What are the widely accepted "rules" for starting and sending a sport climb?

Pre placed trad gear is not a Pink point. It's a head point. Usually on really sketchy routes. We headpointed The Flying Ground Hog when we did that FFA. Mostly because I didn't trust Isa to get the stopper in the quartz pocket perfectly and it needs to be perfect so I placed it for her. There's only two pieces on that whole thing once you commit to the business so if I was pre placing one of them I might as well do both. Again none of this stuff matters except for FA,s and significant repeats.  

Ward Smith wrote:

We could talk about shoes as aid, but that is another subject.  

Montserrat 1980s

For some it's never been an issue but for most thank god we have climbing shoes! :)

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

Pre placed trad gear is not a Pink point. It's a head point. Usually on really sketchy routes. We headpointed The Flying Ground Hog when we did that FFA. Mostly because I didn't trust Isa to get the stopper in the quartz pocket perfectly and it needs to be perfect so I placed it for her. There's only two pieces on that whole thing once you commit to the business so if I was pre placing one of them I might as well do both. Again none of this stuff matters except for FA,s and significant repeats.  

We don't live far away from each other so I'm surprised meanings are so different but pre placed trad gear around here (and in Canada) is almost always called a pink point and sometimes  a head point if the route is a project. When the brahs around here say they headpointed first they almost always mean they top roped the hell out of it. It sounds more cool.  A couple of local brahs I know just spent a week headpointing a 12R, TRing was the only safe way to learn the moves before the actual send.

Of course this thread is about spurt climbing so what I said means nothing here!

TR the heck out of it and pre placed gear on R or x rated is head point. Normal trad climb with pre placed gear is just practicing. Nothing worth talking about or ticking or whatever. 

The Traddest Dad wrote:

1) Sit start

2) Victory whip

These are universal requirements, even for trad, snow, and ice climbs. I don't make the rules, I merely enforce them. 

Also:

3) If you can do a gaston do a gaston even if you don't need to

4) If you can do a double gaston do a double gaston even if you don't need to

5) Always cut both feet as it looks great in the photos

If you haven’t weighted the rope, you are still on.

This can be interpreted as the ability to fall to the ground unlimited times before the first bolt, if you aren’t stick clipped.

I guess this would also apply to landing on a ledge but never weighting the rope in the fall, dusting yourself off and then proceeding to send.

Now, let’s say you fell free soloing and broke both legs. 6 months later you show up and successfully lead the route first try. Is it still an onsight? 

"Now, let’s say you fell free soloing and broke both legs. 6 months later you show up and successfully lead the route first try. Is it still an onsight?" 

If the earlier attempt would have been 'onsight', had it been successful - then yes. Others will obviously interpret the 'rules' differently. 

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

TR the heck out of it and pre placed gear on R or x rated is head point. Normal trad climb with pre placed gear is just practicing. Nothing worth talking about or ticking or whatever. 

Is that how the term has evolved over there? This side of the pond 'headpointing' is still about TRing the bejeezus out of it first, pre-placing gear is another matter. Not to say it isn't sometimes done but it would be mentioned/recorded not taken as read in 'head point'.

When I see head point I assume every trick in the book was used regardless of weather or not they mentioned it... 

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

When I see head point I assume every trick in the book was used regardless of weather or not they mentioned it... 

As the famous climbing social media influencer Joseph McCarthy once said: "better head than dead." 

I've seen routes which start with a jump, a stack of rocks, a rope ladder or even a tree climb to access the starting holds. It's all determined by local tradition and how much you actually care. Whatever makes you happy. Usually guidebooks will specify if there's some unusual start to a route.

Personally I opt for what seems to be the most "obvious" start to a route. If it was actually supposed to start on some tiny crimps below the obvious jug I reached for, then whatever. It's not a comp.