In this week’s episode, Scott Rennak sits down with Marc Norman, CEO of USA Climbing, who has been in this role for eight years and came to it with unique credentials. Previously, Marc spent two decades at the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, finishing as VP of Sport and Venues—overseeing three Olympic facilities, 300 employees, and the kind of large-scale operations that come with hosting some of the world’s biggest sporting events. He was also a competitive athlete and has a lifelong love of climbing that dates back to a Wisconsin crag in the early ‘90s.

During their conversation, Marc and Scott dig into some deep topics within competition climbing today. They cover USA Climbing’s ambitious National Training Center project in Salt Lake City—including the partnership with Momentum, the community pushback, and how the facility is being designed to serve athletes. They also explore the youth athlete pipeline, how climbing can capitalize on its LA 2028 Olympic moment (including paraclimbing’s debut on the Paralympic program), and what it’s going to take for the whole industry to convert that exposure into real foot traffic and long-term growth.

General Topics Covered

• Leadership and Background of Marc Norman
• National Training Center Project in Salt Lake City
• Industry Partnerships (USA Climbing × Momentum)
• Community Response and Pushback
• Youth Athlete Pipeline Development
• Olympics and Global Exposure (LA 2028 and paraclimbing)
• Converting Awareness Into Gym Growth

Show Notes

• USA Climbing
• USAC National Training Center
• USAC Strategic Planning
• Climbing at LA28
• Marc Norman on Linkedin

Thank you Cascade Specialty, Climbing Wall Association, Rúngne, Rock Gym Pro and Kilter for your support!
And thank you Devin Dabney for your music!

The post Athletes, Training Centers & Road to LA28 – CBJ Podcast with Marc Norman appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

As reported by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Para Climbing was recently confirmed for the 2028 Paralympic Games, which will take place in Los Angeles in August, 2028; it will be the first time in history for Para Climbing to be included in a Paralympic Games.

The climbing at the aforementioned 2028 Paralympics will entail eight total medal events, with the macro categories being visually impaired, limbs deficiency, and range and power. In a statement, IFSC President Marco Scolaris noted the “gender parity” of Para Climbing’s Paralympics inclusion, as the various categories will be divided equally between men and women.

The historic announcement is the latest in a long saga of progress, driven both by efforts for inclusion from the IFSC and grassroots enthusiasm from climbers and organizers. For example, in 2023, the International Paralympic Committee noted Para Climbing as one of several sports that could be considered for inclusion in the 2028 Paralympics. And last year, the organizing committee of “LA28”—as the Los Angeles Olympics are branded—formally proposed that Para Climbing be included in the 2028 Olympic proceedings. “We see this as a unique chance to give more athletes the ability to compete on the world’s biggest stage, while creating an expansive and elite adaptive sport program that exemplifies LA28’s commitment to elevating the Paralympic Movement,” said Janet Evans—LA28’s Chief Athlete Officer—at the time. Para Climbing was eventually added to the Paralympic sports program for the 2028 Paralympics last summer, following the IPC Governing Board’s approval.

In many ways, Para Climbing’s logistical and procedural journey to Paralympics inclusion has mirrored that of “sport climbing,” which was included for the first time as an Olympic event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Fittingly, Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California, will serve as the venue for climbing at the 2028 Olympic Games as well as Para Climbing at the 2028 Paralympic Games.

Stay tuned to CBJ for more updates as LA28 draws nearer.

The post Para Climbing Set to Make Paralympics Debut appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

Multiple new world records, twice as many medals, upsets, last-minute heroics, star-studded podiums…sport climbing’s second Olympics had it all. Didn’t have a chance to catch the show in Paris? This quick recap will help you get caught up.

For more Olympic climbing coverage, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this page for results-related commentary from climbing media outlets around the globe.

