Sport climbing
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Sport climbing is a type of free climbing in rock climbing where the lead climber clips into pre-drilled permanent bolts for their protection while ascending a route. Sport climbing differs from the riskier traditional climbing where the lead climber has to insert temporary protection equipment while ascending.
Climber leading the sport climbing route Hulkosaure 8b (5.13d). Quickdraws have already been attached to the line of pre-drilled bolts that mark the route.
Climber following up the traverse section of Pichenibule 7b+ (5.12c) in the Verdon Gorge, one of the first-ever bolted sport climbing routes
Jessica Pilz clipping her rope into a pre-bolted quickdraw in the final of the women's lead climbing event at the 2018 World Championships
A rope clipped into a quickdraw clipped to a bolt
Free climbing
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Free climbing is a form of rock climbing in which the climber can only use climbing equipment for climbing protection, but not as an aid to help in their progression in ascending the route. Free climbing, therefore, cannot use any of the tools that are used in aid climbing to help overcome the obstacles encountered while ascending a route. The development of free climbing was an important moment in the history of rock climbing, including the concept and definition of what determined a first free ascent of a route by a climber.
Leading a sport climb
Leading a traditional climb
Free solo climbing
Bouldering