Independent Schools Climbing Competition

Dates and Times

Monday 2nd February 2026
Registration opens at 9am, Competition starts at 9.30am until 4pm

Cost: £16.50 per competitor.
Organizers

Registration & payment: Each school can either book direct using the buttons below if you can pay via credit card alternatively if you wish to be invoiced for your entries then please complete the form below and we will book you in and send an invoice for your places.

Please note that places are limited and will be reserved on a first come first served basis.

Registration and Payment

The deadline for registrations is Friday 16th January.

Changes to numbers can take place up to this date subject to places being available. Any reduction in numbers after this date will still be charged for. Changes to names or additional competitors following this date may be accepted at the organizer’s discretion.
Schools will be responsible for informing parents of the relevant risks and obtaining the relevant permission from them. We will require the school to complete a group registration and acknowledgement of risk form which states they have done this and provide us with the names and dates of birth of the participants.

Format

Each category will have 3 top roped routes to attempt an ‘easy’, ‘medium’ and ‘hard’. Plus, they will have 8 boulders to attempt ranging from ‘easy’ to ‘hard’.

For the roped climbs each competitor will just have one attempt at each climb with the score being given for the highest hand hold reached on the route. The scores from each route will be converted into ranking points for each climb and these ranking points use to determine an overall ranking for the roped climbs.

The bouldering competition will be a timed event where the competitors will have up to 5 attempts on each boulder. Each boulder will have a top hold, and a zone hold part way up the boulder. Competitors must attempt to top each boulder in as few attempts as possible. Competitors with the most tops, followed by the most Zones, in the least number of attempts will be given the lowest ranking points for the overall competition.

The ranking points for the top roping and bouldering will then be added together with the competitor in each category with the lowest overall ranking score being awarded 1st place.

Judges and Belayers

Due to the numbers required we will need to use volunteers from the participating schools to act as belayers and judges. We will expect each school participating to provide at least 1 volunteer.

Belayers will need to be experienced climbers, preferably qualified climbing instructors. A briefing will be given to them prior to the event starting regarding how to belay for competitions. Summit up will need to carry out a membership assessment for experienced belayers if they are not already a member here. Qualified climbing instructors will need to provide copies of their instructor qualification, first aid certificate and a copy of the insurance which covers them to work as an instructor, normally their school’s insurance.

Judges do not need any climbing experience. They will be looking for the highest point that a competitor reaches before falling off. A full briefing will be given to them prior to the event starting.

Rules - Boulder Competiton

The rules for this competition have been adapted from the BMC YCS competition regulations.

• The Competition is a fixed time period event, limited attempts per boulder, and a “flash” format. There will be no demonstration of boulders.

• Each round shall consist of eight (8) boulders. Each boulder will be allocated a number between 1 and 8 in order of difficulty, e.g. 1/2/3 = Soft, 4/5/6 = Medium, 7/8 = Hard

• Each category has 2.5 hours to complete their attempts.

• The start and end of the competition climbing time will be announced by a loud signal. Competitors will be given a one-minute warning signal, which will mark the upcoming cessation of their competition.

• Each competitor will choose the order in which they attempt the boulders allocated to their category.

• A competitor will indicate the next boulder they wish to attempt by handing their scorecard to the relevant Boulder Judge.

• Competitors shall attempt a boulder in the order in which their scorecards are handed to the Boulder Judge.

• If a competitor is not ready to attempt a boulder when called by the Boulder Judge, the relevant competitor shall be reassigned to climb last on that boulder.

• Each competitor shall make no more than five (5) attempts on each boulder.

• After a competitor has completed an attempt, the boulder judge will record the details and hand the scorecard to the competitor who shall pass it back to the judge if they wish to have another attempt on that boulder or pass it to the next judge. If they pass it to the same judge they will be put to the back of the queue for that boulder.

• If a technical incident occurs affecting any boulder:

o The boulders affected by a technical incident shall be closed until the problem has been rectified.

o Any competitor directly affected by the technical incident shall have the relevant attempt discounted. e.g. if a technical incident occurs on the competitor’s first attempt, their attempt following restoration of the boulder shall be treated as their first attempt.

