A.I. Spiridonov¹
PhD, Associate Professor M.S. Ponomareva²
A.V. Belyaeva²
N.A. Dmitriev^2
1National Polytechnic Secondary School No. 2, Yakutsk
²Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk

Keywords: sport climbing, climbing progress factors, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Republic of Buryatia, Khabarovsk Territory.

Background. Modern sport climbing may be defined as the active recreation sport discipline (recently formally listed with the Olympic sports) with the competitors climbing natural rocks or artificial wall with anchors. Presently the global climbing community is estimated at 30 million in 150 countries; it is 23 years old on average, with 40% of climbing population reportedly under 20 years old. Despite the high popularity of the sport the world over and its 70-year progress history, the sport is still making its first steps in Sakha Republic (Yakutia), with the regional Sport Climbing Federation established only in 2015.

Objective of the study was to analyze the sport climbing growth rates and progress factors in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation.

Methods and structure of the study. The study methods were dominated by the reporting data analysis to profile the sport climbing growth rates and progress factors in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation including the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory.

Results and discussion

Sport climbing coaches

The local sport climbing coaching community was reported to grow for the period of 2015-2018 in the Far Eastern Federal District from 16 to 25 people (64% growth). Position-wise, 100% of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), coaches serve in the local education system versus only 12.5% in the Khabarovsk Territory where most (56.25%) of the coaches serve on a commercial basis. The local sport climbing refereeing community in the Far Eastern Federal District was reported to grow for the same period from 20 to 94 people (450% growth). However, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), is still in need of Class I referees, as it takes time for them to qualify for every next class.

Sport climbing assets

On the whole, the Khabarovsk Territory reports 8 climbing structures in operation for the period including the most popular climbing walls at Skala Center that is 750 square meters large, with the walls up to 12.5 m high. The Republic of Buryatia reported 3 climbing structures for the period. And the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) reported, as of 2018, only one of five climbing structures being in operation (for both adults and children) in the city of Yakutsk. It was put in operation in October 2015 at Secondary School No. 2 and is about 75 square meters large (with service buildings), with the 5.8 m high climbing wall.

Sport climbing financing

In 2017, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Government assigned RR90 thousand for the Republican sport climbing competitions with the prize fund, including RR 25 thousand for the Republican Sport Climbing Cup in Neryungri city in June 2017. The Khabarovsk Territory Government in 2018 supported the local sport climbing by RR120 thousand to cover the competitive expenses of the municipal sport climbing team. No other finance has been reportedly provided by the other municipal governments of the Far Eastern Federal District for the period. Therefore, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) competitors have to cover their competitive costs on their own. The only finance provided to the children's sport climbing events at Secondary School No.2 is designated to fully or partially cover the air flight costs for the sport climbing coaches and teachers. 

Sport climbing community

Progress of the Khabarovsk Territory climbers has been verified by a few medals of the National sport climbing finals for the period. The Khabarovsk Territory sport climbing Federation has trained one MS, 15 CMS and dozens of the Class-I-III athletes for 13 years of its operations. In the adult classes, Alexander Shilov from Khabarovsk won a bronze medal of the National Sport Climbing Championship. He is a Russian national team member, winner and medalist of a few Russian and international competitions. The Far Eastern Federal District regions have reported growth of the school sport climbing population, although the still limited sport climbing assets and financial support in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) force the local school athletes stop trainings upon graduation from schools.

Competitions

On the whole, the Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory athletes have been more active in competitions, particularly in the Sport Climbing Cups and other events (mostly in the neighboring regions). It should be noted that the valid CYSS curriculum for the 3-5-year trainees requires from the young athletes to compete in 9-15 events per year. Due to the climbing space limitations, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Cups and Championships are held separately.

Popularity

For 8 years of operations, Skala sport climbing Center in Khabarovsk has served 20 thousand local residents on a visiting and subscription basis; plus more than 600 people completed the sport climbing equipment and safety course, according to the attendance cards: see the Figure 1 hereunder. The TOP Sport Climbing Club, for 5 years in operation, has served 1200 Komsomolsk city residents on a visiting basis. And the Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk sports schools reported 1500 people being served since 2008 till now. The Khabarovsk Territory Sport Climbing Federation reports 280-300 athletes being trained on a regular (at least once a week) basis in the local sport climbing centers.

