Your Bouldering Competition Cheat Sheet - Vocab, Formats, & More
- Sophia
- Sep 27
- 12 min read
Updated: Nov 8
When I looked at the scores of SCBC's 2025 Youth Boulder Provincials, the last thing I was expecting was to see my name - in fifth place - in the Finals quota. I'd done fairly well in the qualifier round, but it was a soft set for my Youth C Female category, and I finished with 8 tops and 9 zones - out of the ten routes. That's why Finals seemed so big and daunting at that point - because not everyone has the experience of competing every year.
It was only a provincial comp, but I learned many things - including what to do and what NOT to do in order to make it a successful experience.
What we'll cover in this post:
The Formats (5 Different Ways of Competing)
My Top 5 Tips for YOUR FIRST COMP
Competition Vocab - Words to Remember
Most climbers will already be pretty familiar with these terms, but a good refresher always helps. Remember, certain format terminology depends on your area and the PTSO (or other organization) you're competing within. Competition formats vary greatly from Youth to Open and Europe to North America.
Problem - The competition boulder. (eg. Problem #1).
4-Point Start - The controlled starting points of a boulder. Ranges between 4 and 1 volumes or holds through which the athlete is permitted to move but not touch any other holds outside of the start. Once the 4 points are secured (both arms and feet), the climber is allowed to move on to the rest of the climb.
Zone - The midpoint of the climb, a hold or volume marked by tape. The zone hold is worth half the top points. The climber will only receive the points after MOVING OFF of the hold. Note that some organizations enforce Low Zones as well for longer routes.
Top - The final hold of a boulder, a hold or volume marked by tape. Points will only be awarded after a 3-second control on the hold. Note that stacked volumes with holds on top specifically mean the hold to which the tape is attached, not the entire structure.
NOTE: Some organizations, such as IFSC and others in the US, may use point values instead of 'Zone' and 'Top.' For instance, the Low Zone may be worth 10, the Zone may be worth 15, and the Top may be worth 25 (exact point value depends on the competition's logistics).
Control - 3 seconds in a secure position (eg. not swinging, flailing, etc.) which a climber must hold the top for receiving points. Judges will typically raise their clipboards and say "top."
Qualifier - The first round of a competition, in which everybody competes to determine the quota for the next round. (Note that younger categories such as Youth D typically only have 1 round for competitions).
Semi-Finals (aka Semis) - The second round of a competition, typically on the following day after the qualifiers. A smaller number of athletes - typically half - will qualify for this round. Isolation is sometimes enforced.
Finals - The last and final round of a competition. A determined quota of athletes from Semi-Finals will be held in isolation before competing on 4 to 5 problems. This round determines the podium winners, with Awards ceremony being presented afterwards.
Attempt - A single try on a boulder. During any competition, the moment your foot leaves the ground an attempt is counted.
AT - Short for Attempts at Top. The secondary tie-breaker in results, where judges calculate a climber's total attempts at the number of tops they have secured. (eg. Your results say 10 tops 10 zones with 10 AT, meaning you flashed the 10 boulders in the round that you attempted. 10 tops and 20 AT would mean each top took you 2 attempts).
AZ - Short for Attempts at Zone. The last tie-breaker where judges calculate a climber's total attempts at the number of zones they have secured. This number doesn't always correspond with the AT, as you could have more zones than tops. (eg. Your results say 5 tops and 6 zones. Your AT is 12. Your AZ is 12 as well, meaning every zone took you 2 attempts, but the 5 tops took you potentially more than that.)
Quota - A secured number of athletes who qualify for the next round. The Finals quota is considerably smaller than the Semis quota. (eg. a total of 40 athletes compete in a category. 20 qualify for Semis, and 10 qualify for Finals). Note that athletes marked as OF (Other Federation) will not usually count for quota - for example, somebody from Canada competing in the US will add an 11th climber to a quota of 10.
Scorecard/Scoresheet - A digital or physical sheet of paper on which you will tally your attempts, zones, and tops. In Scramble format competitions you will be in charge of your scorecard yourself, but in competitions with judges involved you will hand your scoresheet to the judge to 'get in line' for a boulder.
Isolation (aka Iso) - A closed-off space in which climbers wait for the round and cannot see the wall before their respective turn. Isolation usually contains a warm-up wall, hangboards, and lockers. Only coaches qualified by the organization are permitted inside of iso. Typically, there will be a schedule marking the order of athletes, and a series of chairs for 'in line/next up' and 'Problem 1' and et cetera. Your time in iso can vary from 1 hour to up to 3 hours, depending on the size of your category and your format. Note that the order is done in reverse from the quota - the climber qualifying 1st would be last to go on.
