Olympics climbing feature in NYT

The NYT did a big interactive feature on climbing for the Olympics, mostly focused on Ondra and how he's got to navigate his "weak" speed event to win overall.  This crowd probably won't learn a ton, but the graphics are cool and how often do you see "drop knee" and "heel hook" in the Grey Lady?  Also includes a blurb from Honnold saying "He's the best in the world and it's not particularly close".  Don't know how you can get around the paywall but it's worth your time if you can. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/sports/olympics/adam-ondra-climbing.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

Math Bertwrote:

The NYT did a big interactive feature on climbing for the Olympics, mostly focused on Ondra and how he's got to navigate his "weak" speed event to win overall.  This crowd probably won't learn a ton, but the graphics are cool and how often do you see "drop knee" and "heel hook" in the Grey Lady?  Also includes a blurb from Honnold saying "He's the best in the world and it's not particularly close".  Don't know how you can get around the paywall but it's worth your time if you can. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/sports/olympics/adam-ondra-climbing.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

He may be the "strongest" but he's definitely not the best. Olympics are kinda a joke in this day and age.

Thanks for the link!

Climber claims his anti-style is a "novelty", news at 11.

Seems a bit like one of the climbers complaining that cracks were "contrived" and "trendy" and "rock isn't really like that" (I think it was Jan Hojer? Jakob Schubert)

Tradibanwrote:

He may be the "strongest" but he's definitely not the best. Olympics are kinda a joke in this day and age.

Thanks for the link!

I hate the idea that climbing even needs a 'best'.  

T Legowrote:

I hate the idea that climbing even needs a 'best'.  

Agreed. Unfortunately the Olympics completely circles around who is "best". 

On that note, does anyone on here care about climbing in the Olympics?

I don’t care at all about climbing being in the Olympics. I also don’t care at all about the Olympics. I’m jaded though as I’ve had to deal with the economic issues that hosting cites typically experience. 

I wish climbing weren't in the Olympics. However that nyt piece was the best explanation I've seen of climbing techniques in non climbing media.

I'll be watching the Olympics. I don't discriminate between climbing styles. Gym is just as good as outside, just for different reasons; change my mind

That was so excellently done, as is often the case with NYT coverage of climbing. We'll definitely be watching.

While the Olympics is great news for gyms, it will unfortunately only accelerate the damage being done to outdoor bouldering areas and crags.

Tradibanwrote:

Agreed. Unfortunately the Olympics completely circles around who is "best". 

On that note, does anyone on here care about climbing in the Olympics?

According to ratings, nobody cares about the Olympics

A whole hour of "1A" on NPR was devoted to climbing.    They had a soundbite of Adam Ondra saying how stupid it was to include speed climbing in the games.

Randywrote:

While the Olympics is great news for gyms, it will unfortunately only accelerate the damage being done to outdoor bouldering areas and crags.

This needs to be talked about more. 

Luigi Mwrote:

This needs to be talked about more. 

If we ban bolts that will keep'em indoors.

Randywrote:

That was so excellently done, as is often the case with NYT coverage of climbing. We'll definitely be watching.

While the Olympics is great news for gyms, it will unfortunately only accelerate the damage being done to outdoor bouldering areas and crags.

More so than what Instagram has already done, and is still doing?

Tradibanwrote:

If we ban bolts that will keep'em indoors.

As places such as the Gunks and Indian Creek have already shown us, right?

Randywrote:

That was so excellently done, as is often the case with NYT coverage of climbing. We'll definitely be watching.

While the Olympics is great news for gyms, it will unfortunately only accelerate the damage being done to outdoor bouldering areas and crags.

If we cross referenced a list of obscure sports and their success I doubt there is much correlation. Events in the Olympics: handball, BMX, Kayaking, Judo, Skateboarding, Table Tennis, Surfing, Shooting, and Sailing. I don't think there is a single discernible pattern of whether inclusion in the Olympics results in huge mainstream adoption. 

NYT article was very well done.

Much better than this blooper (read the bottom photo description)

As to the rest… no, I don’t care that climbing is in Olympics. But I would still watch some of the coverage (whatever I’ll be able to see free through climbing websites).

I think climbing explosion of the last decade or two had lead to inclusion in the Olympics, rather than the other way around. I’m sure the gym visits will increase some more, after this. But not that much, if you were to compare with the already-upward trend of the past decade, to see how much “extra” bump you’d see. 

Khoiwrote:

As places such as the Gunks and Indian Creek have already shown us, right?

Imagine how much worse Gunks and IC would be if they were sport bolted.

Tradibanwrote:

Imagine how much worse Gunks and IC would be if they were sport bolted.

Irrelevant. 

You said: "If we ban bots that will keep them indoors"

Places such as The Gunks and Indian Creek show the having no bolts does not keep them indoors. 

Randywrote:

While the Olympics is great news for gyms, it will unfortunately only accelerate the damage being done to outdoor bouldering areas and crags.

Yes, and that's a good thing. The Olympics will afford climbing greater exposure and, over time, this will translate to more outdoor climbers.

Climbing is beautiful. It is fun. We're all here because we fine fulfillment and enjoyment in it. Its democratization-- having more people sharing in this is a great thing.

The most damage to boulders and crags are already done: scarred rocks through bolts, environmental degradation through approach trail. Popularization just scales up the tail end of the burden-- yah, more people means slightly more wear, more trash, more loudly playing music. So what?

We all believe in democratization of climbing. We use Mountain Project, don't we? We're here, aren't we? We believe in and use guidebooks, don't we?

Tradibanwrote:

...does anyone on here care about climbing in the Olympics?

No, but I care about the sport of climbing.

Climbing, having gained the pedestal of Olympic competition is a sign of its growing prestige, recognition, and practice.

It is, moreover, popular showcase and exposure for the sport. Having more participation, money, and recognition in it will bring downstream gains for the casual, recreational climber.