Figure 1. Growth of the sport climbing groups in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory for the period

Progress of the sport climbing in Sakha Republic (Yakutia) was spurred up when climbing walls were constructed at Secondary Schools #2 and  #24 in Yakutsk and new coaches were recruited for the sport climbing centers. For 4 years in operation, the SS #2 sport climbing Center has served about 8,000 Sakha Republic (Yakutia) residents. School population at SS #3 is reported at 1800 children, with the sport climbing Center serving around 240 children per day at the physical education lessons (8 lessons per day on average). In every physical education lesson, children would master sport climbing basics (like a traverse on a wall with length up to 20 m).

The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) sport climbing Federation reports about 150 regular (at least once a week) trainees, with the local interest to the sport climbing somewhat naturally sagging in the summer (holiday) time and peaking during the winter sport climbing promotion/ advertising campaigns. The Federation reports 189 new cards being issued per the peak month on average - versus only 158 cards in the summer time (83%). The call center reports 35 calls per the peak month on average versus 19 calls in the summer time (54%) – i.e. the local demand for climbing is clearly seasonal with winter peaks.

Conclusion. The sport climbing in the subject tree regions of Far Eastern Federal District reports progress that is still limited by the shortage of finance and modern sport climbing assets. A comparative analysis of the sport climbing progress in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory found the following three key progress aspects need to be addressed: shortage of the sport climbing groups in the local sports centers; shortage of modern sport climbing assets (walls, equipment, services); and, as a result, still modest competitive accomplishments in the national events. The sport climbing progress and popularity in the area may be given a boost by the following: new sport climbing groups at the local CYSS; new modern high-wall sport climbing center in the Far Eastern Federal District; financial support from the local governments for the sport climbing system; and support for the local sport climbing competitors in every event. Municipal governments and local sport climbing enthusiasts need to take harmonized efforts to encourage and support the local sport climbing community.

References

1. Antonovich I.I. Sport climbing. Moscow: Fizkultura i sport publ., 1978. 128 p.
2. Baykovskiy Yu.V. Features of formation and classification of mountain non-Olympic sports. Moscow: Vertikal publ., 2005. 112 p.

Corresponding author: sai_spiridonov@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze the sport climbing growth rates and progress factors in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation.

Methods and structure of the study. The study analyzes the sport climbing progress for the last few years in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation on the whole and the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory in particular, with a special analyses of the coaching/ refereeing service, sport climbing assets, funding, sport climbing community, competitions and popularity.

Results and discussion. The local sport climbing coaching community was reported to grow for the period of 2015-2018 in the Far Eastern Federal District by 64%. On the whole, the Khabarovsk Territory and Republic of Buryatia reported 8 and 3 climbing structures in operation for the period; and the Sakha Republic (Yakutia),reported only one of five climbing structures being in operation. The District reported little if any financial support for the sport climbing, with the athletes and coaches having to cover the competitive costs on their own. The Khabarovsk Territory sport climbing Federation has trained one MS, 15 CMS and dozens of the Class-I-III athletes for 13 years of its operations. The Republic of Buryatia and Sakha Republic (Yakutia) reported growths of the sport climbing communities for the period as well. The Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory athletes were reported to compete mostly in the national cups and regional events in the neighboring areas. Due to the climbing space limitations, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Cups and Championships have been held separately. On the whole, the sport climbing popularity in the District has been on the rise, with notable progresses in the three regions under analysis despite the still limited funding and shortage of modern sport climbing facilities. A comparative analysis of the sport climbing progress in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia),, Republic of Buryatia and Khabarovsk Territory found the following three key progress aspects need to be addressed: shortage of the sport climbing groups in the local sports centers; shortage of modern sport climbing assets (walls, equipment, services); and, as a result, still modest competitive accomplishments in the national events.