30 October 2024
A successful test of 4-lines in Speed
Finuco Martinez, CEO of B3 Sportainment, reports from the Speed 4 lanes test event that took place in Madrid ten days ago. Next year it will be officially used at the World games of Chengyu in China.
โThe IFSC Madrid 4 Speed project began in Sofia, Bulgaria, during a conversation at Walltopia WICS between Alessandro Di Cato, IFSC event manager, and myself. Alessandro mentioned the need for a 4-speed line test, like the one done in Barcelona for the Paris Olympics. While originally set for a gym in Torino, I suggested moving it to Madrid for a street event with a World Cup-like format. A year of effort later, it became a reality with a 4-line wall in central Madrid Rio, five minutes from Plaza de Espaรฑa.
The custom-built structure stood 22 meters high, 12 meters wide, 9 meters deep, and weighed 48 tons. It featured official 2023 speed holds on a Walltopia wall previously used in Budapest. Organized by IFSC and FEDME, promoted by Madridโs City Council, and produced by B3 Sportainment in partnership with Gym Sputnik Climbing, the event debuted new Deproon timers for the 4-lane relay format and Vertical Lifeโs scoring system.
The response exceeded expectations, with 15 countries, including Paris Olympic medalists, confirming attendanceโmany choosing Madrid over the Asian Championship. A National Open speed event on Friday allowed young climbers to compete alongside their idols.
All agreed this format is the future of televised climbing, with potential to become as iconic as the 100 meters in athletics. The atmosphere was electric, with athletes, coaches, and officials recognizing the birth of something significant in Madridโ"From Madrid to Heaven." Special thanks go to IFSC, FEDME, all participating federations, and Madrid for their support.โ
โThe IFSC Madrid 4 Speed project began in Sofia, Bulgaria, during a conversation at Walltopia WICS between Alessandro Di Cato, IFSC event manager, and myself. Alessandro mentioned the need for a 4-speed line test, like the one done in Barcelona for the Paris Olympics. While originally set for a gym in Torino, I suggested moving it to Madrid for a street event with a World Cup-like format. A year of effort later, it became a reality with a 4-line wall in central Madrid Rio, five minutes from Plaza de Espaรฑa.
The custom-built structure stood 22 meters high, 12 meters wide, 9 meters deep, and weighed 48 tons. It featured official 2023 speed holds on a Walltopia wall previously used in Budapest. Organized by IFSC and FEDME, promoted by Madridโs City Council, and produced by B3 Sportainment in partnership with Gym Sputnik Climbing, the event debuted new Deproon timers for the 4-lane relay format and Vertical Lifeโs scoring system.
The response exceeded expectations, with 15 countries, including Paris Olympic medalists, confirming attendanceโmany choosing Madrid over the Asian Championship. A National Open speed event on Friday allowed young climbers to compete alongside their idols.
All agreed this format is the future of televised climbing, with potential to become as iconic as the 100 meters in athletics. The atmosphere was electric, with athletes, coaches, and officials recognizing the birth of something significant in Madridโ"From Madrid to Heaven." Special thanks go to IFSC, FEDME, all participating federations, and Madrid for their support.โ
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Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Cafe Colombia in Margalef. At 27, heโs already stacked four 9b+ sends and now heโs adโฆ
16 March 2026
Ondra flashes 3*8C in two weeks
โI stopped focusing on competition bouldering after last yearโs World Cup in Prague, partly because I can already feel it on my body, especially in my shoulders. The modern competition style, with a lot of jumping from one hold to another, is very demanding for the shoulders.
Outdoor bouldering isโฆ
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