The Youth National Championships return for 2024 and will be hosted at USA Climbing’s very own National Training Center in Salt Lake City, UT, July 6-14. Twenty-four national champions will be crowned as young athletes compete in bouldering, lead, and speed over the nine-day Youth National Championships. “We couldn’t be more excited for the Youth National Championships to return to Salt Lake City,” said John Muse,VP of Sport at USA Climbing. “Our Training Center has hosted bouldering and lead finalists in the past, but this will be the first year that all climbers in all disciplines will have access to our competition terrain.” Competitor Registration Windows Normal Registration Period Normal Registration Begins: Tuesday, June 18 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT Normal Registration Deadline: Friday, June 21 at 11:59 p.m. MT Registration Fee: $ 175 + $55 per discipline Extended Registration Period Extended Registration Begins: Saturday, June 22 Extended Registration Deadline: Wednesday, June 26 at 11:59 p.m. MT Registration Fee: $225 + $55 per discipline Late Registration Period Late Registration Begins: Thursday, June 27 Late Registration Deadline: Friday, July 5 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT Registration Fee: $425 + $55 per discipline Additionally, the tentative event schedule can be found here. Spectator Information Competitors will receive a plus one ticket for each round of competition they participate in. Spectator tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, June 18 in line with the competitor registration opening. Ample tickets will be available for purchase. HB 257 Information USA Climbing recognizes that the recent passing of HB 257 affects trans and non-binary members. USA Climbing does not support this legislation and remains committed to fostering an environment where all climbers feel welcome and can strive for success. The USA Climbing Training Center is a privately owned space that is not required to comply with HB 257. Moreover, the facility will have gender-neutral bathroom options for participants. For those who are traveling to Utah and would like more information about HB 257, check out the HB 257 FAQs provided to us by the ACLU of Utah and Equality Utah. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions. As more competition information and resources become available, they will be added to the Youth National Championships landing page.
The 2024 USA Climbing Paraclimbing National Championships will be held at Sportrock Rio in Gaithersburg, MD on March 9-10, 2024. The top three (3) ranked U.S. athletes per gender in each category will go on to represent the U.S. as a part of the Paraclimbing National Team. Paraclimbing has seen a massive leap in growth over the past several years and this year’s National Championship event is sure to be even bigger and more competitive than ever before. Al Smith and Pete Woods will host live streams for the Finals on Outside Watch. You can watch them live at the times below or on-demand at any time post event. HOW TO WATCH (all times EST) Tuesday, March 10 | Paraclimbing National Championships 11:00 a.m. | Paraclimbing Finals (Session 1) – LIVE on Outside Watch 3:30 p.m. | Paraclimbing Finals (Session 2) – LIVE on Outside Watch
The 2024 National Team Trials concluded last night with Boulder Finals at Sportrock Rio in Gaithersburg, MD. Athletes battled for spots on the National Team Trials podium and on the 2024 Boulder National Team, which designates athletes to represent the U.S. at international World Cup events sanctioned by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). Ben Hanna managed to flash Boulders 1 and 2 and get the Zone on Boulder 4, earning him 3rd place. Dillon Countryman had already secured his 2nd place finish before starting Boulder 4, having sent Boulders 1, 2, and 3, but also sent Boulder 4 in just two quick attempts for good measure. Hugo Hoyer, who entered the round in 6th, wooed the crowd with an impressive comeback, flashing every single boulder and finishing in 1st place. “I felt like everything I worked on training at home just kind of finally came together,” said Hoyer, who’s already looking forward to the summer and next year’s competitions. Dillon Countryman and Hugo Hoyer both earned enough National Team Ranking points to join the 2024 Boulder National Team. For the first time in USA Climbing history, a Women’s Finalist was briefly interrupted by a fire alarm while on the wall, triggered by another business in the complex. Luckily, athletes and spectators were evacuated and then back inside in about 10 minutes, with Clark returning to battle with Boulder 3 after warming back up. Adriene Akiko Clark, Analise Van Hoang, and Nekaia Sanders all powered to the top of Boulders 1, 2, and 4. By the time Helen Gillett was on Boulder 4, she only needed to reach the Zone to finish in 1st. After one slip on the volume, she did just that, smiling and looking back to the crowd, which erupted in applause. Gillett finished 1st, followed by Van Hoang and Sanders. “I’ve been focusing on being in a good place with myself and having fun climbing and trying to bring that here,” said Gillett after her knockout performance. Melina Costanza and Helen Gillett both earned enough National Team Ranking points to join the 2024 Boulder National Team. Men’s Boulder Podium: Hugo Hoyer Dillon Countryman Ben Hanna Women’s Boulder Podium: Helen Gillett Analise Van Hoang Nekaia Sanders 2024 Boulder National Team: Kyra Condie Melina Costanza Kylie Cullen Helen Gillett Natalia Grossman Brooke Raboutou Annie Sanders Dillon Countryman Colin Duffy Jesse Grupper Hugo Hoyer The Boulder Finals Round is currently streaming on Outside Watch.
