Are today's professionals all pink point climbers?

With red point climbing, Kurt Albert established a style of climbing half a century ago that is still an integral part of climbing today. What has changed over the years, however, is the distinction between red point and pink point.

At the Red point climbing You can complete a route without falling and using your own strength, without putting any strain on your equipment or rope. All intermediate securing devices are installed during the climb - at least that was the basic idea of ​​climbing pioneer Kurt Albert. If you climbed a red point route with attached exes, this was the case Pink Point.

In performance-oriented sport climbing, this distinction is rarely made today. Why actually? Should this be seen as an affront to the free climbing pioneers? And would 9c even be possible in the original red point sense? We discussed these and other exciting questions with climbing greats such as Adam Ondra, Jakob Schubert, Matty Hong and many others.

Lacrux TV: Climbing ethics under pressure | Climbing professionals in social media stress

That might interest you

+ + +

Credits: Cover picture Steve Bruce on Unsplash

News

Silvan Schüpbach: New, wild climbing route in the Bernese Oberland

Silvan Schüpbach and Janluca Kostner have made the first complete free climb of "Untergang der Titanen" (8a) on the north face of the Gross Wellhorn. The 600-meter route in the Bernese Alps remains consistently difficult over its 20 pitches.

Eneko and Iker Pou: First free ascent of “Vicios Ocultos”

Eneko and Iker Pou have free climbed "Vicios Ocultos" (7c, 285 m) on Tiro Pedabejo in the Picos de Europa for the first time, one year after the Basque brothers had opened the six pitches themselves.

Scarpa BLACKBIRD: Carbon midsole for the smallest lasts

Scarpa spent six years developing their new climbing shoe. At its heart is the Italian company's first carbon-reinforced midsole – built for precision on the smallest footholds, without the shoe needing to fit brutally tightly.

Jenya Kazbekova also scores “Dreamcatcher” (9a) in Squamish – one year after the birth of her daughter.

Following Camilla Moroni, Jenya Kazbekova has also repeated the famous sport climbing route in British Columbia. For the Ukrainian, it is also her first 9a – and a particularly remarkable achievement considering she became a mother about a year ago.

Silvan Schüpbach: New, wild climbing route in the Bernese Oberland

Silvan Schüpbach and Janluca Kostner have made the first complete free climb of "Untergang der Titanen" (8a) on the north face of the Gross Wellhorn. The 600-meter route in the Bernese Alps remains consistently difficult over its 20 pitches.

Eneko and Iker Pou: First free ascent of “Vicios Ocultos”

Eneko and Iker Pou have free climbed "Vicios Ocultos" (7c, 285 m) on Tiro Pedabejo in the Picos de Europa for the first time, one year after the Basque brothers had opened the six pitches themselves.

Scarpa BLACKBIRD: Carbon midsole for the smallest lasts

Scarpa spent six years developing their new climbing shoe. At its heart is the Italian company's first carbon-reinforced midsole – built for precision on the smallest footholds, without the shoe needing to fit brutally tightly.