Belayers

USA Climbing Competition Belay

Safety • Consistency • Professionalism

About USA Climbing Competition Belaying

USA Climbing competition belaying requires qualities above and beyond excellent belay skills. Competition belayers must provide a consistent and professional experience, allowing competitors to achieve success based on their abilities and preparation while never compromising the safety of our athletes and support personnel.

Belaying for competition is a specific type of belaying and is very different from recreational and outdoor belaying. Competition belaying demands a psychological and physical rigor that is unique to the sport. Belayers are challenged to perform consistently for every climber while at the same time, every climber performs differently. Every belay is its own unique experience.

Over the years we have developed a world-class cadre of experienced and professional belayers that have formed a strong community within the greater USA Climbing family. Belayers are critical to the success of speed and lead/top rope events and integrate closely with a variety of competition roles including judging and routesetting.

National Belay Coordinator: Ty Hardaway
Email: belaying@usaclimbing.org

Becoming a USA Climbing Competition Belayer

Belay Introduction

FAQs

USA Climbing Belay Endorsement Levels and Advancement

USA Climbing has six levels of Belayers; Level 1 Local Belayers –– through Level 6 Head National Belayers.

There are two pathways:

Applied – belayers who want to solely focus on event belaying
Management – belayers who want to manage belaying teams

Most belayers advance from Youth Series Qualifying Events through higher level Championships and some ultimately work Elite Championships. Many rising belayers serve as Assistant Head Belayers under veteran Head Belayers.

Level 4 Belayers, Head Judging Officials, and Youth and Collegiate Coordinators may endorse belayers for Level elevation.

USA Climbing Belay Endorsement Levels

USA Climbing Belay Endorsement Form