Climbing Competition Rules

Climbers Code of Conduct

We expect that all competitors will treat other climbers, judges, belayers, and volunteers with respect, and represent themselves well.
Failure to do so may result in disqualification from an event.
The use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol at Push’s Rocktober Fest event is strictly prohibited.

Top Rope Competition Rules

If a climber falls, their attempt ends and is lowered. The climber must start at the back of the line for their next attempt.
Climbers will belay each other. Once the current climber is finished, the belayer for that climber becomes the next climber.
Each belayer must have a backup belayer. The backup belayer becomes the belayer and a new competitor becomes the backup.

All belayers MUST be certified to belay by the Push’s Rocktober fest staff.
Belayers or climbers exhibiting unsafe practices will be replaced.

The belayer must leave an appropriate amount of slack in the rope at all times. Tension on the rope may be deemed as an artificial aid
or hindrance to a competitor and may result in disqualification of the attempt.
A climber’s attempt shall be deemed to have started when both feet have left the ground.

The climber must CONTROL the finish hold on a roped route but is not required to match hands to receive points for completion of that route.
The climber must establish contact with the route judge so that the judge may verify control of the finish hold.
Weighting of the rope will be considered a fall.

Bouldering Competition Rules

Spotters should not have any physical contact with the climber during a bouldering attempt.
Boulders have 2 attempts at a start (when the body leaves contact with the ground) and 1 fall before going to the back of the line.
For bouldering problems, the route judge should not serve as both spotter and judge.
Only climbers, spotters, and judges are permitted to be in the bouldering area. Please stand away from crowded areas/fall zones.
The climber must CONTROL and MATCH HANDS on the finish hold(s) of a boulder problem to receive points for completion of that problem.
The climber must establish contact with the route judge so that the judge may verify control of the finish hold.

Climbing

Climbers will be given a “five-minute warning” near the end of the event. At the end of those five minutes any climbers still on the wall
(on an official attempt) will be allowed to continue.
The Coordinator may choose to allow competitors with their scorecards in a queue, to also make one last attempt (time permitting).
Otherwise, climbers MUST turn in their scorecards.

Climbers may try as many routes as they wish, or as time allows.
Climbers declare their intention to attempt a route by handing their scorecard to the route judge and specifying the route number.
Upon successful completion of a route, the judge will award the appropriate number of points and note this award on the score card.
The entire surface of the climbing wall shall be permitted to be used for climbing with the following exceptions:

o Bolt hangers and quickdraws are not permitted to be used as hand holds or foot holds at any time.
o Neither the side edges nor the top edge of the wall shall be used for climbing, unless specifically designated as part of the route/problem.

Only designated holds and features are permitted for climbing each route.
Rules and instructions regarding a route may be given by the Route Judge prior to a competitor’s attempt if asked for.
The Route Judge may order an attempt ended if he or she decides that to proceed further would contravene the regulations regarding safety of the competitor.
The refusal by a competitor to obey the instruction of a Route Judge to terminate their attempt on a route shall result in the disqualification of the competitor.

Scoring

This is a flash/red point format competition – points are awarded if the climber completes each route or boulder problem without falling.
Climbers are allowed as many attempts on each problem as they can do, however each attempt is worth -10 points.
The number of points awarded is based on the number of attempts used to complete the route. Deducting
All of the competitor’s top rope or bouldering completed climbs will be used to calculate the climber’s final score and final category placement.
The higher the points, the harder the route.
Ties will be decided in favor of the climber who used fewer attempts, i.e. falls will break ties.
If a tie still remains climbers will climb a route of the next highest category. The climber with control of the most holds wins.

Technical Incidents

A technical incident is:
o A broken or spinning hold
o Tape stuck to a shoe
o An open wound
o Anything else that creates an unfair disadvantage to a competitor that is not the result of an action on the part of the competitor
o If a technical incident occurs, the climber may reclimb the route from the beginning without penalty
It is the climber’s responsibility to ensure that his/her clothing, chalk bag, and other equipments are properly secured.
There are no grounds for a technical if the above-mentioned items impede the climber.

Spinning holds or other technical incidents must be declared by the climber AT THE TIME OF ITS OCCURRENCE.
If the competitor feels he/she is the subject of an unfair disadvantage while climbing, he/she must declare so
WHILE ON THE ROUTE. If the route judge agrees that the incident has created an unfair disadvantage, the
competitor will be lowered to the ground and will be allowed another attempt on the route, with no penalty
incurred. If the route judge does not agree that a technical incident has occurred, the competitor must continue
his/her current attempt on the route.

If a competitor does not agree with the score, he or she must appeal to the Chief Judge.

Disqualification

The following infringements may result in the immediate disqualification of the competitor from the competition:

o The use of non-approved equipment.
o The use of any knot other than a figure 8 follows through with an overhand knot.
o Untying from the rope while climbing.
o Distracting or interfering with any competitor, who is preparing for, or attempting, a route.
o Distracting or interfering with any official while they are carrying out their duties.
o Failure to comply with the instructions of the official judges and/or the organizer’s officials.
o The use of prohibited drugs, and/or use of alcohol at any point during the event, including but not limited to, registration,
and check-in is considered unsporting behavior.