This one-of-kind, climbing competition features 24 of the world’s best climbers across various disciplines paired up into 12 mixed teams to battle it out on 180m-long artificial routes identically set up right next to each other to the top of the Verzasca Dam, Switzerland.
The dam has been featured in the James Bond blockbuster “Goldeneye,” in which Bond goes on a bungee jump right where the climbers will race against each other in the competition.
Last year the Spanish Olympic champion Alberto Ginés López and Slovenia’s Luka Potočar won the final against Slovenian champion Domen Škofic and former bouldering world champion Jernej Kruder (SLO). All four will return this year to compete in the 24-strong field.
Among them Switzerland’s most successful female sports climber Petra Klingler, the French phenomenon Oriane Bertone, Brazil’s Felipe Camargo and Australian Angie Scarth-Johnson as well as American bouldering star Shawn Raboutou and his sister Brooke Raboutou.
This unique concept provides innovation at the highest level of climbing and brings together climbers across various disciplines – presenting new challenges and ways of competing for elite athletes.
The total climbing height is 180m, with more than 200 holds on each of the two identical routes. The 6 pitches will be a minimum of 6C and go up to 8B on the French numerical system.
The climbers are allowed an unlimited number of falls, where, if they do fall, they start at that same pitch again. If both teams complete all pitches, the total time to complete the route will determine the winner.
