1. Definitions
"Competition" means the Sandbox Bouldering 1st Anniversary Competition.
"Finals" means the final event of the Competition, held on 4 July 2026 at Sandbox Bouldering, Silverwater.
"Qualifying Round" means the qualifying phase of the Competition, run from 8 June 2026 to 28 June 2026, and governed by the separate Qualifying Round rules.
"Organisers" means Sandbox Bouldering and any officials they designate to administer the Competition.
"Judge" means an official designated by the Organisers to adjudicate a division, wall, or problem. "Head Judge" means the senior Judge whose ruling is final on the night.
"Division" means one of the three Finals divisions: Open C, Open B, or Open A.
"Team" means a group of registered competitors who qualified together and compete as a unit in Open A or Open B.
"Climber" means an individual competitor.
"Spray wall" means one of the three competition spray walls, identified by overhang angle: 20°, 30°, and 45°.
"Kilter board" means the Kilter Board, set to a fixed angle of 40° for the Finals.
"Problem" means a single climbing challenge with a defined start and finish.
"Setting" means designing a Problem by choosing which holds may be used and recording them.
"Preview" means the scheduled observation period, taken by all Teams together, during which competitors inspect a Problem before climbing begins and the Organisers point out its Marked holds.
"Marked holds" means the holds designated by the setting Team as usable for a Problem, including the start, zone, and top holds, recorded by the Team on Stökt. The Organisers tape only the Start, Zone, and Top holds; all other Marked holds are shown on Stökt.
"Start", "Zone", and "Top" mean, respectively, the designated starting hold(s), the intermediate scoring hold, and the finishing hold(s) of a Problem.
"Control" means clear, stable control of a hold as judged by the Judge – as a guideline, a still hold of approximately three (3) seconds, at the Judge's discretion.
"Attempt" means a single try at a Problem, beginning when the Climber leaves the ground with the intention of climbing.
2. General Provisions
2.1 The Finals are held on Saturday 4 July 2026 at Sandbox Bouldering.
2.2 The Finals comprise three Divisions:
| Division | Format | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Open C | Individual elimination | Kilter board (40°) |
| Open B | Team battle | Spray walls (20°, 30°, 45°) |
| Open A | Team battle | Spray walls (20°, 30°, 45°) |
2.3 Open A and Open B each comprise three (3) Teams. Open C comprises three (3) Climbers.
2.4 Finalists are determined by the Qualifying Round and the Organisers' Division assignments. Scoring bonuses that applied during the Qualifying Round (including the +1 Climber and female-climber bonuses) do not carry into the Finals; all Finals scoring is as set out below.
2.5 Competitors in the Team Divisions (Open B and Open A) are held in isolation throughout the Division. Teams are brought out only as follows: one Team at a time comes out to set its Problem; all Teams come out together for the Preview; and one Team at a time comes out to climb. At all other times Teams remain in isolation and do not observe setting or Attempts they are not part of.
2.6 The published Finals schedule governs the running order and timing of each Division. Time windows may be adjusted by the Organisers on the night to keep the event on track.
3. Open C Individual
3.1 Format
(a) Open C is contested by three (3) Climbers on the Kilter board, set to a fixed angle of 40°, in a head-to-head elimination.
(b) Climbers compete in a fixed order that is set before the round begins and does not change.
(c) The Organisers select the Problems. All three Climbers attempt the same Problem in each round.
(d) The round begins at the current grade of V1.
3.2 Taking a Turn
(a) In each round the Organisers set a single Problem at the current grade for all Climbers to attempt. The Problem is an established climb selected by number of ascents at 40°, or otherwise at the Judge's discretion.
(b) On their turn, each Climber has three (3) minutes to complete the Problem and may make unlimited Attempts within that time. The Problem is completed when the Climber reaches and controls the final hold(s).
(c) The Judge keeps the time on their phone.
3.3 Progression and Elimination
(a) A Climber who completes the Problem within the time limit advances. A Climber who fails to complete the Problem is eliminated.
(b) Once all remaining Climbers have completed a full round at the current floor grade, the current grade rises by one grade (for example V1 to V2) for the next round.
(c) The last Climber remaining wins the Division. Second and third places are awarded in reverse order of elimination.
3.4 Ties
(a) If two (2) Climbers fail at the same grade in the same round, that round restarts one grade below the current grade for the eliminated climbers only to break the tie.
4. Team Divisions (Open B and Open A)
(a) Open B and Open A are identical in format and rules, and differ only in the competitors assigned to each Division. Section 4 governs both. Each Division runs in three phases – Setting, Preview, then Climbing – as set out below.
4.1 Walls and Problems
(a) Each of the three Teams is allocated one Spray wall, at a specific angle (20°, 30°, or 45°), and sets one (1) Problem on that wall. The allocation order will be announced during the briefing.
