Comparative grading scales, statistical analyses, climber descriptors and ability grouping: International Rock Climbing Research Association position statement

Nick Draper (1) , David Giles (1) , Volker Schöffl (2) , Franz Konstantin Fuss (3) , Phillip Watts (4) , Peter Wolf (5) , Jiří Baláš (6) , Vanesa Espana-Romero (7) , Gina Blunt Gonzalez (8) , Simon Fryer (9) , Maurizio Fanchini (10) , Laurent Vigouroux (11) , Ludovic Seifert (12) , Lars Donath (13) , Manuel Spoerri (5) , Kelios Bonetti (14) , Kevin Phillips (4) , Urs Stocker (15) , Félix Bourassa-Moreau (16) , Inmaculada Garrido-Jurado (17) , Scott Drum (4) , Stuart Beekmyer (18) , Jean-Luc Ziltener (19) , Nicola Taylor (1) , Ina Beeretz (20) , Franziska Mally (21) , Arif Mithat Amca (22) , Caroline Linhart (23) , Edgardo Abreu (24)

1 University of Derby [United Kingdom]
2 Bamberg Clinic
3 RMIT University - Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
4 Northern Michigan University
5 UZH - Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich
6 UK - Univerzita Karlova [Praha, Česká republika] = Charles University [Prague, Czech Republic]
7 UCA - Universidad de Cádiz = University of Cádiz
8 MSU - Morehead State University
9 University of Gloucestershire [Gloucester]
10 UNIVR - Università degli studi di Verona = University of Verona
11 ISM - Institut des Sciences du Mouvement Etienne Jules Marey
12 UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie
13 Unibas - Université de Bâle = University of Basel = Basel Universität
14 E. Morelli Hospital
15 Swiss Alpine Club
16 EPM - École Polytechnique de Montréal
17 Andalusian Mountain Federation
18 Bouldergeist Design
19 HUG - Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève
20 Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences - Karl Landsteiner Privatuniversität für Gesundheitswissenschaften [Krems an der Donau, Austria]
21 University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien
22 Hacettepe University = Hacettepe Üniversitesi
23 IMU - Innsbruck Medical University = Medizinische Universität Innsbruck
24 UFMG - Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais = Federal University of Minas Gerais [Belo Horizonte, Brazil]

The research base for rock climbing has expanded substantially in the past three decades as worldwide interest in the sport has grown. An important trigger for the increasing research attention has been the transition of the sport to a competitive as well as recreational activity and the potential inclusion of sport climbing in the Olympic schedule. The International Rock Climbing Research Association (IRCRA) was formed in 2011 to bring together climbers, coaches and researchers to share knowledge and promote collaboration. This position statement was developed during and after the 2nd IRCRA Congress which was held in Pontresina, in September 2014. The aim of the position statement is to bring greater uniformity to the descriptive and statistical methods used in reporting rock climbing research findings. To date there is a wide variation in t he information provided by researchers regarding the climbers' characteristics and also in the approaches employed to convert from climbing grading scales to a numeric scale suitable for statistical analysis. Our paper presents details of recommended standards of reporting that should be used for reporting climber characteristics and provides a universal scale for the conversion of climbing grades to a number system for statistical analysis.

Mots clés: rock climbing; ability grouping; climbing grade; comparative table; statistics

Domaines: Biotechnologies

Nick Draper, David Giles, Volker Schöffl, Franz Konstantin Fuss, Phillip Watts, et al.. Comparative grading scales, statistical analyses, climber descriptors and ability grouping: International Rock Climbing Research Association position statement. Sports Technology, 2016. ⟨hal-03545405⟩