The 2024 National Team Trials continued on Wednesday with Semi-Final and Final Rounds in Lead. The stakes were twofold: spots on the National Team Trials podium and on the 2024 Lead National Team, which designates athletes to represent the U.S. at international World Cup events sanctioned by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). The eight highest-ranked women and men entered Finals, which began with a route preview. All competitors had a chance to view and discuss the Finals route, some even donning binoculars to get a better look. Meanwhile, a packed crowd (including athletes from the Qualification Round, family members, reporters, and even Mayor of Gaithersburg, Jud Ashman) closed in around the lead alcove of Sportrock Rio. The Women’s Finals boiled down to Annie Sanders, Olivia Ma, and Adriene Akiko Clark setting the high point, and all falling from or just past the 36th hold, a thin undercling. This spurred a judgement related to rule 7.11.2 (b)(iv) of the USA Climbing Rulebook which states a competitor’s score is paused at the last scored hold from which a quickdraw can be clipped, as deemed by the Chief Routesetter. During one competitor’s attempt, as she was moving past hold 36, a Head Judging Official immediately consulted with the Chief Routesetter to determine which hold was the last one from which the draw could be clipped, and that resulted in the competitor’s score being paused at 36. The competitor’s attempt was not terminated by an official. With the Semi-Finals performance in mind, Sanders ultimately finished 1st, followed by Ma and Clark. Annie Sanders and Melina Costanza both earned enough National Team Ranking points to join the 2024 Lead National Team. Ben Hanna was the first to find a drop knee/kneebar resting position on the Men’s Route, allowing him to pause longer than the other competitors before venturing into the final headwall. He fell from the 38th hold, setting a highpoint and earning him 3rd place. Soon after, Hugo Hoyer was moving faster through the lower moves and managed to control the 40th hold, a large, slopey pinch that slipped through Hanna’s fingers. Declan Osgood was the last Men’s competitor of the night, looking calm and collected through most of the Finals Route. He controlled the 40th hold, same as Hoyer, and was even able to bump higher on the pinch, setting up his feet to lunge for the 41st hold, but ultimately logging the 40th as his last controlled hold. Declan Osgood and Hugo Hoyer both earned enough National Team Ranking points to join the 2024 Lead National Team. Women’s Lead Podium: Annie Sanders Olivia Ma Adriene Akiko Clark Men’s Lead Podium: Declan Osgood Hugo Hoyer Ben Hanna 2024 Lead National Team: Kyra Condie Melina Costanza Kylie Cullen Natalia Grossman Brooke Raboutou Annie Sanders Colin Duffy Jesse Grupper Hugo Hoyer Declan Osgood The Lead Finals Round is currently streaming on Outside Watch. Photo highlights from the Lead Finals Round can be found HERE (photos by Dan Gajda, not available for commercial use).