Beta - The sequence of movement on a climb. Can be sprayed, broken, exchanged, solved, and etc. Can range from obvious beta such as "dyno to the zone" to microbeta, like where exactly to switch feet or what direction to flag in. Not specifically related to comp climbing, but a big aspect in the general rules. Iso is reinforced so nobody sees their co-athletes' beta. Coaches are allowed to give advice but certainly not beta-spray.
Crux - The hardest section or sequence of a climb. Longer boulders may have more than one cruxes. Typically, a good hint that route setters try to align with is to place the crux within 1-2 moves after the zone. Some route setters may use the term pre-crux, which usually leads up to the zone hold.
Dab - An informal term for skidding a limb, typically a foot, on the mats. Climbers may be called off the wall if judges observe a dab. Examples of climbs posing a hazard for dabs could be traverses, campusing section low to the ground, laches, and more.
Arete - Not specifically connected to comp climbing, but worth knowing. The arete is the outward corner of the wall, typically on slab or vert, good for gripping and laybacking on. It is always a good idea to ask a judge or volunteer if the "arete is in/out" to make sure you don't get called off.
Black tape - One of the most important things to remember! Route setters will mark parts of the wall with strips of black tape, and this is a clear signal that the area past it is out of bounds - so don't touch it! If you see an arete taped with black, chances are that it's considered "out." Volume edges, changing wall angles, and dihedrals are good examples where you can find black tape. This is done of out of both safety purposes and increasing difficulty of the route.
The Formats
Different countries and organizations use many different formats for competitions - but here I'll cover the 5 arguably most popular ones in Canada.
SCRAMBLE
If your comp is at provincial, regional, divisional, or national level, it's less likely you'll have a scramble as a round. This format is used in local recreational comps, or - rarely - as qualifying rounds. Each climber gets their own scoresheet and the option to look at all climbs beforehand. Scrambles can have anywhere between 10 to 60 problems, and it is your goals to complete as many as possible in a certain timeframe. Usually, the given amount of climbing time is two hours, and each person is responsible for marking down their own attempts, tops, and zones. Scrambles do not have judges present in front of each climb, and occasionally, route-setters don't even include zone holds. It's a very informal style that's a great way to start your competition climbing, but keep in mind - scrambles get hectic, fast. Everyone is free to go wherever and climb at any time within the two hours, so count on shoving a few climbers out of your way.
MODIFIED SCRAMBLE (aka REDPOINT COMP)
The most common as youth D and C qualifiers, Modified Scrambles give you the freedom to pick which climb to attempt and when - but the difference is, you'll have judges is watching. Modified Scrambles can have anywhere between 5 to 60 climbs, depending on the level of the competition - for instance, SCBC tends to set between 8 and 10. A certain time-frame gives you enough to rest, hand your scoresheet to the judge, wait in the line-up, climb, and repeat the process. These competitions are not seated comps and climbers have the freedom to move around as much as they want. Just remember - control on the 4-point-start, always; and 3 seconds on the top!
FLASH FORMAT
This is a format rarely used in youth qualifiers and finals, but worth knowing as well. In the Flash Format, your setting is as of the modified scramble - judges in front of each climb and athletes free to watch others' beta. However, you will only get 1 attempt for each boulder to get either zone or top in your 4 minutes. While this is a slightly odd format, it does maximize climbing time and efficiency with large categories.
5 ON 5 OFF
A common youth Finals format, 5-on 5-off means you have 5 minutes to climb and 5 minutes between each boulder. You will not get a preview for this format. Typically, you will have between 4 and 5 boulders with the respective number of athletes "on" at the same time. There are two different ways this could be done. Sometimes, you will take everything you need with you from iso, and after completing your 5 minutes on Problem #1, sit in a chair facing the audience until your next 5 minutes on Problem #2. Another way this could be done is returning back to iso into a respective seat (eg. a sign saying "Rest for P2") until your next problem.
WORLD CUP (4-minute WC)
The World Cup format is very similar to the 5-on 5-off - except for two main things. A good way to remember it is like this: 5 mins to climb = no preview. 4 mins to climb = preview. This means that in the WC format you will only get 4 minutes on each problem, but instead your category will have a short collective preview period before the round begins.