(b) Each Team sets one Problem and climbs all three Problems – its own Problem and the two set by the other Teams.
4.2 Setting
(a) The three Problems are set first, one Team at a time. Each Team has ten (10) minutes to set its Problem.
(b) While setting, a Team may test its Problem one move at a time only. A Team may not climb linked or consecutive moves, and may not rehearse the full sequence.
(c) The Team records its Problem on Stökt and tells the Organisers its Start hold(s), Zone hold, and Top hold. The Organisers tape only the four (4) starting points, the Zone hold, and the Top hold(s); all other Marked holds are shown on Stökt, and competing Teams must check them there. Every Problem must include a distinct Zone hold.
(d) When recording a Problem on Stökt, a Team may designate footholds, but may not impose additional constraints such as "no matching hands."
(e) Only Marked holds may be used, for both hands and feet. Any hold not marked is out of bounds.
(f) There is no restriction on the difficulty of a Problem, nor on the number or type of holds used.
4.3 Preview
(a) Once all three Problems have been set, and before any climbing begins, all Teams Preview the Problems together.
(b) Each Problem is given a Preview of two (2) minutes, during which the Organisers point out its Marked holds.
4.4 The Setting Team's Own Problem
(a) A Team also climbs the Problem it set. Its own Problem is climbed in the same fixed order as every other Problem (see 4.5(d)), not first, and is scored as a normal Attempt. The Climber who takes it is determined under 4.5(c).
(b) If the setting Team fails to send its own Problem, no Top is deducted, and the Team may still score the Zone. In that case each other Team receives a bonus of plus one (+1) Top for that Problem.
(c) Because the other Teams still attempt the Problem, a Team may earn up to two (2) Tops from a single Problem set by another Team – the +1 bonus, plus a Top scored by climbing it.
(d) The Judge observes each Problem and may require the removal of, or block, a specific hold or move on the grounds of safety only. The Judge may not otherwise alter a Team's Problem.
4.5 Climbing
(a) After the Preview, the Division works through the Problems one at a time on the spray wall. A Team has five (5) minutes on each Problem it attempts.
(b) Within that window the Team's designated Climber may make unlimited Attempts.
(c) One Climber climbs each Problem for the Team, so that each of the three Team members climbs exactly one of the three Problems. The Climber for the Team's own Problem is chosen at random by the Judge. For the two Problems set by the other Teams, the Climber for the first one the Team attempts is a further random selection by the Judge between the two remaining Climbers, and the remaining member climbs the last.
(d) The climbing order is fixed and identical for every Problem: each Problem is climbed by Teams in the order 3, 2, 1 (P1 → Teams 3, 2, 1; P2 → Teams 3, 2, 1; P3 → Teams 3, 2, 1).
4.6 Scoring
(a) A Climber scores the Zone for a Problem by reaching and controlling the Zone hold, and scores the Top for a Problem by reaching and controlling the Top hold. Achieving the Top also credits the Zone.
(b) A Team's result on a Problem is the result achieved by its Climber on that Problem, together with the number of Attempts taken to achieve it.
(c) Teams are ranked across the Division by, in order: (1) most Tops; (2) most Zones; (3) fewest Attempts; and (4) shortest time to achieve those results (time to Top, then time to Zone). Each criterion is applied only to break a tie in the preceding one.
4.7 Judging of a Valid Ascent
(a) A Start is valid when the Climber establishes the designated Start hold(s) with Control. A Top is valid when the Climber reaches the designated Top hold(s) with Control. The Judge's decision on Control, Zones, Tops, and Attempts is final.
5. Judging, Safety and Disputes
5.1 Each wall and Division is overseen by a Judge, under the authority of the Head Judge.
5.2 Judges rule on Starts, Zones, Tops, Control, Attempts, eligibility, and safety. A Judge's ruling stands unless overturned by the Head Judge.
5.3 Disputes arising during the Finals are resolved on the spot by the Head Judge. The Head Judge's decision is final and binding, and given the live format there is no post-event appeal for Finals rulings.
5.4 For reasons of safety, a Judge may stop an Attempt, require a hold or move to be removed from a Problem, or pause a Division at any time.
6. Organiser Authority
6.1 The Organisers reserve the right to:
(a) amend or clarify these rules, with reasonable notice to competitors, up to the start of the relevant Division;
(b) adjust the schedule, running order, or time windows on the night to keep the event on track;
(c) disqualify any Team or Climber for conduct deemed unsportsmanlike, dishonest, or unsafe; and
(d) make final decisions on all matters not explicitly addressed by these rules.
6.2 All decisions by the Organisers and the Head Judge are final and binding on all participants.