Excitement swelled Friday night as the 2026 Speed National Champions were crowned. 52 of the best Speed athletes in the country made the trip to Orlando, Florida, and just 16 advanced to the Finals.

Among them were Olympian Piper Kelly and three past Speed National Champions: Merritt Ernsberger, Isis Rothfork, and Michael Hom. The Finals field also featured three Elite National Championships first-timers (Jaden Chin, Renata Podlesny, and Olivia Yandora), showcasing the rising talent in the discipline.

Jennings Wins Gold in Men’s/Open Speed

Personal bests continued to fall as the Men’s/Open Finalists consistently sprinted up the 15-meter Speed wall in just over five seconds. In the ¼ Final, Noah Bratschi posted the fastest time of the round at 5.10 seconds. He matched that time again in the ½ Final, advancing to the Big Final against Ben Jennings.

In the Big Final, Jennings delivered when it mattered most, also stopping the clock at 5.10 seconds while Bratschi slipped mid-run. The result earned Jennings the gold medal and Bratschi silver, marking Jennings’ first National Championship title.

In the Small Final, William Eaton beat Jaden Chin by just five milliseconds to claim the bronze medal.

“I’m over the moon… kind of speechless. I’m not sure it’s fully processed yet,” Jennings told us after the round. “A domestic win under my belt feels really good especially after the last World Cup season.”

Men’s Speed Podium:
Ben Jennings
Noah Bratschi
William Eaton

Curcio Wins Gold in Women’s Speed

Fierce competition continued in the Women’s Final, with races again separated by fractions of a second. In the ½ Final, Piper Kelly set the round’s fastest time at just 7.20 seconds. That was matched by Sophia Curcio, pitting the two against each other for the Big Final.

In that final race, Curcio delivered the fastest time of the night, stopping the clock at 6.95 seconds, a personal best in competition. The performance earned her the gold medal and her first National Championship title, while Kelly secured silver.

In the Small Final, Kayleigh Borek defeated Madi Walsh by just 10 milliseconds to take bronze.

“I was always a really consistent athlete, but it was hard to balance getting faster and consistent at the same time,” Curcio told us after her win. “Times just keep dropping so you really have to compete with great people out there.”

Women’s Speed Podium:
Sophia Curcio
Piper Kelly
Kayleigh Borek

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

Follow @usaclimbing on social media for competition updates and behind-the-scenes action.