As reported on this site last month, an international route setter course will be held this March 19-23 at the Magnet in Bern, Switzerland. This course is being offered by the new International Federation of Sport Cimbing (IFSC). According to their website:

“On January 27th 2007, the IFSC was born when 48 National Federations voted to create the new International Federation to govern Competition Climbing. The IFSC is a continuation of the International Council for Competition Climbing (ICC), which has been in existence since 1997.”

This route setter course will help advance the route setting profession around the world, and the creation of the IFSC has renewed the hope that competitive climbing will soon become part of the Olympics and the International World Games.

The instructors Simon Wandeler and Jacky Godoffe have recently published the program for this course. Although the sign up date was February 15th, we thought it would still be interesting for everyone to read what an international routesetting course looks like. When the next course is available we’ll make sure to let you know well ahead of time.

No one inadequate will be accepted

Because World Cup climbers are the strongest in the world, the IFSC demands that route setters looking to get internationally certified need to be in shape to work 5.14a (8b+) and V10 (7c). However, this requirement is less stringent than in previous years; setters need to be comfortable on 5.14a, but do not need to redpoint 5.14a in one day. This should allow more setters the opportunity to become certified.

Course Details
(Note: English translation is a bit rough in this document, including their tendancy to refer to routesetters as “forerunners”)

Route setters in this course will be evaluated on the following areas with a Good, Acceptable, or Inadequate mark:

1. Qualities of route and boulders

• Pleasure to climb
• Good for an exciting show
• No problems for judges
• Creativity

2. Ability to climb on route or bloc
3. Meet the objectives of team
4. Ability to have an objective opinion about routes and problems created and an estimation of what will happen

The course will also cover the following program areas:

Theory
- About international rules
- What’s a chief route setter’s obligations
- Ideal route or blocs
- Video observation of bouldering and difficulty world cup
- Open questions

Practical
- Setting routes and problems with special options
- Setting and transforming routes and problems very fast
- Setting for men and women
- Balance between bouldering and difficulty work
- Original creation

Stand up America

Currently there are no American setters certified internationally as ‘eligible’ for Chief Route Setter, and only one setter (Tony Yaniro) is eligible as a Route Setter. With more people working to bring international events to North American soil, it might be advantageous for your career to become internationally certified. So if your ready to join the ranks of internationally certified setters – or if you simply want the biggest of all feathers in your cap – get ready to study up, train hard, and set some sick routes.

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