National governing body of the sport of competition climbing in the United States
USA Climbing is the national governing body of the sport of competition climbing in the United States.[1] As a 501(c)3 non-profit, it promotes Sport Climbing which comprises the competition disciplines of bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing.
USA Climbing is recognized by the following organizations.[1]
The International Federation for Sport Climbing (IFSC)[2]
Below is a brief timeline of American competition climbing history:[5]
1988 & 1989 – Stand-alone World Cup events at Snowbird, Utah, were organized by UIAA and the American Alpine Club.[6]
1994 – Junior National Championship organized by the American Sport Climbers Federation (ASCF) is created.
1998 – The ASCF became the Junior Competition Climbing Association (JCCA).
2002 – The JCCA expanded to include adult competitors, and changed its name again to the United States Competition Climbing Association (USCCA).
2003 – USCCA decided to rename the organization to what it is called today, USA Climbing (USAC).
2004 – USAC took over operations of the American Bouldering Series (ABS).
Competition structure[]
USA Climbing lead, speed and bouldering competitions are typically contested in four categories: Elite, Youth, Collegiate and Adaptive, as described below.
Elite[]
Any eligible climber aged 16 and older that meets the USAC qualification criteria may compete at Elite Nationals. There are no Regional or Divisional competitions for Elite competitors. The winners in each gender/event (Lead, Speed and Bouldering) at Elite Nationals are considered the National Champions of the United States. The only caveat is that a foreign national cannot be the National Champion of the US. If a foreign national wins any gender/event the next highest placed citizen of the US in that gender/event is the National Champion.
Youth[]
Youth climbers are subdivided into 5 age groups:
Junior(18–19 years old)
Youth A (16–17 years old)
Youth B (14–15 years old)
Youth C (12–13 years old)
Youth D (≤11 years old)
The US is subdivided into 8 Divisions and 16 Regions.[7] Anyone may compete in local competitions. USA Climbing members, who have attended at least two local competitions, may compete at Regionals.[8] The top 10 competitors in each gender/category at Regionals receive an invitation to Divisionals. The top 6 competitors in each gender/category at Divisionals receive an invitation to Nationals.[7] The top four climbers in each gender/category/event at Nationals are considered to be the U.S. Youth National Team. Youth on the National Teams for Junior, A and B are given the opportunity to compete at the Youth Pan American and Youth World Championships.
Collegiate[]
Provides access for undergraduate or graduate students that are currently enrolled at a college or university to compete in bouldering, lead and speed climbing.[9]
Adaptive[]
Adaptive provides access for athletes with physical disabilities to compete in both bouldering and lead/top rope climbing.[10]
Categories included in Adaptive are open to those with physical disabilities:
Elite, Junior, Youth A and B compete on either 10 or 15 meter walls designed by the International Federation of Sport Climbing.[11] Until 2014, speed climbing at U.S. Nationals was held on 10 meter walls. For the first time at the 2015 U.S. Youth National Championships, speed climbing was held on a 15-meter wall like almost all International Federation of Sport Climbing competitions.
Youth C and D typically compete on a 10-meter randomized route of "jug holds", which means no specific holds are used and there is no set placement of the holds. The number, size and placement of holds varies annually from competition to competition.
Note*: As indicated in the section below, USA Climbing recognizes official speed climbing time records in the Elite category only. Any speed climbing records for the Youth age group categories are kept for developmental purposes. Current and historical Youth age group records have had no official wall requirements or competition standards. Nevertheless, unofficial Youth speed climbing records can only be set at USAC Youth Qualifying Events, Youth Regional Championships, Youth Divisional Championships, USAC Youth National Championships, IFSC Youth Pan American Championships and IFSC Youth World Championships, and other Youth sanctioned events where age groups are contested.
No records are kept for Youth age groups C and D since the speed climbing routes are different at every competition.
National Record Progression - US 15 Meter Speed Climbing Elite National Records since 2019[]
Beginning in 2019, USA Climbing established specific criteria for setting official National Records in the Elite Speed Climbing category. As such, the National Records below for the Elite category have been officially recognized by USA Climbing.
Starting with the 2021 Speed National Championships, the US competition format was changed to match the IFSC speed climbing competition format. Prior to 2021, US Speed Climbing National Champions (and final ranking placements) were determined by the fastest climber to finish the speed route. As of 2021, US Speed National Champions were determined by the winners of the IFSC knockout format.
Results information for many of the years is sparse. Prior to 2013 the CCS National Championships had a combined sport climbing and bouldering competition. From 2013 onward there is a separate sport climbing and bouldering competition. The speed climbing is not held on the standard speed course and therefore official times are not kept. So far the major qualifications for competing in the collegiate nationals are: you must be a student at a 4-year university, you must compete in one local competition, and you must compete in one regional competition.
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