Major Changes to IFSC Rules

Written by Jane Newman Friday, 18 March 2011

Major changes in IFSC Rules handbook 2011

1 General

• Since the European Council is responsible for all European competitions, the rules about the CYS (Continental Youth Series) are removed from the IFSC rules handbook 2011. From 2011 onwards the EYS shall be called EYC (European Youth Cup).
• Likewise, the rules about the Continental championships are removed from the IFSC rules handbook 2011.
• In analogy with the European Youth Cup, the calculation of the team ranking on the World Youth Championship shall change: the best result of each age group and category (6 results) shall be taken into account:

• Safety appeal: when coaches think safety is jeopardised a safety appeal can be lodged immediately and the appeals jury must consider the problem. There is no appeal fee associated with the safety appeal. The appeal can be made verbal in urgent matters but an appeal in writing shall be made afterwards.

2 Lead

• The last minute warning will no longer be announced.
• The clipping rule (rule 4.6.5) changed a little bit: the competitor must be able to touch any part of the quickdraw with a hand (without hauling up the quickdraw with a foot), to be in a legitimate position to clip.
• Rule 4.12.1: If the IFSC Judge deems it appropriate to examine the video recording of the attempt on a route by a competitor before making a decision, the IFSC Judge shall permit the competitor to complete his/her attempt in accordance with the rules. On completion of his/her attempt, the competitor shall be immediately informed by the IFSC Judge that his/her ranking in that round of the competition shall be subject to confirmation following an examination of the video recording. The confirmation should be given as soon as possible (before: at the end of the round).

3 Boulder

• The qualification round shall take place on two similar sets of boulders, where each competitor attempts only one set of boulders, unless the number of competitors in a category is less than 40 on the registration deadline.
• When the competitor has successfully topped a boulder, the Boulder Judge will announce "OK" and raise one hand.

4 Speed

• The starting order for speed WR format (qualification round). Each category shall be split in 2 (almost) equal groups. Group A shall start on route A while group B shall start on route B. After all competitors have climbed one route, group A shall start on route B and group B on route A.
• A World Record run when there is a false start shall not be homologated.
• With record format speed competitions, some organizers schedule practice time for the competitors. This is not addressed in the Rules, but it is an allowed practice.
• The rules about Team speed shall be put in the IFSC Rules handbook 2011.

5 World Cup Series

• Each member federation shall be permitted to register, on the official IFSC registration form, additional competitors in a "Supplementary List". The maximum number of supplementary competitors per team in each category per discipline is 6.