Double the lanes, double the chance of qualification, double the fun.
That’s the verdict from speed climbers competing in the Speed 4 event at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, where the all-new format is making its official competition debut.
Unlike the classic two-lane speed competition, Speed 4 at the Tianfu Park Venue involves climbers racing across four lanes.
In the first qualification round, each climber is invited to race once in each of the four lanes. The top eight climbers with the fastest times after all races are completed progress directly to the quarter-final.
The next 16 climbers, ranked below the top eight, then get a second bite of the cherry through elimination heats.
Divided into four groups of four, they must then complete an additional climb, with the two fastest from each group progressing to the quarter-finals to form a field of 16.
In the quarters, then each climber races once, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. The process is then repeated in the semi-finals, with the top two advancing to make a field of four for the final.
With the additional lanes and competition opportunity, there is now even more speed climbing to witness, and for some of the top climbers in action in Chengdu, that is one of the biggest perks of the new format.