How Is Climbing Scored at the Paris Olympics?

The Boulder & Lead Combined event at the Paris Olympics begins tomorrow, Monday August 5. Over the next six days, twenty climbers in each gender category will compete in separate bouldering and lead climbing phases, where they’ll accumulate points to achieve a combined score. In the semi-finals, these points determine who moves through to the finals. In the finals, these points determine who podiums and earns the coveted title of Olympic champion.

So, how exactly does this point system work? Are bouldering and lead phases scored just like Boulder World Cups and Lead World Cups? The short answer is no. Although the rule systems are very similar between Olympic and World Cup competition, the new Olympic Boulder & Lead Combined format has a brand new scoring system. It’s only been used a few times at Paris Olympic-qualifying competitions such as the World Championships last summer, the continental qualifier events, and the Olympic Qualifier Series.

In this article, let’s dive into how the Boulder & Lead Combined event is being scored at the Paris Olympics. We’ll first explain how the comp is organized into rounds. We’ll then discuss the scoring and rules of bouldering, followed by the scoring and rules of lead climbing.

Rounds

The Boulder & Lead event in the Paris Olympics will have two rounds: a semi-final and a final. In the semi-final, all athletes will participate, with the top eight climbers in each gender category with the highest points moving on to compete in the finals. The quantity of climbing is equal in the semi-finals and finals: climbers attempt four boulder problems and one lead route in each of the two rounds.

There are some subtle differences between the rounds. In the semi-final Boulder phase, athletes get five minutes per problem to climb four problems. In the final Boulder phase, athletes only get four minutes per problem for the four problems. However, before the final round starts, climbers get an observation period of two minutes per boulder.

In both the Lead semi-final and final, athletes get a maximum of six minutes to climb the route. Before the round starts, they get six minutes to observe the route. They can use binoculars and make sketches, but they are not allowed to video record the route.

The individual rounds of the Boulder and Lead phases for each gender category are scattered across the next six days. See below for the complete Boulder & Lead Combined schedule in the Paris Olympics:

Monday August 5

• Men’s Boulder Semi-final – 4:00am ET (1:00am PT)

Tuesday August 6

• Women’s Boulder Semi-final – 4:00am ET (1:00am PT)

Wednesday August 7

• Men’s Lead Semi-final – 4:00am ET (1:00am PT)

Thursday August 8

• Women’s Lead Semi-final – 4:00am ET (1:00am PT)

Friday August 9

• Men’s Boulder Final – 4:15am ET (1:15am PT)
• Men’s Lead Final – 6:35am ET (3:35am PT)

Saturday August 10

• Women’s Boulder Final – 4:15am ET (1:15am PT)
• Women’s Lead Final – 6:35am ET (3:35am PT)

Boulder Scoring

In the bouldering rounds, athletes climb four problems, each worth up to 25 points, for a total maximum of 100 points for the round. Unlike Boulder World Cup problems, the climbs in the Olympic bouldering rounds will feature two “zone” holds. Climbers that secure the low zone hold are awarded 5 points. Climbers that secure the high zone hold are awarded 10 points total. Topping the problem earns climbers the full 25 points.

This isn’t the whole picture though. The number of attempts to top or zone holds matter as well. For each failed attempt, 0.1 is deducted from the athlete’s score. For example, if a climber takes two attempts to reach the low zone, they are awarded 4.9 points. If they continue to climb and reach the high zone on their second attempt, they are awarded 9.9 points total. If they continue climbing and top the problem on this second attempt, they are awarded 24.9 points total.

Here’s another example. A climber reaches the low zone on their flash go (earning 5 points) but they fall shortly afterwards. They reach the high zone on their third attempt (earning 9.8 points total) but fall going for the top. They try for the top three more times but are unsuccessful. The three attempts they took for the top after reaching the high zone are not subtracted from their high zone score. After securing a zone hold, no more point deductions occur for that zone hold on subsequent attempts for reaching top. Their final point score for the problem would be 9.8 points total.

Points from each problem are added together for total bouldering round score. For example, if an athlete flashed the first three problems but only reached the low zone after two attempts on the fourth problem, their total score for the round would be 79.9 points (25 + 25 + 25 +4.9).

