Speed climbing

Speed climbing is a special kind of climbing where climbers try to go as fast as possible. It is done on rocks, walls, and even poles, but only by climbers who are very skilled and have lots of experience.

The most common way people compete in speed climbing is on an artificial wall made just for this sport. This wall is built so everyone faces the same challenge. Speed climbing can also happen outside in nature. For example, some climbers try to climb very big walls, like El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, in the shortest time possible. These big wall climbs are famous and exciting for climbers all over the world.

Competition speed climbing

Competition speed climbing as governed by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (World Climbing) takes place on 15-metre (49 ft) artificial walls. Climbers scale a 5-degree overhanging IFSC-certified wall, using an auto-belaying system from the top.

Since 2007 the IFSC has created a standard wall for world records. Climbers race on the same route side by side. The holds and order are always the same, and the difficulty is around F6b (approximately YDS 5.10c), a level most recreational climbers could manage. The IFSC also sanctions speed climbing competitions and world record attempts. Speed climbing was one of the three climbing types in the combined format at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, along with lead and bouldering. Starting at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, speed climbing is its own event, separate from lead and bouldering.

Time is measured by a mechanical-electric timer. The timer starts when the climber leaves the pad and stops when they hit a switch at the top. The time is shown with an accuracy of one-hundredth of a second. In 2018, manual timing was removed. The timer now records to 1/1000 of a second, used only to break ties. The system also signals a false start, which happens if a climber starts less than 0.1 seconds after the beep.

The current men's and women's speed climbing world champions are Matteo Zurloni of Italy and Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi of Indonesia. They won at the 2023 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Bern, Switzerland. Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia and Natalia Kalucka of Poland won the 2023 IFSC Climbing World Cup speed series.

Since Qixin Zhong of China climbed the 15-meter wall in 6.26 seconds in 2011, the world record has been broken many times. The most recent record is 4.58 seconds by Zhao Yicheng of China in April 2026.

The women's record has also been broken many times. The current record is 6.06 seconds set by Aleksandra Mirosław of Poland in August 2024.

Non-competition speed climbing

Most records for non-competition speed climbing don't have strict rules. Climber Hans Florine once said that making rules for climbing can seem silly.

Still, climbers have set fast times on famous routes. For example, Dan Osman climbed Lover's Leap using the Bear's Reach route in just over four minutes. Some of the best-known records include:

Notable non-competition records

California

The Nose, El Capitan

• 1 hour 58 minutes: Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell in June 2018.
• 2 hours 10 minutes: Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell in May 2018.
• 2 hours 19 minutes: Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds in October 2017.
• 2 hours 45 minutes: Alexander and Thomas Huber in 2007.
• 4 hours 43 minutes: Mayan Smith-Gobat and Libby Sauter in October 2014 (an all-female team).
• 12 hours 15 minutes: Heidi Wertz and Wera Shulte-Pelcum in 2004 (an all-female team).
• 11 hours 41 minutes: Hans Florine climbing alone in July 2005.
• 11 hours 0 minutes: Tommy Caldwell in 2005.
• 12 hours 0 minutes: Thierry Renault and Pascall Etienne in 1979.
• 23 hours 46 minutes: Lynn Hill in 1994.

Regular Northwest Route, Half Dome

• 1 hour 53 minutes: Jim Herson and Hans Florine in 1999.
• 5 hours 25 minutes: Heidi Wertz and Wera Shulte-Pelcum in 2004 (an all-female team).
• 3 hours 58 minutes: Hans Florine climbing alone in 1999.

Snake Dike, Half Dome

• 3 hours 0 minutes: Dean Potter in 1998.

Joshua Tree National Park

• 280 routes in one day: Michael Reardon climbing alone in 2004.

Colorado

Bastille Crack

• 5 minutes 33 seconds: Mic Fairchild climbing alone in 1998.

Third Flatiron

• 36 minutes 27 seconds: Bill Briggs climbing alone in 1989.

Nevada

Epinephrine

• 39 seconds: Alex Honnold in 2018.
• 1 hour 15 minutes: Jash Stwart climbing alone in 2002.

Cat In The Hat

• 2 minutes 35 seconds: David Laxton climbing alone in 2013.

New York

The Gunks

• 50 routes in 13½ hours: Peter Darmi climbing alone in 2004.
• 46 routes in 13½ hours: Eric Weigeshoff and Peter Darmi in 2004. This was 3,400 feet of climbing and coming back down.
• 51 routes in 13½ hours: Eric Weigeshoff and Peter Darmi in 2006. This was also 3,400 feet of climbing and coming back down.

Wyoming

Grand Traverse

• 6 hours 40 minutes: Rolando Garibotti climbing alone in 2000.