The 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships came to a gripping finale last night in Orlando, Florida, as Boulder National Champions were crowned before a sold-out crowd.

Of the 151 elite athletes who competed in the Boulder Qualification rounds, just 18 advanced to the Finals. That group included two Olympians (Natalia Grossman and Brooke Raboutou), three former Boulder National Champions (Melina Costanza, Vail Everett, and Natalia Grossman), and three Elite National Championships first-timers (Landers Gaydosh, Kailyn Leong, and KM Suleman).

Grossman Wins Gold in Women’s Boulder

Natalia Grossman, having claimed the final spot in the Women’s Final after appeal concluded, was first out of the gate. She spent much of the earlier rounds making careful decisions in hopes of not aggravating a shoulder injury. She partially dislocated that shoulder earlier this year and expressed uncertainty about her level of participation at the National Championships just days before they began.

Much to the crowd’s excitement, she set the tone for the round with a quick flash of the first boulder. Only one other competitor, Melina Costanza, topped that problem. Costanza, the 2024 Boulder National Champion, carried contagious excitement throughout the round, smiling after every attempt. After securing her first top, she reached the 10 hold on the second, third, and fourth boulders, more than most of the field.

Brooke Raboutou, who became the 2026 Lead National Champion just three days earlier, quickly topped the second and fourth boulders, sending the crowd into applause.

Grossman returned to flash the third and fourth boulders, looking more confident than she had all weekend. By the time she executed the technical footwork on the fourth boulder and secured the top hold, her title as National Champion was sealed.

Grossman shed tears as the crowd roared, and several friends from the Semi-Final confirmed her victory with excited nods.

Raboutou’s two tops earned her the silver medal, while Costanza claimed bronze.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to compete or not and I decided I was just going to show up and look at the boulders. And they were probably the most shoulder friendly boulders we’ve had all weekend,” Grossman shared after her win. “It was pretty freeing. Lots of sobbing has happened in this competition, lots of emotions.”

Women’s Boulder Podium:
Natalia Grossman
Brooke Raboutou
Melina Costanza

Hoyer Wins Gold in Men’s/Open Boulder

The Men’s/Open Final featured an exciting mix of competitors, with Auggie Chi and Landers Gaydosh both making their first Elite National Championships Final appearances, while climbers like Hugo Hoyer and Sergey Lakhno looked to return to the national podium.

Compared to the women’s round, success was measured in moves rather than tops for the men. Lakhno reached just one 10 hold across the first three boulders but secured a crucial flash on the fourth, putting him ahead of most finalists.

Cozmo Rothfork didn’t earn a top but delivered consistency, reaching the 10 hold on all four boulders. He was the only competitor to do so.

Hoyer, who was the 2023 Lead National Champion and has stood on both National Championships and National Team Trials Boulder podiums multiple times since, appeared composed throughout the round.

“I knew (the boulders) were hard because of how few people were coming back early,” Hoyer told us. “I knew that I prepared well, so if the boulders are going to be hard for me they’re probably going to be hard for a lot of people.”

Hoyer reached the 10 hold on the first two boulders, then secured one of only two tops in the round on the fourth boulder. That performance earned him the gold medal and the title of Boulder National Champion.

Rothfork took silver, while Lakhno earned bronze.

“It feels like it’s the last thing that I haven’t done. I’ve never been Boulder National Champion,” Hoyer said after his win.

Men’s Boulder Podium:
Hugo Hoyer
Cozmo Rothfork
Sergey Lakhno

Full results from the 2026 YETI National Championships can be found here. You can rewatch the Semi-Final and Final rounds on Outside TV.

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