On 28 February, the Pro Climbing League launches in London, marking a new chapter in the global experience of elite climbing.
The sold-out inaugural event at Magazine London can be watched live on Red Bull TV at 19:30 GMT. In this high-energy, side-by-side knockout format designed for clarity, drama and global audiences, 16 of the sportâs biggest names â including Olympic champions Janja Garnbret from Slovenia and Great Britainâs Toby Roberts â will go head-to-head until the champions are crowned in the womenâs and menâs.
With the competition format presenting a brand-new challenge that tests the physical and mental limits of the worldâs best athletes, the broadcast is set to be more than just a standard live transmission; it introduces a new approach to covering elite sport, centred on storytelling, character, and unparalleled access to athletes.
Climbing has always delivered intensity on the wall. Now, viewers will experience it in real time. Live audio from the athletes, in-wall cameras and dynamic wide-angle shots delivers unparalleled proximity and scale, while real-time augmented reality graphics instantly identify the current leader, creating a clear and compelling competition narrative.
Presenter Bryn Lucas and Britainâs most successful competition climber, Shauna Coxsey, provide expert analysis with personality.
Ahead of the livestream, Coxsey, also an Olympian, said: âI am so excited to be able to commentate on such an amazing new event for audiences around the world. The head-to-head format is going to make some nail-biting drama as the best climbers in the world go up against each other. It is great to be working on a major climbing production that takes broadcast quality to the next level. This event will show a completely new side of climbing, and I cannot wait to share all the action with die-hard fans and newcomers alike.â
Crucially, the moments between attempts also become part of the story. The coverage provides context, enhanced by field interviews with US climber Michaela Kiersch, exploring what’s at stake, how strategies shift and how the athletes are feeling. This transforms competitors into protagonists. The broadcast is designed to make each climber the star of their own show, offering audiences a clearer insight into the pressure, personality and precision required at the highest level.
British climbing superstar and Olympic champion Toby Roberts, making this his first event of the year, sounds excited: âI canât wait to take part in the Pro Climbing League. Itâs a new exciting format that will be a challenge for the athletes and a great event to watch for the crowd. I’ve never gone head-to-head before â and I’m really psyched to try it out in London, my home city, in front of a huge crowd.â
The Pro Climbing League was created by climbers with the main aim of providing elite climbers with a dedicated professional stage and making the sport clear and compelling for a broader audience.
âIt is a place built to lift athletes, to celebrate community, and to create a stage that reflects the energy and passion that make climbing so special. A place where the sport can grow, connect, and inspire â all while staying true to the people at its heart,â Danaan Markey, director and founder, explains the profound desire to create a home for climbing that matches the sportâs spirit.
This professional bouldering competition showcases the best of their kind in a fast-paced head-to-head format. Two athletes compete side by side on identical boulder problems, with the winner advancing. The result is shorter, high intensity rounds that sharpen the tactical battle, increase prize opportunities and make the outcome easy to understand, delivering a format that caters for both committed fans and first-time viewers.
As with Red Bull Dual Ascent, the broadcast setup is similarly innovative and ambitious, featuring advanced camera technology to provide a more immersive viewing experience. Fans around the world can watch the event live on Red Bull TV, which brings the intensity, strategy and personalities of the sport directly into their homes.
Watch the Pro Climbing League live on Red Bull TV on February 28 at 19:30 GMT.
