ABOUT THE PRO CLIMBING LEAGUE

A new format built for athletes, fans, and the cities we’re coming to next.

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS

The Pro Climbing League began with a simple shared belief between two climbers who met by chance in 2020: climbing deserves a platform that gives back to its athletes and the people who love the sport.

Both of us had spent our lives immersed in this world - teaching, coaching, competing, setting, filming, cheering, breathing climbing day in and day out. We’d seen how deeply it shapes people. How it becomes identity, community, and purpose. And how profoundly climbers give themselves to it - out of nothing but passion.


We asked ourselves:

What would climbing look like if its athletes were supported and celebrated like the superstars they truly are?

What would it feel like if the culture, creativity, humour, intensity, and humanity of climbing had a home that matched its spirit? The PCL is our answer.


It is a place built to lift athletes, to celebrate community, and to create a stage that reflects the energy and passion that make climbing so special. A place where the sport can grow, connect, and inspire - all while staying true to the people at its heart.


- Danaan Markey & Charlie Boscoe
Founders, Pro Climbing League

FAQs

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  • Created by climbers, for climbers, the Pro Climbing League brings together the world’s strongest boulderers for a new level of connection and competition. Join us for the next move in our sport with a tournament that’s open, fair, and built to match the power of the community it serves.

  • A new kind of competition format that pits climbers against each other—not just the wall. Climbing on identical boulders, side by side, this style of competition is fast, clear, and easy to follow. The competitions are organised into a simple three-round tournament where only one athlete moves on from each round.

  • The climbing industry is growing rapidly and in many directions. We want to use this momentum to better support athletes, climbers, and fans. We believe climbing is more than a sport, and that climbing competition should be more than a spectacle. Our new format puts the pressure back into climbing competition, and offers viewers an exciting and easy-to-follow tournament.

  • Sixteen climbers (eight men and eight women) compete head-to-head in pairs across three rounds (Qualifying, Semi Final, and Final). Each boulder has a 4+ minute time limit (climbers can finish an attempt if they leave the ground within the 4 minute time limit).


    Round One (Qualifying)


    The pairs compete head-to-head on three boulders in the first round, and the winner is the climber who “tops” the most boulders. If both climbers top, the winner is the climber who tops first. If neither of them top a boulder, the winner is the climber who controlled the highest hold. If they’re still tied, the climber who reached the highest point first wins.


    Round Two (Semi Final)


    The four winners from the pairs in round one progress to round two, and compete on a single boulder with the same rules/scoring as round one.


    Round Three (Finals)


    The four climbers then compete for the podium on two separate boulders with the same rules/scoring as in round two.

  • The Pro Climbing League is bringing head-to-head competition to cities around the world. Keep an eye on our social media channels for the most up-to-date information on dates and locations.