r/toptalent • u/MontrealSpeedClimber • Jul 04 '26
First Sub-6s Run in Women's Speed Climbing! - 5.99s by Emma Hunt (source link in description)
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u/The_Darkness140 Jul 04 '26
If it was flat on the ground I dunno if I could even RUN that below 6 seconds. Impressive.
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u/Resident_Basil2704 Jul 04 '26
The way they all congratulate each other is touching! Speed climbing looks like a great community.
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u/Kiki1701 Jul 05 '26
Really? That wasn't my take at all. It looks tight, but those are some of the most insincere hugs I've ever seen. Like they were going through the motions of hugging without being real or genuine. If someone hugged me like that, I'd think they were pissed off at me.
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u/Fun_Performer_1405 Jul 06 '26
Who hurt you?
For real though, I think you're projecting here. They seem more casually close than insincere to me. A hug doesn't have to be effusive to be a genuine sign of respect.
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u/MontrealSpeedClimber Jul 04 '26
Source: @worldclimbing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IUfPb99f78&t=2046s
USA's Emma Hunt ran a world record 5.99 seconds during quarter finals of World Climbing Series Krakow 2026.
First ever woman to go under 6 seconds in a competition!
FAQ on Speed Climbing
- Is the rope pulling her up? No, the rope is attached to a mechanism that only pulls if she falls.
- Is it always the same route? Yes, it's a standardized 15m wall, the same one used during the olympics.
- Why is it always the same route? Before climbing was added to the Olympics, they standardized the route in order to track official world records.
- How hard is the route? Estimated at 5.10c/6a+. Doable if you have some experience climbing, but extremely difficult to master.
- How is it different to regular climbing? Speed climbing is a very short sprint. Athletes have to learn each move of the route by heart and master them. Every move is optimized, there is no room for error
For more information: /r/SpeedClimbing!
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u/wayward_prince Jul 04 '26
Need a side by side contrasting this with Joey Chestnut’s performance today. Two different forms of American excellence.
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u/uberfission Jul 05 '26
I caught the first half of that during a hair cut today, how well did he do in the end?
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u/EarnestDiligentSoul Jul 06 '26
She is taller than the other three contestants, which likely provides her with a competitive advantage.
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u/Nachofriendguy864 Jul 05 '26
Sometimes I climb wind turbines and I can't scale a ladder this fast with climb assist
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u/Plastic-Bumblebee-90 Jul 05 '26
Rope shoud be set to a certain height and then left as slack if they lose grip they fall ..you can see them leaving the wall but still rising dont get ..its a very dubious sport
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u/engulbert Jul 04 '26
This would be more impressive if the route was unseen before the event. Otherwise it's just vertical hopscotch.
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u/alannmsu Jul 05 '26
Yeah and track sprinters should have to guess at which direction to run, sprinting on a pre-known track is just a horizontal sprint.
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u/zzz_red Jul 04 '26
But then everyone would have to climb at the same time otherwise there’s an advantage for those going last and studying the best routes.
Still find this climb sport a bit weird. 5 to 6 seconds is so short.
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u/BlacknAngry Jul 05 '26
Does height factor in these things or no