Is therre such-a-thing as a professional ice climber's league? Are there any other competitions beside the X-games? Who is the best ice climber in the world? Can I see ice climbing on TV, besides the X-games? Is there such-a-thing as the commissioner of ice climbing?

I want to learn more about the sport, and I'm trying to ask some basic questions. If there are too broad, please mail me and I will try and tailor them to get some answers.

Thank you in advance. TM

-- Anthony Martone (amscap@yahoo.com), September 14, 1998

Answers

The short answer is no, at least in the USA. Ice-climbing, like all forms of mountaineering is very different from the professional sports that you see on TV, and is not going to become mainstream. The only area of climbing where there is a competition circuit is indoor "rock" climbing.

-- Quang-Tuan Luong (luong@ai.sri.com), September 15, 1998.