My Top 5 Tips for YOUR FIRST COMP:
It takes many years of competing to show up at a comp and actually 'do well' for yourself - cruise through every climb, know all the judges, place first with no problem. So never expect anything from yourself that you know you can't possibly achieve.
#1: Set Goals Lower Than Reality
Don't plan to flash all 10 problems if you've never even climbed V4 before. Certainly try, and give everything you have to do your best - but understand that competition climbing is nothing like conventional gym training. Help your mind realize that your first competition of any rank won't go the way you'll think it will:
Most likely, you won't be climbing at your best. Focus on minimizing your number of attempts rather than making your climbing smooth and 'cool.'
Impressive beta breaks don't matter unless they ACTUALLY help you! ;)
Warm-up off the wall at least 2 times longer than you do typically. For me personally, the first few routes always feel awkward and shaky until I get 'in the flow.'
If this is your first time in a seated comp; the commentating, the cheering, or the feeling of 200 eyes on your back will distract you.
If you're competing out of region, province, state, or country; chances are, you won't know most of the people (or anybody) there.
#2: Do Some Research
Come to the comp well-prepared to avoid any unexpected surprises:
Talk to your coaches, friends, and parents beforehand and plan your 'approach' to the mindset. Strategizing does magic!
Find out about the logistics and timeframes of your competition. How early do you need to get there? (If it's earlier than about 10 am, book a night in before). How much time will you spend in iso? Will there be a route preview? How much time will you have to climb? What format is your comp going to be? What is the quota for Semis/Finals? How many other athletes will be in your category? (Most organizations will be posting a startlist). When is the next round going to be (later today, tomorrow, day after, etc.)?
Gyms hosting party scramble comps will likely have images/videos from previous events on their social media. Look into that to give you a sense of what the comp will look like.
Larger competitions like Nationals, Pan-American Championships, and IFSC comps will have websites with "Prepare Yourself" or Q&A posts.
#3: Don't be scared to TALK to others!
Sometimes, being at a competition when you don't know the majority of the athletes can be daunting. But, remember than nothing should stop you from speaking up and phrasing your questions and concerns to others:
Remember, scramble comp judges will be busy watching their climber on the wall, so always talk to the volunteer next to them instead. They know the ways of the comp better than anyone else, and they can answer your questions.
If you aren't sure about something, ASK. It's better than deciding something for yourself and then being called off the wall for breaking the rules.
Look out for people with tags saying 'Coach,' 'Judge,' 'Volunteer.' They can always help you with something.
Talk to your fellow athletes! Don't be the only kid in iso who's all sad and alone in the corner. If you're not much of a social person, that's okay too - but making new friends can help you A LOT in a comp.
If it's a scramble, ask others in line about beta, tips, and questions. Chances are, they're feeling just as nervous as you are!
Find out the logo of the gym you're competing at. Adults wearing t-shirts or other items with that logo or marking will probably know details like the location of iso, the check-in desk, the bathroom, etc.
#4: REST!!!
It's not likely that you will run out of time in a comp, so ALWAYS REST:
Take breaks to eat energizing snacks in between climbs/attempts.
Don't ever climb before brushing the holds of your boulder. You do not want to fall off a greased-up top!
On the wall, sequence your route beforehand and find good rest positions. Setters sometimes wil position them right before or after the zone hold(s).
Don't push yourself too far on a climb if you feel like it's your limit.
BREATHE!!! You are not underwater; you have no reason to hold your breath. ;) Sometimes, you will get scared, but breathing calmly will boost your confidence.
Chalk is a good fidget toy!
Never be afraid to leave (back to iso) before your timer rings if you feel like you're wasting attempts on a boulder you can't send. Trust your gut with the decisions.
#5: There will be another comp!
This competition is not the end of the world. In fact, it's the very beginning of your competitive career!
Whether it's next week, next month, or next year, there will always be another comp to make yourself even prouder than you were already.
You will have more time to train and more experience under your belt to make it even more fun.
You'll already know the people in your category and the judges, so it'll seem less daunting to speak to people.
YOU WILL BE A STRONGER CLIMBER! :)
Have fun!
-- Sophia
WAIT!!! DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Click on the links below to see very similar posts that will go even deeper into how to make your first comp be the best it can. Check out the 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Bouldering Competition. Maybe you'll read it and hopefully not make the same ridiculous mistakes that I did! ;)
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