Boulder Rules

In the semi-finals and finals, the climbing rules are the same. Climbers must begin each problem on designated starting holds. These holds are marked with tape – one piece of tape per limb. In the example image below, climbers would likely start with one hand on each of the tiny yellow holds and one foot on each of the low yellow sloping holds.

Climbers are first and foremost aiming to “top” the problems. To top a problem, a climber must get two hands securely on the final hold. This final hold is clearly labelled with the number “25” in the Olympics, as seen in the example below. A climber must show control with both hands on this final hold in order for the top to count. They can’t just jump and slap the hold.

If a climber can’t reach the top of a problem, they at least want to reach the low or high zone holds. These holds usually lie somewhere in the middle of the problem and are clearly marked. As seen in the image below, the low zone is marked with the number “5” and the high zone is marked with the number “10”. A climber must show control of a zone hold with either hand to be awarded points. They cannot just slap to the hold and then fall off.

Lead Scoring

Like bouldering rounds, lead rounds are also worth 100 points. The lead routes at the Paris Olympics are broken down into five section, where each section differs based on the number of points a climber achieves for reaching each individual handholds in that section. To make sense of these points, it’s best to first think of them from the top of the route downwards:

• The final 10 holds of the route are worth 4 points each
• Holds 11 to 20 from the top are worth 3 points each
• Holds 21 to 30 from the top are worth 2 points each
• Holds 31 to 40 from the top are worth 1 point each
• Holds 41 and above from the top are worth 0 points each

Different lead routes will have different numbers of holds, based on whatever route the setters create. If there are more than 40 holds on a route, the first section of the route with have holds that are worth zero points. Once climbers reach the 40th hold from the top, each hold is worth one point. This “1 point per hold” section of the route lasts for 10 holds, from holds 40 to 31 from the top. The section is signaled to climbers with a number “1” sign on hold 40 from the top.

Once climbers reach the 30th hold from the top, each hold is worth two points. This “2 points per hold” section of the route lasts for 10 holds, from holds 30 to 21 from the top. The section is signaled to climbers with a number “10” sign on hold 30 from the top.

Upon reaching the 20th hold from the top, each hold is worth 3 points. This “3 points per hold” section of the route lasts for 10 holds, from holds 20 to 11 from the top. The section is signaled to climbers with number “30” sign on hold 20 from the top. The “30” represents to total points reached so far (0 from the first section, 10 from the second section, and 20 from the third section.

Once climbers reach the 10th hold from the top, each hold is worth four points. This “4 points per hold” section of the route lasts for 10 holds, from the 10th from the top to final hold of the route. The section is signaled to climbers with a number “60” sign on hold 10 from the top. The “60” represents to total points reached so far (0 from the first section, 10 from the second section, 20 from the third section, and 30 from the fourth section). The top hold is marked with the number “100”, representing a perfect 100-point score.

If a climber secures a particular hold but then falls while moving towards the next hold, they are awarded 0.1 points. For example, if a climber grabs the second-last hold of the route (earning 96 points) but falls lunging towards the final hold, they will be awarded 96.1 points.

After climbing a lead route, an athlete’s points score is added to their points score from the boulder round, giving a Boulder & Lead Combined score. If two or more competitors are tied in points, their standings in the previous round is used to break the tie.

Lead Rules

Climbers only get one attempt at a lead route per round. This makes for some very high risk climbing – if they fall, their one and only attempt is finished. Athletes must not grab or pull on quickdraws or stand on bolts while climbing (although thankfully bolts are often covered in modern comps, preventing this issue). Every quickdraw must be clipped in order. If a climber clips quickdraw #4 before #3 for example, they are disqualified.

Athletes are not allowed to skip any quickdraws. If they are super pumped and unable to make a clip, they are permitted to climb beyond the quickdraw, but they will only be awarded points for holds where it was still possible to make the clip. Any holds they reach beyond this will not count towards their score.

As previously mentioned, climbers only get six minutes to complete a lead route. If they time out, they are awarded points for the hold they were at when the clock struck 0 seconds.

More Olympics Information

See here for the full list of climbers participating in the Boulder & Lead event at the Paris Olympics. See here for details on how and when to watch climbing at the Summer Games