Day One in Kirov: Lead qualifications underway and changes to competition rules

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Angelika Rainer draws her starting number at Kirov (Photo: Lukasz Warzecha / UIAA)

Welcome to Russia!

Brrrrrrrrrr.

A gentle Siberian wind means the minus 15 degrees Celsius temperatures facing athletes at the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour final event in Kirov makes it feel a lot colder.

And this being Russia, where competitive ice climbing is held in great regard, the rules governing the competition are slightly different from other stops on the tour.

• There’s no isolation zone in the qualification round for the Lead competition where athletes normally go into so that they cannot get a sense of how the athletes fared ahead of them.
• Lead climbers have to climb two routes which are side by side, one after another.

There’s also the special position accorded Speed climbing here.

Russian athletes and competitors adore speed climbing.

That’s why the Speed finals will be the last event to be held on 10^th March, unlike other venues where the competition usually ends with the Lead finals.

Spectators will be treated to the thrill of duelling Speed climbers who go up against each other simultaneously, not against the clock as is the case in other places.

The climbing wall in Kirov, Russia (Photo: Lukasz Warzecha / UIAA)

For more photos visit the UIAA Facebook page.