Climbing
Red Bull Dual Ascent is taking multi-pitch climbing to a bold new frontier
Red Bull Dual Ascent sees climbing on man-made routes entering a new competitive universe at the Verzasca Dam in the Ascona-Locarno region of Switzerland – learn more here.
Competing is a big part of modern climbing – you compete with yourself, the route, the wall, the elements and other climbers.
While climbing contests in gyms or arenas are easy to organise, outdoor events in real-world conditions are a different proposition altogether. There are so many variables with the route, the logistics and the impact on the environment. This is where Red Bull Dual Ascent is breaking boundaries in man-made-route climbing events.
Where most climbing gyms top out at about the height of a standard pitch of 60-70m, Red Bull Dual Ascent goes much higher at Switzerland’s 220m Verzasca Dam, where the climbing will go up to a massive 180m.
A multi-pitch climbing competition like this has never been staged before – it's the first-ever head-to-head multi-pitch competition on identical, artificial routes. Read on to learn more.
01
What is multi-pitch climbing?
Climbing a multi-pitch route is done in teams of two or more. One person ‘lead climbs’, the same as on a sport route, taking the risk of climbing above the bolts that would catch them if they fall, while the other belays. For the next pitch, they’ll switch, with the belayer climbing the next pitch while the first climber rests and belays. A ‘pitch’ is normally defined as what can be climbed using one standard rope, which is typically 60-70m in length, so a pitch is often around 30-40m high. The world’s most legendary multi-pitch route is probably The Nose on Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan.
02
What’s the ‘dual’ in Red Bull Dual Ascent?
This climbing competition offers something never seen outside of a competition climbing stage: two routes, right next to each other. Each route is made up of six pitches and 180m of climbing, and every hold is identical between the two routes – exactly the same hold in exactly the same place.
03
Where have we seen that dam before?
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you – yes, the Verzasca Dam looks familiar. It’s been in a number of films, most famously in the James Bond film Goldeneye, where Bond bungee jumps off it. The dam holds back 23 million cubic feet of water, and allows flow of 46,000 cubic feet per second (that’s a lot) into the Lago di Vogorno, producing 234GWh of power per year. It’s also a stunning stage for Red Bull Dual Ascent.
04
Who’s competing at Red Bull Dual Ascent?
The final athlete list is yet to be confirmed, but you can expect to see world-class climbers like Sasha DiGulian, Felipe Camargo and Petra Klingerl on the wall, plus Shauna Coxsey supporting the event from the ground. Each climber will bring a climbing partner, naturally!
Climbing athlete Sasha DiGiulian
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
05
How hard is it, really?
The climb has been put together by a team of expert route setters lead by Simon Margon (the mastermind behind 360 Ascent, Janja Garnbret’s project from 2020). The pitches will be a minimum of 6C and go up to a difficulty level of 8B on the French system. In other words: tough.
06
How the does the contest work?
The contest is spread out over three days – two qualifying days followed by a rest day, followed by the finals day. Groups of two teams will climb head to head on the identical routes, which are estimated to take about two hours to climb, using the same ropes and equipment. The teams will need a clean send of every pitch on lead and following – but that doesn’t mean they can’t fall, it just means that if they do fall, they’ve got to start that pitch again. If both teams complete all pitches, the total time to complete the route will determine the winner. Time doesn’t stop until the second climber finishes the last pitch.
07
How can I watch it?
There’s a limited amount of space for spectators to witness Red Bull Dual Ascent in person at Switzerland’s Verazca Dam, but stay tuned for a special documentary about the event on Red Bull TV.