The 2024 National Team Trials kicked off yesterday in Gaithersburg, MD. As rain fell on Sportrock Rio, the country’s top speed climbers battled for spots on the podium and on the National Team. Of course, National Team athletes will be designated to represent the U.S. at international World Cup events sanctioned by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). Camaraderie was at an all-time high throughout the night, as athletes cheered each other to the buzzer, played rock-paper-scissors before races, and snagged new records. Notably, Emma Hunt broke her own Women’s Speed Pan American Record (6.67 seconds), setting a new Women’s Speed American Record of 6.54 seconds. Meanwhile, Zach Hammer set a new personal record of 5.12 seconds during the Qualification Round, making him the second-fastest American Speed Climber. Even though Emma Hunt and Piper Kelly were pre-selected for the National Team because of their Olympic Qualification, the two still joined their fellow athletes for Qualification and an Olympic Format Exhibition that followed the Finals Round. The four fastest women and men entered Semi-Finals as an energetic crowd grew around the 15-meter speed wall. The women’s “small final” boiled down to Micaela Patajo against Liberty Runnels, with Runnels finishing roughly half of a second ahead of Patajo, earning Runnels the 3rd place finish. The “big final” boiled down to Sophia Curcio against Kaitlyn Bone, with Curcio finishing in 7.33 seconds and Bone finishing in 8.16 seconds, earning them the 1st and 2nd place finishes respectively. Curcio and Bone both earned enough National Team Ranking points to join the 2024 Speed National Team. The men’s “small final” boiled down to Zachary Hammer against Thomas Lin, which kicked off with a false start, earning Lin the 3rd place finish. The “big final” boiled down to Noah Bratschi against Richard Li. Both had an efficient run, with Bratschi finishing in 5.29 seconds and Li finishing in 5.41 seconds, earning them the 1st and 2nd place finishes respectively. Bratschi and Hammer both earned enough National Team Ranking points to join the 2024 Speed National Team. Women’s Speed Podium: Sophia Curcio Kaitlyn Bone Liberty Runnels Photo by Dan Gajda. “I feel pretty psyched,” said Curcio, who looked calm as ever after her win. “I especially want to thank my parents and all my coaches.” Men’s Speed Podium: Noah Bratschi Richard Li Thomas Lin Photo by Dan Gajda. “I was just trying to feel the flow and get a good run,” said Bratschi, who had his mind on a celebration dessert coming out of Finals. 2024 Speed National Team: Emma Hunt Piper Kelly Sophia Curcio Kaitlyn Bone Sam Watson John Brosler Zachary Hammer Noah Bratschi The Speed Finals Round is currently streaming on Outside Watch. Photo highlights from the Speed Finals Round can be found here (photos by Dan Gajda, not available for commercial use).
The 2024 USA Climbing National Team Trials will be held at Sportrock Rio in Gaithersburg, MD on March 5-8, 2024. This year’s National Team Trials event will highlight all three climbing disciplines: Boulder, Lead and Speed. The top two (2) ranked U.S. athletes after the conclusion of this event will join those athletes who are already selected to the U.S. National Team in 2024. Athletes from the newly formed National Team will begin their quest of competing on the IFSC World Cup circuit, some with the opportunity of competing at the Olympic Qualifying Series in search of the two (2) remaining Olympic quota spots for Team USA. Al Smith and Pete Woods will host live streams for the Semi-Finals and Finals on Outside Watch. You can watch them live at the times below or on-demand at any time post event. HOW TO WATCH (all times EST) Tuesday, March 5 | Speed 6:00 p.m. | Speed Finals – LIVE on Outside Watch | Results Wednesday, March 6 | Lead 10:00 a.m. | Lead Semi-Finals – LIVE on Outside Watch 6:00 p.m. | Lead Finals – LIVE on Outside Watch Friday, March 8 | Boulder 10:00 a.m. | Boulder Semi-Finals – LIVE on Outside Watch 6:00 p.m. | Boulder Finals – LIVE on Outside Watch
Chris Park and Geoffrey Smith have announced their resignation from the Board of USA Climbing. “We thank Chris Park and Geoffrey Smith for their service on the Board of Directors of USA Climbing, look forward to their ongoing support and advice, and wish them the best in their professional endeavors,” said Marc Norman, CEO of USA Climbing, and Kate Felsen Di Pietro, Chair of the USA Climbing Board of Directors. “I am submitting my resignation from the Board of USA Climbing. Because of increasing time commitments elsewhere, I am stepping aside so that USA Climbing may solicit a new Director who can more actively meet the needs of the organization,” said Chris Park. “I remain committed to supporting USA Climbing’s mission and will continue to root for the sport’s success.” “I am submitting my resignation from the Board of USA Climbing effective after the April Board meeting. I intend to transition from my Director role so that I may work directly as an advisor to Marc Norman, the CEO of USA Climbing, on business and professional development matters,” said Geoffrey Smith. “Despite time pressures in my other responsibilities, I remain committed to USA Climbing and look forward to working closely with Marc.” Currently, we are seeking three new Directors to help further the mission of USA Climbing. Interested applicants can learn more and apply here.
