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.
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
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 their respective Regional Championships.[8] The top 10 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 Junior, A and B 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]
Elite bouldering
The following are the results for bouldering at Elite National Championship level.[11]
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.
Beginning in 2023 USA Climbing established the same criteria as Elite to officially recognize Speed climbing records for the Youth age group categories. One criteria is that an officially recognized electronic timing system must be used. Historically, youth records were kept for developmental purposes since no official standards were utilized. Official Youth speed climbing records can only be set at USAC Youth Qualifying Events, USAC Youth Regional Championships, USAC Youth Divisional Championships, USAC Youth National Championships, IFSC Youth Pan American Championships, and IFSC Youth World Championships, and other USAC or IFSC sanctioned events in which youth 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.
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.