Miroslaw Perfect in Speed; Hunt Misses Out on Medal

The sport climbing event at the Paris Olympics ran from August 5-10, and Speed climbing kicked off the medal rounds. After thrice besting her own world record time—previously 6.24 seconds, set in 2023—in the qualification heats on Monday, lowering the women’s world record to 6.06 seconds, Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) came out flying again in the finals. She had flawless runs in the quarterfinals and semifinals, then capped off the perfect week by finishing .08 seconds ahead of runner-up Lijuan Deng (CHN) for gold. Moments before the final race, her compatriot Aleksandra Kalucka (POL) claimed the first sport climbing medal at the Games in Paris, besting Rajiah Sallsabillah (INA) for bronze.

For Team USA, Emma Hunt posted a quick time of 6.36 seconds in qualifications, but a slip in the quarterfinals ended her chance of earning a medal and resulted in a 5^th place finish, and teammate Piper Kelly placed 12^th out of the 14 women competing in Speed.

Leonardo Hangs on for Gold; Watson Breaks Own Record

In the men’s Speed competition, a new world record was being set left and right. On Tuesday, Sam Watson (USA) made headlines after coming away from qualifications with the fastest time—.04 seconds faster than the previous world record (4.79 seconds) he had set earlier this year. Watson came up .08 seconds short in the semifinals race with Peng Wu (CHN), but he still ended the day on a high note, further lowering the men’s world record to 4.74 seconds and edging Reza Alipour Shenazandifard (IRI) for bronze. Veddriq Leonardo (INA) had also been climbing fast all week, and he ultimately saved the best for last, racing to a personal best time in the finals to beat Wu by .02 seconds, for gold.

Zach Hammer, for Team USA, also competed in the men’s Speed event and, following the two seeding heats on Tuesday, got a tough draw in the elimination heat that pitted him against Watson, preventing him from reaching the finals and resulting in a 14^th place finish.

Roberts an All-Around Star; Duffy Falls Few Holds Short

Different from sport climbing’s Olympic debut in Tokyo, the combined event in Paris consisted of only bouldering and lead climbing, and this time the scoring was based on a points system. For the semifinals, the Boulder and Lead action took place on separate days, whereas the two disciplines took place on the same day—30 minutes apart—for the finals.

Sorato Anraku (JPN), Toby Roberts (GBR) and Jakob Schubert (AUT) were the top-seeded athletes coming into the event, and none of them disappointed. In the Boulder finals on Friday, Anraku took the lead early and never gave it up, topping the first two problems—including a flash of the first one—and came just short of sending the final two. Then in Lead, Schubert set a high point that only Adam Ondra (CZE) could match, just one hold shy of the top. But in the end, it was Roberts who donned gold, following up his top-three performances in Boulder and Lead during the semis with another all-around day in which he scored top-three in both disciplines. Anraku finished in second place and Schubert—who had already won bronze at climbing’s Olympic debut, in Tokyo—added a second Olympic bronze medal to his collection.

Team USA’s Colin Duffy—who placed 7^th three years ago in Tokyo—came just about as close as it gets to winning an Olympic medal in sport climbing. Needing a top to end his Boulder final, Duffy came out on the dynamic last problem—featuring two lache moves separated by a double-paddle—and stuck the concluding lache with less than 25 seconds remaining, finishing just one point out of first. That score and his mark on the Lead wall kept him in a podium spot until the very last climb, which left him three points short of a medal. Teammate Jesse Grupper also competed in the Boulder/Lead event and finished in 18^th place out of 20 climbers.

Garnbret Legend Continues; Raboutou Brings Home Silver

In the Women’s Boulder and Lead event, Janja Garnbret (SLO)—who won gold at the Olympics in Tokyo—was the favorite coming into the Games in Paris, and she further solidified her legendary status in the competition climbing world. Even after injuring a finger on the last problem of the Boulder final, she still rose to the occasion in the Lead final, closing out the sport climbing in Paris with a climb that netted her Olympic gold for a second straight summer Games. Only Jessica Pilz (AUT) and Ai Mori (JPN) climbed to a higher mark on the Lead wall; Mori finished in 4^th place, while Pilz gave the Austria team its second bronze medal in Paris.

