A Hundred Excited, A Thousand Witnessing, Ten Thousand Watching — The Grandeur of the 2012 Asia Outdoor Climbing Festival

 

 

       The first day’s Climbing Triathlon featured36 male participants competing for 18 semifinal spots; 12 females competed in two groups. The speed climbing event used an innovative ripple board, with athletes eagerly trying it out — the fastest time recorded was 2.9 seconds, much to the audience’s delight. The rope climbing event employed a basic SRT (Single Rope Technique) method, where two athletes scrambled upward using both hands and feet, drawing continuous cheers from the crowd. The ice climbing event on a simulated ice wall was quieter, partly because some athletes were still mastering the use of crampons and ice axes, climbing cautiously, and partly because the simulated wall required delicate hooking techniques — the precision of their moves on the sheer surface left spectators on edge.

 

 

       The finals of the second day’s Climbing Triathlon crowned the male and female champions as Kong Bo from Jinan’s5.15 Climbing Club and Kuai Lifang from Wuhan University of Geosciences.

       The third day’s difficulty climbing competition took placeon a 12-meter-high wall featuring a large overhang, with over 50 climbers from across the country participating. The morning qualifiers selected 12 men and 8 women for the afternoon finals. The highlight came during the final four male climbers, who displayed remarkable agility, moving effortlessly along the suspended overhang, ascending decisively and swiftly, leaving nearly a thousand spectators in awe, craning their necks in admiration. Kuai Li from Wuhan University of Geosciences claimed the women’s difficulty title again, while Shanghai’s Amu won the men’s championship.

 

 

       The fourth day offered an experience session, providing enthusiasts and spectators with an excellent opportunity to try climbing.

 

 

       The Asia Outdoor Climbing Festival also provided exhibitors with the best platform and time to showcase their products, and the organizing committee will continue its efforts to make the2013 Asia Outdoor Climbing Festival even better.

       The 2012 Asia Outdoor Climbing Festival included two major competitions — the Climbing Triathlon (rope climbing, speed climbing, ice climbing) and the Difficulty Climbing Competition.

 

 

       The Climbing Triathlon set three national firsts:

       It was the first time rope climbing, rock climbing, and ice climbing were combined into one competition, comprehensively testing participants’ overall climbing abilities — a first in China. Rope climbing uses ascenders and foot loops to ascend a rope, an essential technique for caving and high-altitude rescue; rock climbing and ice climbing are also fundamental mountaineering skills. Bringing these three most visually impressive and technical outdoor skills together for one competitor was a major challenge.

       It was the first dry tooling ice climbing competition held in China, using a dry tooling ice wall.

       It was the first time a horizontal crack-style climbing wall was used in a domestic speed climbing competition. Unlike traditional fingerboard training, this speed climbing format is popular in Southeast Asia and has just begun appearing in international events. It is simpler than the standard speed climbing route and represents a new attempt to make climbing more accessible to the public.

       The 2012 Asia Outdoor Climbing Festival was a new experiment — its triathlon content was a domestic first, the ripple board in the speed climbing event made its first Chinese appearance, and interactive segments brought exhibitors and climbers closer together, effectively showcasing brand value.

 

 

       In the climbing gear exhibition area, a total ofKAILAS, NORTHAND,CLIMBING TECHNOLOGY,EDELRID,LASPORTIVA,PETZL and other six companies representing eight brandsparticipated in the climbing zone activities in various ways, displaying their products on the walls or announcing next year’s schedules in the projection area. The on-site activities were rich — for example, KAILAS’s Unclimbed Peaks Project – Chasing the Dream of Yangmonlong (with climber Jon Otto interacting live), an introduction to the 2012 China Crag Hunt, previews and replays of the Four Girls Mountain Climbing Festival, climbing, ice climbing, and rock climbing highlights, LASPORTIVA activity introductions and climbing experience sharing, a Banff Mountain Film Festival trailer, a Snowbird high-angle rescue demo, sponsor brand product showcases, and climbing knowledge lectures. These activities highlighted brand strengths while giving attendees an intuitive understanding of how products perform in climbing scenarios. The event drew huge crowds, demonstrated clear promotional impact, and all participating brands gained strong visibility.       The climbing wall designs for the competition included speed, difficulty, and dry tooling formats. Beyond meeting competition needs, they also allowed brands to test product practicality in various simulated environments, and gave on-site participants a tangible sense of climbing gear.

       The climbing wall designs for the competition included speed, difficulty, and dry tooling formats. Beyond meeting competition needs, they also allowed brands to test product practicality in various simulated environments, and gave on-site participants a tangible sense of climbing gear.