What is lead scoring in Sport Climbing?

Section 6: Scoring

Qualification: Fastest time from 2 attempts determines seeding position. Times recorded to 1/1000th of a second.
Bracket: Winner of each head-to-head race advances. If an athlete falls, their opponent wins the race. If both athletes fall, the one who climbed higher (or fell later) wins.
False start: First false start = re-run. Second false start by the same athlete = loss of that race.
Photo finish: Electronic timing determines the winner. In the event of a system failure, backup video timing is used.

Hold number: Each hold on the route is assigned a sequential number from the start. The highest hold controlled by the climber is their score.
Plus (+): If the climber made a controlled, positive movement toward the next hold but did not reach it, a "+" is added to their score (e.g., 32+ is better than 32 but worse than 33).
TOP: Controlling the final hold. All climbers who TOP are ranked equally for that route (with tiebreaking by time to TOP if needed).
Rankings: Higher hold number = higher ranking. Among athletes with the same hold number, "+" beats no "+".
Tiebreaking: If athletes are tied after the final, their scores from previous rounds (qualification, semifinal) are compared. If still tied, the tie stands and both receive the higher ranking.

Primary criteria: Number of TOPS (problems completed). More tops = higher ranking.
Secondary criteria: Number of ZONES reached. Among athletes with equal tops, more zones = higher ranking.
Tertiary criteria: Number of attempts to reach tops. Among athletes with equal tops and zones, fewer attempts to top = higher ranking.
Quaternary criteria: Number of attempts to reach zones. Fewer zone attempts = higher ranking if all above are equal.
Example: Athlete A: 3T 4Z 5a(T) 6a(Z) beats Athlete B: 3T 4Z 7a(T) 8a(Z) — same tops and zones, but A needed fewer attempts.

Points system: Each athlete receives ranking points based on their placement in each discipline (bouldering rank + lead rank). Lower combined points = higher combined ranking.
Example: An athlete ranked 2nd in bouldering and 3rd in lead receives 5 points. An athlete ranked 1st in bouldering and 5th in lead receives 6 points. The first athlete ranks higher overall.
Tiebreaking: If combined points are equal, the athlete with the higher single-discipline ranking (best individual result) breaks the tie.

Qualification: Fastest time from 2 attempts determines seeding position. Times recorded to 1/1000th of a second.
Bracket: Winner of each head-to-head race advances. If an athlete falls, their opponent wins the race. If both athletes fall, the one who climbed higher (or fell later) wins.
False start: First false start = re-run. Second false start by the same athlete = loss of that race.
Photo finish: Electronic timing determines the winner. In the event of a system failure, backup video timing is used.

Hold number: Each hold on the route is assigned a sequential number from the start. The highest hold controlled by the climber is their score.
Plus (+): If the climber made a controlled, positive movement toward the next hold but did not reach it, a "+" is added to their score (e.g., 32+ is better than 32 but worse than 33).
TOP: Controlling the final hold. All climbers who TOP are ranked equally for that route (with tiebreaking by time to TOP if needed).
Rankings: Higher hold number = higher ranking. Among athletes with the same hold number, "+" beats no "+".
Tiebreaking: If athletes are tied after the final, their scores from previous rounds (qualification, semifinal) are compared. If still tied, the tie stands and both receive the higher ranking.

Primary criteria: Number of TOPS (problems completed). More tops = higher ranking.
Secondary criteria: Number of ZONES reached. Among athletes with equal tops, more zones = higher ranking.
Tertiary criteria: Number of attempts to reach tops. Among athletes with equal tops and zones, fewer attempts to top = higher ranking.
Quaternary criteria: Number of attempts to reach zones. Fewer zone attempts = higher ranking if all above are equal.
Example: Athlete A: 3T 4Z 5a(T) 6a(Z) beats Athlete B: 3T 4Z 7a(T) 8a(Z) — same tops and zones, but A needed fewer attempts.

Points system: Each athlete receives ranking points based on their placement in each discipline (bouldering rank + lead rank). Lower combined points = higher combined ranking.
Example: An athlete ranked 2nd in bouldering and 3rd in lead receives 5 points. An athlete ranked 1st in bouldering and 5th in lead receives 6 points. The first athlete ranks higher overall.
Tiebreaking: If combined points are equal, the athlete with the higher single-discipline ranking (best individual result) breaks the tie.