Abstract

This paper aims to provide the first insight into the dynamics of speed climbing. For this purpose, two jug-type climbing holds were manufactured and instrumented with 3D force transducers. At a speed climbing route, three climbers with different experience levels performed four runs at three different speeds (slow, medium, maximal possible speed). The 36 experiments served to analyse the following parameters: contact time at the hold, magnitude of contact forces and of the shock spike at initial contact, and the climbing velocity between the two holds. In speed climbing, the higher the climbing speed, the higher are the finger reaction forces at the hold, the higher is the shock spike at initial contact, and the shorter is the contact time. As speed is a factor of experience, the contact time and the magnitude of forces also correlate with the experience. Verf.-Referat