Competition climbingCompetition climbing is a form of regulated rock-climbing competition held indoors on purpose-built artificial climbing walls (earlier versions were held on external natural rock surfaces). The three competition climbing disciplines are based on the climbing activities of lead climbing, bouldering, and speed climbing. The result of multiple disciplines can be used in a "combined" format to determine an all-round winner (or the "combined" winner).
Lead climbingLead climbing (or leading) is a technique in rock climbing where two climbers work together to ascend a climbing route. The lead climber clips their rope into pieces of protection as they ascend the route. The 'second' stands at the base of the route controlling the other end of the rope, which is called belaying (e.g. if the lead climber falls, the second locks the rope).
International Olympic CommitteeGoverning body of Olympic sportsThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC is the authority responsible for organising the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympics.
International Climbing and Mountaineering FederationThe International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation, commonly known by its French name Union internationale des associations d'alpinisme (UIAA; French for 'International Union of Alpine Clubs'), was founded in August 1932 in Chamonix, France when 20 mountaineering associations met for an alpine congress.
Speed climbingSpeed climbing is a climbing discipline in which speed is the ultimate goal. Speed climbing is done on rocks, walls and poles and is only recommended for highly skilled and experienced climbers. Competition speed climbing, which takes place on an artificial and standardized climbing wall, is the main form of speed climbing.World ClimbingWorld Climbing (formerly known as the International Federation of Sport Climbing or IFSC) is the international governing body for the sport of competition climbing, which consists of the disciplines lead climbing, bouldering, and speed climbing. The federation officially launched the name World Climbing on 10 December 2025, following approval by its National Federations and subsequent amendment of its statutes in October 2023.
BoulderingBouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed on small rock formations or artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harnesses. While bouldering can be done without any equipment, most climbers use climbing shoes to help secure footholds, chalk to keep their hands dry and to provide a firmer grip, and bouldering mats to prevent injuries from falls.
2022 Russian invasion of UkraineBelligerentsRussiaBelarusUkraineCommanders and leadersVladimir PutinAleksandr DvornikovAleksandr LapinAleksandr ChaikoAlexander ZhuravlyovVolodymyr ZelenskyyValerii ZaluzhnyiOleksandr SyrskyiUnits involvedOrder of battleOrder of battleStrengthPre-invasion at border:150,000–200,000Pre-invasion total:900,000 military554,000 paramilitaryPre-invasion total:196,600 military102,000 paramilitaryCasualties and losses Reports vary widely; see § Casualties for details.This box: On 24 February 2022, during the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting the current phase of the war, the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.
Sports governing bodyA sports governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sports governing bodies come in various forms and have a variety of regulatory functions, including disciplinary procedure for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport that they govern. Governing bodies have different scopes.
2020 Summer OlympicsMulti-sport event in Tokyo, JapanThe 2020 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXII Olympiad and officially branded as Tokyo 2020, were an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021, in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.