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USA Climbing
Governing body for competition climbing From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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, they promote Sport Climbing which comprises three competition disciplines: bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing, in elite, youth and collegiate formats.
USA Climbing receives sanctioning and is recognized by the following organizations:[1] the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC),[2] the International Olympic Committee (IOC),[3] and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.[4][1]
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Competition history
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).
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Competition structure
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Elite
Any eligible climber aged 16 and older who 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 recognized as the National Champions of the United States. However, a non-US citizen cannot be the National Champion of the US. If a non-US citizen wins any gender/event, the next highest-placed US citizen in that gender/event is declared the National Champion.
Youth
Youth climbers are subdivided into 5 age groups. As of the 2024-25 season, USA Climbing no longer categorizes youth athletes using the Jr, A, B, C, D system. The age ranges are based on how old the competitor will be by the end of the season, not their current age:
- U20 (19 years old)
- U19 (17-18 years old)
- U17 (15-16 years old)
- U15 (13-14 years old)
- U13 (≤12 years old)
The US is subdivided into 9 Divisions and 18 Regions.[7] Anyone may compete in local competitions. USA Climbing members who have attended at least two local competitions and place in the top 26 in their region may compete at their respective Regional Championships.[8] The top 13 competitors in each gender/category at Regionals receive an invitation to compete at their respective Divisional Championships. The top 6 competitors in each gender/category at the Divisional Championships receive an invitation to compete at the National Championships.[7] The top four climbers in each gender/category/event at the National Championships are considered to be the U.S. Youth National Team. Youth on the National Teams for the U19 and U17 categories are eligible 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: Neurological / Physical Disability, Visual Impairment, Upper Extremity Amputee, Lower Extremity, Amputee, Seated, Youth.[10]
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Elite bouldering
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The following are the results for bouldering at Elite National Championship level.[11]
Male
Female
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Elite lead
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The following are the results for lead at Elite National Championship level[11]
Male
Female
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Elite speed
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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.
Male
Female
Current US speed climbing records
Starting in 2023, USA Climbing adopted the same criteria as the Elite category to officially recognize Speed climbing records for Youth age groups. One key criterion is the use of an officially recognized electronic timing system. Historically, youth records were maintained for developmental purposes without official standards. Now, official Youth speed climbing records can only be set at specific events: USAC Youth Qualifying Events, USAC Youth Regional Championships, USAC Youth Divisional Championships, USAC Youth National Championships, IFSC Youth Pan American Championships, IFSC Youth World Championships, and other USAC or IFSC sanctioned events in which youth age groups compete. Records are not kept for youth age groups C and D because the speed climbing routes vary at each competition.
History of the US speed climbing record
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.
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Elite team (current)
The athletes who represent the United States in International competition events.[80]
- Bouldering & Lead National Team – Men
- Colin Duffy
- Sean Bailey
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Zach Galla
- Jesse Grupper
- Dillon Countryman
- Bouldering & Lead National Team – Women
- Natalia Grossman
- Brooke Raboutou
- Cloe Coscoy
- Kylie Cullen
- Anastasia Sanders
- Adriene Clark
- Bouldering National Team – Men
- Colin Duffy
- Sean Bailey
- Dillon Countryman
- Ross Fulkerson
- Luke Muehring
- Bouldering National Team – Women
- Natalia Grossman
- Brooke Raboutou
- Cloe Coscoy
- Anastasia Sanders
- Kylie Cullen
- Speed National Team – Men
- Noah Bratschi
- John Brosler
- Sam Watson
- Merritt Ernsberger
- Zach Hammer
- Darren Skolnik
- Quinn O'francia
- Speed National Team – Women
- Callie Close
- Emma Hunt
- Piper Kelly
- Olivia Ma
- Liberty Runnels
- Sophia Curcio
- Lead National Team – Men
- Colin Duffy
- Jesse Grupper
- Sean Bailey
- Hugo Hoyer
- Luke Muehring
- Lead National Team – Women
- Natalia Grossman
- Brooke Raboutou
- Anastasia Sanders
- Kyra Condie
- Quinn Mason
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Elite team (historical)
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2022 - The athletes who represent the United States in International competition events in 2022.[80]
- Bouldering & Lead National Team – Men
- Sean Bailey
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Colin Duffy
- Ben Hanna
- Jesse Grupper
- Bouldering & Lead National Team – Women
- Melina Costanza
- Kylie Cullen
- Natalia Grossman
- Quinn Mason
- Brooke Raboutou
- Bouldering National Team – Men
- Sean Bailey
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Colin Duffy
- Zach Galla
- Ben Hanna
- Bouldering National Team – Women
- Melina Costanza
- Kylie Cullen
- Natalia Grossman
- Maya Madere
- Brooke Raboutou
- Lead National Team – Men
- Sean Bailey
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Colin Duffy
- Ross Fulkerson
- Jesse Grupper
- Lead National Team – Women
- Kyra Condie
- Melina Costanza
- Natalia Grossman
- Quinn Mason
- Brooke Raboutou
- Speed National Team – Men
- Noah Bratschi
- John Brosler
- Merritt Ernsberger
- Joe Goodacre
- Sam Watson
- Speed National Team – Women
- Callie Close
- Emma Hunt
- Piper Kelly
- Olivia Ma
- Liberty Runnels
2021 - The athletes who represented the United States at International competition events in 2021.[81]
- Men's Lead Team
- Sean Bailey
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Colin Duffy
- Timothy Kang
- Ellis Ernsberger
- Men's Speed Team
- Merritt Ernsberger
- John Brosler
- Noah Bratschi
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Colin Duffy
- Men's Bouldering Team
- Nathaniel Coleman
- Ross Fulkerson
- Colin Duffy
- Ben Hanna
- John Brock
- Women's Lead Team
- Kyra Condie
- Natalia Grossman
- Brooke Raboutou
- Ashima Shiraishi
- Maya Madere
- Women's Speed Team
- Emma Hunt
- Kyra Condie
- Julia Duffy
- Callie Close
- Brooke Raboutou
- Women's Bouldering Team
- Natalia Grossman
- Kyra Condie
- Brooke Raboutou
- Kylie Cullen
- Campbell Sarinopoulos
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Youth bouldering
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Male Junior
Female Junior
Male Youth A
Female Youth A
Male Youth B
Female Youth B
Male Youth C
Female Youth C
Male Youth D
Female Youth D
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Youth lead
Male Junior
Female Junior
Male Youth A
Female Youth A
Male Youth B
Female Youth B
Male Youth C
Female Youth C
Male Youth D
Female Youth D
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Youth speed
Male Junior
Female Junior
Male Youth A
Female Youth A
Male Youth B
Female Youth B
Male Youth C
Female Youth C
Male Youth D
Female Youth D
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See also
References
External links
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