Ice Climbing Disciplines
Lead and Speed—the two formats of international ice climbing competition
Lead Climbing
Lead climbing tests endurance, technique, and problem-solving on complex overhanging routes. Athletes have a set time to climb as high as possible on routes they've never seen before.
Speed Climbing
Speed ice climbing is a race up a 12–15 meter (40–50 foot) ice wall. Climbers go head-to-head in elimination brackets or best-of-three runs, with fractions of a second often deciding the winner.
Watch the Action
See Lead and Speed climbing in action at World Cup events streamed live on the UIAA YouTube channel.