Spectator tickets are now on sale for National Team Trials Presented by YETI and Paraclimbing National Championships! You don’t want to miss either of these high-stakes events, hosted by Sportrock Rio in Gaithersburg, MD, March 5-10. Elite Boulder and Lead athletes spent last week in the USA Climbing Training Center, participating in a mock competition, which followed the format of national-and-international-level events with isolation zones, timed rounds, and competition movement from experienced routesetters. In fact, the event was led by Team Trials Boulder Chief Routesetter Jeremy Ho to help athletes find their flow in preparation for the event. Photo by Patrick Bodnar Of course, multiple athletes also spoke to how important community is at these training events. “It’s really cool to have everyone together in the Training Center, trying hard and pushing each other,” said Jesse Grupper, who recently qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Paraclimbing athletes recently spent a weekend at Touchstone Climbing’s Berkeley Ironworks location for a training camp co-hosted by ParaCliffHangers. Paraclimbers from 5 different states and every classification came together to learn from Coach Emmett Cookson, the USAC Paraclimbing Team Head Coach, and Coach Ben Mayforth (2x IFSC World Cup Gold Medalist and paraclimbing trainer), including a mock competition, a Q&A with past competitors and coaches, and discussions of competition mindset. Photo by Christina Fleming Many paraclimbers enter the sport of rock climbing as adults, both because rock climbing has grown immensely over the past decade and because many people with disabilities lack access to adaptive sports as children or become disabled as adults. This makes training camps such as this one essential in preparing paraclimbers for the competitive world and setting them up for success. Stay tuned for more training updates, as well as livestream information for National Team Trials Presented by YETI and Paraclimbing National Championships.
The Collegiate National Championships return for 2024 and will be hosted at Alta Climbing & Fitness in Gilbert, AZ, as well as Alta Boulders & Fitness in Chandler, AZ, May 24-26. The Collegiate National Championships will determine national champions and select the U.S. Collegiate National Team athletes who will represent USA at the 2024 FISU World University Championships. The 2024 Team will be composed of the top three (3) ranked US athletes per gender per discipline. “What an incredible opportunity to showcase the passion, dedication, and sheer talent of collegiate climbers from universities nationwide as they converge on our walls,” said Deborah Smith, Owner of Alta Climbing & Fitness. “It’s not just about the competition; it’s a celebration of unity, sportsmanship, and the exhilarating spirit of climbing.” Registration will be available following the collegiate qualifying events. Information regarding lodging and spectating will also be shared closer to the event.
This past weekend, 24 of the country’s best Speed Climbing athletes came together in Salt Lake City, Utah for USA Climbing’s Speed Training Camp. Led by Matthew Maddison, USAC Speed Team Manager and Strength and Conditioning Coach, the camp offered valuable lessons both on and off the 15-meter wall. Photo by Phuc Nguyen On the wall, the athletes had the unique opportunity to race, pace, and refine alongside teammates from all over the United States. Off the wall, the athletes learned from coaches like Maddison, as well as Zach DiCristino, USAC Medical Manager and National Team Physical Therapist; Olexiy Shulga, Head Coach of Stone Summit Climbing Team; and multiple officials from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Photo by Patrick Bodnar “It was really cool to include things that are often overlooked but are hugely important, like strength and conditioning and nutrition,” said Piper Kelly, who recently punched her ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. “This was also my first opportunity to practice the Olympic format, and it is always fun to race with teammates and push each other to go faster.” Photo by Patrick Bodnar “Having these athletes come together as a group, training on and off the wall with a smile, is always a highlight.” said Maddison. “Engagement with other fellow athletes about how they are planning their training blocks wouldn’t happen without these camps, and it’s great to teach all of these athletes, not just the World Cup team, about aspects of speed climbing and off-wall programming that will help with long-term development.” As a reminder, three of the camp’s athletes (Emma Hunt, Piper Kelly, and Sam Watson) have already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Additionally, two of the camp’s athletes (John Brosler and Zach Hammer) are qualified for the Olympic Qualifier Series, hoping to secure their spots later this year. You can stay up to date with climbing at the Olympics here.
