Official sporting statuses in Russia

Mountain climbing in the former USSR and present Russia is an official sport. This means that in climbing, just like in any other kind of sports in Russia, the championships are orginized, the participants are given an official rank or classification. The rank or classification is determined by set criteria.

Sporting statuses in mountatin climbing in Russia are awarded for a certain number of ascents of a certain complexity. The following grades exist:

• Alpinist Badge - junior status;
• 3rd class;
• 2nd class;
• 1st class;
• kms (candidate to master of sports) - is given to a 1st class climber who also summited no less than 3 peaks of a 5b category and at least one peak of a 6a category (Russian classification system). For example, technically K2 North Ridge route is ranked as 5b, but because of a high altitude of difficult route sectors it has 6a category;
• ms (master of sports) - is given for participation and getting points in the All-Russia Championships. Often being a Champion of Russia is not just enough to get a master of sports. The Championships are comprised of successfully completing a climb by reaching the summit without any death or severe injury occuring;
• msmk (master of sports, international class) - is given individually for outstanding achievements in sports. For example, some of K2 team members got their msmk status for climbing Everest in 1992 - thay were the first Russians (but not Soviets) to summit the highest point on the planet;
• distinguished master of sports of Russia - is given individually for outstanding contributions to this Russian sport. This status is more of a political nature than of a sporting nature, but is usually given to former outstanding athletes.

There is one more "status":

• "snow leopard" - an unofficial status, rather then a title, which is given to a person who successfully climbs 5 of the highest peaks in the former USSR. Four of them are higher than 7,000m and the fifth, Khan-Tengri, is 6995m high.