Brooke Raboutou was the other star of the show on Saturday. After narrowly missing out on a medal in Tokyo, Raboutou looked every bit the part in Paris. She joined Garnbret as the only two athletes to top three of four problems in the Boulder final, and her score in Lead kept her atop the podium until the very last climb of the week. Raboutou’s silver medal marked the culmination of a multi-year redemption story and earned Team USA its highest showing at the Games in Paris. Teammate Natalia Grossman excelled in the Boulder semifinal—putting up the 5^th highest score—but just missed out on qualifying for the finals, finishing in 11^th place.

Below are the complete results of the sport climbing event at the 2024 Olympic Games:

Full Sport Climbing Results at the Paris Olympics

Women Speed

1.Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) – Gold
2.Lijuan Deng (CHN) – Silver
3.Aleksandra Kalucka (POL) – Bronze
4.Rajiah Sallsabillah (INA)
5.Emma Hunt (USA)
6.Desak Made Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (INA)
7.Yafei Zhou (CHN)
8.Leslie Adriana Romero Perez (ESP)
9.Beatrice Colli (ITA)
10.Capucine Viglione (FRA)
11.Manon Lebon (FRA)
12.Piper Kelly (USA)
13.Sarah Tetzlaff (NZL)
14.Aniya Holder (RSA)

Men Speed

1.Veddriq Leonardo (INA) – Gold
2.Peng Wu (CHN) – Silver
3.Sam Watson (USA) – Bronze
4.Reza Alipour Shenazandifard (IRI)
5.Amir Maimuratov (KAZ)
6.Matteo Zurloni (ITA)
7.Bassa Mawem (FRA)
8.Julian David (NZL)
9.Rahmad Adi Mulyono (INA)
10.Yaroslav Tkach (UKR)
11.Jinbao Long (CHN)
12.Euncheol Shin (KOR)
13.Joshua Bruyns (RSA)
14.Zach Hammer (USA)

Women Boulder/Lead

1.Janja Garnbret (SLO) – Gold
2.Brooke Raboutou (USA) – Silver
3.Jessica Pilz (AUT) – Bronze
4.Ai Mori (JPN)
5.Erin McNeice (GBR)
6.Chaehyun Seo (KOR)
7.Oceania Mackenzie (AUS)
8.Oriane Bertone (FRA)
9.Miho Nonaka (JPN)
10.Zhilu Luo (CHN)
11.Natalia Grossman (USA)
12.Camilla Moroni (ITA)
13.Yuetong Zhang (CHN)
14.Zelia Avezou (FRA)
15.Ievgeniia Kazbekova (UKR)
16.Lucia Doerffel (GER)
17.Mia Krampl (SLO)
18.Laura Rogora (ITA)
19.Molly Thompson-Smith (GBR)
20.Lauren Mukheibir (RSA)

Men Boulder/Lead

1.Toby Roberts (GBR) – Gold
2.Sorato Anraku (JPN) – Silver
3.Jakob Schubert (AUT) – Bronze
4.Colin Duffy (USA)
5.Hamish McArthur (GBR)
6.Adam Ondra (CZE)
7.Alberto Gines Lopez (ESP)
8.Paul Jenft (FRA)
9.Yannick Flohe (GER)
10.Tomoa Narasaki (JPN)
11.Sam Avezou (FRA)
12.Yufei Pan (CHN)
13.Alexander Megos (GER)
14.Hannes Van Duysen (BEL)
15.Dohyun Lee (KOR)
16.Luka Potocar (SLO)
17.Sascha Lehmann (SUI)
18.Jesse Grupper (USA)
19.Campbell Harrison (AUS)
20.Mel Janse Van Rensburg (RSA)

More Results Commentary on Sport Climbing at the Paris Olympics

Day 6: Women Boulder/Lead Final

Garnbret Survives Injury Scare for Second Olympic Gold (IFSC, August 10 2024)

Raboutou Wins Silver for USA in Women’s Boulder & Lead (USA Climbing, August 10 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing: Women’s Boulder & Lead Final – “even sweeter” Gold for Garnbret (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 10 2024)