• If the restoration time is less than or equal to 10 minutes, the affected boulders will be re-opened, and no additional time allocated.

• If the restoration time exceeds 10 minutes, the relevant boulder shall be cancelled from the competition, unless such cancellation would result in the competition comprising of less than 6 boulders. If this situation arises, the duration of the competition shall be extended by the amount of time taken after the initial 10 minutes to restore the boulder.

Boulder Scoring

• Each boulder shall have a clearly marked finish which shall be a designated finishing hold

• All points/limbs must be off the floor before the attempt starts; Competitors cannot jump to start except in certain situations identified by the route setter.

• Boulders will be marked using a single colour of hold, any holds in a different colour will be considered for judging purposes as if demarcated as ‘out of bounds’.

• Each boulder shall have a clearly marked “Zone Hold”. The positioning of this hold should aid the separation of competitors with markedly different performance and will be at the Route-Setter’s discretion.

• An attempt on a boulder shall be considered successful when the Boulder Judge has announced “OK”, having determined that the competitor has controlled the marked finishing hold of the boulder with both hands

• The coloured tape used to mark the starting position and the finishing holds shall be the same and a different coloured tape shall be used for the zone holds. Both colours shall be different from the colour used for demarcations (out of bounds)

• On each boulder, a zone point will be awarded if the competitor controls the Zone Hold, the zone point will be awarded also where a competitor successfully completes the boulder without having controlled the Zone Hold. The Zone Hold shall be considered as “controlled” where a competitor has made use of the hold to achieve a stable or controlled position.

• For each competitor attempting a boulder, the Boulder Judge will record:

o The number of attempts required by that competitor to gain a zone

o The number of attempts required by that competitor to successfully complete the boulder

• For the purposes of scoring, an attempt will be counted as such each time the competitor.

o starts the boulder using the designated start holds,

o touches, with hands or feet, holds other than the starting holds.

• The competitors shall be ranked according to the following criteria:

o First, in descending order, the number of successfully completed boulders (“TOPS”);

o Second, in descending order, the total number of zone points gained by the competitor.

o Third, in ascending order, the total number of attempts to complete these boulders.

o Fourth, in ascending order, the total number of attempts to achieve these zone points.

Rules - Top Roped Competiton

• Each competition shall consist of three (3) routes, which shall be numbered from 1 to 3 in approximate order of difficulty, e.g. 1/2 = Soft, 3/4 = Medium, 4 = Hard.

• The competition Format is a fixed period per route, one attempt only on each route in a “flash” format. There will be no demonstration of routes.

• The climbing time for each route is six (6) minutes.

• Routes will be marked using a single colour of holds and any holds in a different colour will be considered for judging purposes as if demarcated as out of bounds.

• The organizers will announce the order in which competitors attempt their routes:

• If a competitor is not ready to attempt a route when called by the Route Judge, the relevant competitor shall be reassigned to climb last on that route.

• Each competitor shall make no more than one (1) attempt on each route.

• An attempt on a route shall be considered successful if the route has been climbed in accordance with these rules the judge has signaled or announced “OK”, having determined that the competitor has controlled the marked finishing hold of the route with both hands.

• A competitor may ask at any time during their attempt on the route how much of the fixed climbing time remains, and the Judge shall immediately inform, or give instructions to inform, the competitor of the remaining time.

• When the fixed climbing time has ended, the Judge shall instruct or give instruction to instruct the competitor to stop climbing.

• The attempt of a competitor on a route shall be considered unsuccessful if the competitor:

o Falls.
o Exceeds the fixed climbing time for the route.
o Uses any part of the wall, holds or features demarcated as out of bounds by a continuous and clearly identifiable black tape.
o Uses with their hands any holes provided for the placement of bolt-on holds, excluding any such hole on a bolt-on hold.
o Uses any advertising or informational placard affixed to the wall, or any part of such material.
o Uses the top edges of the wall for climbing.
o Makes use of hangers (including their bolts) or quickdraws for climbing.
o Returns to the ground with any part of the body after having started their attempt.
o Uses any artificial aid; or
o Is instructed to stop climbing by the category judge.

