The Pro Climbing League Gambled on a New Comp Format. Did It Work?

Q: Are World Cup climbing comps boring?

A: Yes. Yes they are. I mean, I like watching competitions, but you couldn’t pay me to sit through a Boulder World Cup qualifying round, watching an endless parade of climbers (sometimes more than 100 per gender) each take a four-minute turn on the same five qualification boulders. If it’s a World Championship, I’ll tune in for the semifinal—but even then, I find myself mildly appalled by the way comps are formatted. There are too many boulders. There are too many climbers.