Back to News The Speed rounds of USA Climbing’s National Team Trials Presented by The North Face concluded last night, determining which athletes will represent the United States on the 2026 Speed National Team. Three athletes are preselected to the team through their Continuously Updated World Ranking: Emma Hunt on the women’s team and Samuel Watson and Zachary Hammer on the men’s team. The remaining positions were determined through performances across the three Speed rounds. This year’s event also used a new format for Speed. In the past, athletes raced head-to-head in knockout rounds, with the climber who reached the top first advancing while the other was eliminated. At National Team Trials Presented by The North Face, however, the format for all three rounds is time-based. All athletes completed three rounds, with two races per round, and their fastest times contributed to their National Team Ranking score. Advancement was not determined by winning a race, but by recording the fastest possible time on the wall, rewarding consistency and breakthrough runs across all six attempts. From those performances, the top athletes secured their places on the 2026 USA Climbing Speed National Team. Women’s Speed National Team From left to right, and from highest to lowest National Team Ranking, Sophia Curcio, Isis Rothfork, Piper Kelly, and Lily Staudt. Not shown: Emma Hunt (preselected). Sophia Curcio, Isis Rothfork, Piper Kelly, and Lily Staudt earned places on the 2026 Women’s Speed National Team following three intense rounds. Curcio continued her strong season following her victory at the 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships in Orlando just two weeks earlier. She delivered one of the most consistent performances across the competition, finishing second in both Round 1 and Round 2 before winning Round 3 with a meteoric 6.71-second run, a new personal best. Curcio said she was most excited about her consistent performance throughout all three rounds. “It was definitely a cherry on top to do the fast lap of the competition during the last round when I was really tired,” Curcio added. Isis Rothfork also delivered a standout showing, winning both Round 1 and Round 2 with times in the mid-6-second range. Piper Kelly remained close behind the leaders throughout the event. A third-place finish in Round 2 and a strong second-place performance in Round 3 helped her secure a place on the team. Lily Staudt rounded out the team with steady results across the three rounds, including top three finishes in Round 1 and Round 3 that helped solidify her National Team Ranking. Together, the group forms one of the fastest women’s speed teams the United States has fielded. Women’s Speed National Team: Emma Hunt (Preselected) Sophia Curcio Isis Rothfork Piper Kelly Lily Staudt Men’s/Open Speed National Team From left to right, and from highest to lowest National Team Ranking, Michael Hom, Noah Bratschi, and Ben Jennings. Not shown: Samuel Watson and Zachary Hammer (preselected). Michael Hom, Noah Bratschi, and Ben Jennings secured their places on the 2026 Men’s/Open Speed National Team following three rounds of intense climbing. Ben Jennings, who won the Speed National Championship title at the 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships in Orlando two weeks earlier, opened the competition with a commanding Round 1 victory and a sharp 5.21-second run. He posted one of the top three times throughout all three rounds, securing his place on the team. Noah Bratschi delivered one of the strongest middle-round performances of the competition, winning Round 2 with a time of 5.18 seconds before finishing second in Round 3. Those consistent results across the final two rounds boosted his National Team Ranking score and secured his spot. Michael Hom closed the competition with the fastest (and only sub-five-second) run of the entire event, winning Round 3 with a blistering 4.93-second climb. That performance helped propel him high on the National Team rankings. Hom said he was excited about his sub-five-second run and reflected on his goals for the upcoming season: “The goal is to try to go to as many [comps] as possible and get top 10. If I get top 10, I think I can go to the 2027 Pan American Games. And obviously that’s how you go to the Olympics.” Across all three rounds, the men’s field showcased the growing depth of U.S. competitors as they prepare for the upcoming international season. Men’s/Open Speed National Team: Samuel Watson (Preselected) Zachary Hammer (Preselected) Michael Hom Noah Bratschi Ben Jennings Full results from the 2026 National Team Trials Presented by The North Face are available here. Follow @usaclimbing on social media for competition updates and behind-the-scenes action. You can rewatch the National Team Trials Presented by The North Face on Outside TV.