport Climbing combined event.

It's easy to say that speed climbing shouldn't have been in the Olympics, that it's not "real" climbing. Here's why those notions are just wrong.

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In a powerful performance on home turf, Emma Hunt advanced to finals and got a podium, while John Brosler was narrowly edged out of bronze.

The 2021 Speed World Cup season is off to a helluva good start.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

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Check out Bennett Slavsky's author page.

After several personal losses, our columnist reexamines her relationship to speed.

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That time that Duane Raleigh, then Rock and Ice’s publisher/editor-in-chief, set the car-to-car speed record on Avocado Gully (WI 3/4), Redstone, Colorado back in 2010.

Check out Zoe Leibovitch's author page.

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The new facility is purpose-built to help American climbers compete on the international stage and prepare for the Olympics

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A look at the first-ever USA Climbing combined-format event

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Meet the YOSAR beast and onetime Nose speed record holder

Are big-wall speed climbers pushing too far?

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Check out Oleksii Shulha and Jeff Chapman's author page.

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Check out Eddie Fowke's author page.

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How we ended up with a multidiscipline Olympic climbing event, what’s next for athletes, and whether the sheen of a gold medal reflects the future of the sport.

Check out Matt Rhodin's author page.