Pole Climbing USA Style?

[chris_girard]

Hi Guys,

 

I just found the Pole Climbing section on the Forum here and I had a few questions.

 

I noticed that the event in the UK and other parts of the world are different than here in the USA. Here, as some of you may know we are timed on the ascent and descent together. Just wondering why you are only timed in the ascent overseas?

 

Don't get me wrong, I actually think that the pole climbing style that you guys use is much better than here, as you are actually belayed and we are not.

 

The descent style here in the States is murder on the joints and not the way anyone descends a pole anymore the way the old time High Climbers did 100 years ago.

 

Thoughts?

[Marc Lewis]

I think it is to do with safety CG. As you say, the decent isa killer and I know some climbers used to free fall the decent resulting n alot of injuries. They then changed the rules so u had to gaff evry 30' (or something like that) to try and avoid this, but that still resulted in injuries thoughnot so many. I think this is why they only race the accent now. Not sure how correct this information is as i was told this many many years ago. I'm sure someone on here will have more accurate informaton.

[Ian Flatters]

Hi Guys,

 

I just found the Pole Climbing section on the Forum here and I had a few questions.

 

I noticed that the event in the UK and other parts of the world are different than here in the USA. Here, as some of you may know we are timed on the ascent and descent together. Just wondering why you are only timed in the ascent overseas?

 

Don't get me wrong, I actually think that the pole climbing style that you guys use is much better than here, as you are actually belayed and we are not.

 

The descent style here in the States is murder on the joints and not the way anyone descends a pole anymore the way the old time High Climbers did 100 years ago.

 

Thoughts?

 

Hi Chris,

 

Its all to do with insurances over here. By removing the downward element you remove the risk of damage on the joints. I recently went 30ft down a pole in ireland after a belay failure so it still goes wrong, but very rarely.

 

As for the belay element anyone climbing under the 15 second mark will be out accelerating the belay crew by around 4-7ft so the belay element is great for people having their first goes.

 

Also belay is a safe controlled way to recover anyone who is injured or who has a spike failure.

 

The best element is here timing is probably the most accurate around as you start your clock once your foot leaves a pressure plate and stops once you hit the buzzer at the top. Which means sometimes the top few places are won and lost in 100's of a second.

 

Hope this covers your questions?

[chris_girard]

Hi Ian,

 

Thanks for the info. That makes perfect sense.

 

BTW, I really like your Poleclimb website too.

[chris_girard]

Here is Guy German from the US. He's been a many time speed climbing champion and he's still in his late 50's competing. Very inspirational.

 

Guy is on the right side.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLb_WHHhL_Y]90 ft speed climb - YouTube[/ame]