Top Roped Climbing Scoring

• The scoring for all routes will be in line with the GB Climbing competition rules. These rules must be also read in conjunction with the current IFSC international lead climbing and bouldering competition rules.

• The first handhold on the route will be scored as “1”, the second as “2” and so on.

• On each route, competitors shall be scored as follows:

o Any competitor who has successfully completed the route, shall be scored as such by indicating “TOP”.

o In respect of any competitor who has fallen or had their attempt on the route terminated, the furthest hold held in the line of the route shall determine the competitor’s score as set out below

o Where a competitor has not attempted a route, they will score zero (0) for that route.
• For the purposes of scoring:
• Only holds used by the hands shall be deemed as scoring holds:
o By the Chief Route-Setter before the start of a round of the competition; or
o Following positive use by more than one competitor; and
o shall be marked on the route sketch used by the Route Judge(s), numbered in sequential order along the line of the route, as defined by the Chief Route-Setter.

• Only such parts of an object that are usable for climbing shall be considered. Note: If a competitor touches a point where there are no holds (as determined by the Chief Route-Setter), then this point shall not be considered when determining the competitor’s score.

• For the purposes of scoring.

• A hold shall be considered as “controlled” where a competitor has made use of the hold to achieve a stable or controlled position. The score of a competitor controlling a hold shall be the number assigned to that hold on the route map without any suffix.

• A hold from which a competitor has made a controlled climbing movement in the interest of progressing along the route shall be considered as “used”. The score of a competitor using a hold shall be the number assigned to that hold on the route map with a plus (+) suffix. This score is better than the score for controlling the same hold. The awarding of a plus (+) is open to interpretation by the Category Judge, but must be consistent with every competitor. The Category Judge’s decision is always final. Note: A controlled climbing movement may be either “static” or “dynamic” in nature and in general will be evidenced by:

o a significant positive change in position of the competitor's centre of mass and
o the movement of at least one hand in order to reach either the next hold along the line of the route. or
o any other hold further along the line of the route which has been successfully controlled by another competitor from the hold from which the climbing movement has been made.

• On any route, each competitor attempting the route shall be ranked using the following criteria:
o First, all competitors scored as “TOP”
o Following this all competitors who have fallen or had their attempt on the route terminated in descending order of the score awarded to each competitor

• Each competitor participating in the category shall be awarded Ranking Points for each route as follows:
o Where the competitor has a unique ranking on the route, equal to the ranking of the competitor in their category; or
o Where two or more competitors are tied on the route, equal to the average ranking of the tied competitors in their category. Example: Where there are 6 ties at 1st place then the Ranking Points awarded to each tied competitor will be equal to (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6) / 6 = 21 / 6 = 3.50 Example: Where there are 4 ties at 2nd place then the Ranking Points awarded to each tied competitor will be equal to (2 + 3 + 4 + 5) / 4 = 14 / 4 = 3.50

• The ranking of competitors within their category for roped climbs shall be in ascending order of the Total Points awarded to each competitor (lower Total Points is better), calculated according to the following formula: TP = third root of (R1 × R2 × R3) where:
o TP = Total Points
o R1 to R3 = Ranking Points on routes 1 to 3

Overall competition places

• The ranking scores for the bouldering and roped climbing sections of the competition shall be added together for their overall ranking position.

• The competitor with the lowest overall ranking score will be awarded first place, with further positions calculated in ascending order of ranking score.

• In the place of a draw then the organizers may either chose to have a climb off if time allows alternatively will refer back to the number of TOPS scored by each competitor in both events with the highest will be awarded 1st place. In the case that this is still a draw then the organizers will look at total score scored by each competitor in the roped round and/or the number of zones scored by each competitor in the bouldering rounds.