Climbing Escalade Canada and USA Climbing are excited to announce that the North American Cup Series (NACS) will return in 2024. NACS features the three individual disciplines of climbing – boulder, lead, and speed – and allows athletes from the Americas the opportunity to compete at an elite level and develop outside of the World Cup circuit. The 2024 NACS will kick off in Salt Lake City, UT in late April and will consist of at least five stops across the United States and Canada. 2024 Dates and Locations: April 24 – 28 USAC Training Center, Salt Lake City, UT (Boulder, Lead, Speed) Registration is Now Open June 6 – 8 GoPro Mountain Games, Vail, CO (Boulder) Registration is Now Open June 21 – 23 (Tentative, To Be Confirmed) Location TBD (Lead, Speed) Hosted by Climbing Escalade Canada September 13 – 15 Location TBD (Lead, Speed) Hosted by USA Climbing September 28 – 29 (Tentative, To Be Confirmed) Location TBD (Lead) Hosted by Climbing Escalade Canada “We’re excited to partner with Climbing Escalade Canada for a fourth year of the North American Cup Series,” said Marc Norman, President and CEO of USA Climbing. “We have seen this series grow immensely over the last three years and it continues to provide an entirely unique competition experience for climbers across the Americas.” “The NACS bridges national events and IFSC World Cups, giving athletes additional stops that are both fun and valuable to their development,” said Christiane Marceau, Executive Director of CEC. “For our Canadian contenders, the NACS stops are also opportunities to accumulate CNR points, shaping the Team Canada Selection!” Participants in the Series must be licensed with and register through their respective National Federations. Detailed information sheets for each event including registration, training availability, time schedules, etc. will be provided a minimum of 30 days prior to each event. Rules for the events will be published to the CEC and USAC websites.
Voting is now open for The World Games Athlete of the Year award! Our own Emma Hunt has been nominated as the Sport Climbing representative, after an amazing year of podium finishes at the IFSC World Cup Villars, the IFSC World Championships Bern, and the Pan American Games, as well as four new personal bests. Her performance at the IFSC World Championships Bern secured her spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics, making her the first-ever athlete to qualify for the Olympics in the Speed Climbing discipline. You’ll be able to vote for Emma once every 24 hours. On January 22, only the 10 athletes with the most votes will continue to the next round of voting, where their votes will be reset.
It’s finally 2024, which means it’s an Olympic year! The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will be the second to feature Sport Climbing, now with medals on the line for Speed; and Boulder and Lead combined. The stakes have never been higher for competitive climbers, and six USA athletes have already claimed Olympic quotas. Here are the athletes that have punched their tickets to Paris: Emma Hunt (Female, Speed) | Emma earned her spot with a second place finish at the IFSC World Championships Bern 2023. Colin Duffy (Male, Boulder & Lead) | Colin earned his spot with a second place finish at the IFSC World Championships Bern 2023. Colin is the first two-time Sport Climbing Olympian, having competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Piper Kelly (Female, Speed) | Piper earned her spot with a first place finish at the Pan American Games 2023. Sam Watson (Male, Speed) | Sam Watson earned his spot with a first place finish at the Pan American Games 2023. Jesse Grupper (Male, Boulder & Lead) | Jesse earned his spot with a first place finish at the Pan American Games 2023. Natalia Grossman (Female, Boulder & Lead) | Natalia earned her spot with a first place finish at the Pan American Games 2023. What’s next? Two more tickets are on the line for Sport Climbing athletes in the USA, one for male competitors in the Speed discipline and one for female competitors in the Boulder & Lead discipline. Athletes who have not yet qualified for Paris will have their next opportunity at this year’s Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS), a brand-new event series that will offer Olympic quotas for Sport Climbing, BMX Freestyle, Breaking, and Skateboarding Athletes. This two-part series will be hosted in Shanghai from May 16-19, 2024, and in Budapest from June 20-23, 2024. For Sport Climbing specifically, the series will award quotas to the top 10 Boulder & Speed athletes per gender and the top 5 Speed athletes per gender, based on the sum of points from the Shanghai and Budapest events. Seven USA athletes are qualified for the OQS and will be vying for an Olympic quota: Noah Bratschi (Male, Speed), John Brosler (Male, Speed), Kyra Condie (Female, Boulder & Lead), Kylie Cullen (Female, Boulder & Lead), Zach Hammer (Male, Speed), Brooke Raboutou (Female, Boulder & Lead), and Annie Sanders (Female, Boulder & Lead). Stay tuned for streaming info and competition updates. You can follow our up-to-date list of qualified athletes on our Olympics landing page.