Garnbret, Raboutou, and Pilz Medal in the Women’s Boulder & Lead Combined Final (John Burgman, Climbing, August 10 2024)

Brooke Raboutou and Janja Garnbret Neck and Neck After Brilliant Woman’s Boulder Final (Steven Potter, Climbing, August 10 2024)

Day 5: Men Boulder/Lead Final

Great Britain’s Roberts Takes Men’s Boulder & Lead Gold (IFSC, August 9 2024)

Duffy Finishes 4th for USA in Men’s Boulder & Lead (USA Climbing, August 9 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing: Men’s Boulder & Lead Final – “Dream come true” for Toby Roberts (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 9 2024)

Men’s Combined Final Goes Down to the Wire with Epic Finish. Here’s Who Won (John Burgman, Climbing, August 9 2024)

Now THAT was a Brilliant Men’s Boulder Final (Anthony Walsh, Climbing, August 9 2024)

Day 4: Men Speed Final + Women Lead Semifinal

Leonardo Wins Indonesia’s First Paris 2024 Gold (IFSC, August 8 2024)

Watson Wins Bronze, Sets Another World Record for USA, Raboutou Advances to Finals (USA Climbing, August 8 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing – Women’s Lead Semi-Final – Garnbret Leads the Way (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 8 2024)

Women’s Lead Semifinal Yields Some Expected Results—and a Major Upset (Steven Potter, Climbing, August 8 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing: Men’s Speed Final – Leonardo wins Gold, Watson sets New WR (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 8 2024)

Why the Men’s Speed Final Was an Olympic Highlight (John Burgman, Climbing, August 8 2024)

Day 3: Women Speed Final + Men Lead Semifinal

Miroslaw Makes History With First Ever Olympic Speed Gold (IFSC, August 7 2024)

Duffy Advances to Combined Finals, Hunt Finishes 5th in Women’s Speed (USA Climbing, August 7 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing – Men’s Lead Semi-final: Two Brits Qualify for Finals (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 7 2024)

Huge Upsets in Men’s Sport Climbing Lead Semifinal (Steven Potter, Climbing, August 7 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing – Women’s Speed Final – Miroslaw Wins Historic Gold (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 7 2024)

Aleksandra Mirosław Absolutely Dominates Speed—Winning Olympic Immortality (John Burgman, Climbing, August 7 2024)

Day 2: Men Speed Qualification + Women Boulder Semifinal

Another Day of Record Breaking in Le Bourget (IFSC, August 6 2024)

Four More Compete at Paris 2024, Watson Sets World Record (USA Climbing, August 6 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing: Women’s Boulder Semi-Final – Report (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 6 2024)

Risky Beta and Fantastic Setting Defines Women’s Boulder Semifinal (Anthony Walsh, Climbing, August 6 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing – Men’s Speed Qualis: New World & Olympic Record for Watson (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 6 2024)

The 5 Best Races of Men’s Olympic Speed (Including USA’s World Record-Setting Run) (John Burgman, Climbing, August 6 2024)

Day 1: Women Speed Qualifications + Men Boulder Semifinal

Records Tumble in Fast Start to Paris 2024 (IFSC, August 5 2024)

Four Take the Stage at Paris 2024, Hunt Advances (USA Climbing, August 5 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing: Men’s Boulder Semi-Final – Report – Anraku Takes Top Spot (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 5 2024)

After Boring Start, Team Japan Dominates the Men’s Boulder Semifinal (Steven Potter, Climbing, August 5 2024)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing – Women’s Speed Qualification: New Olympic and World Record of 6.06s (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing, August 5 2024)

Technical Issues & New World Records in Women’s Olympic Speed Climbing (John Burgman, Climbing, August 5 2024)

The post Janja Garnbret Wins Second Olympic Gold; Team USA Climbs to Two Medals and World Record in Paris appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

When 20-year-old Emma Hunt became the first American climber to qualify for the Paris Olympics at last summer’s World Championships, the accomplishment was rightly praised as a fitting end result of significant sacrifice, training and dedication on her part. (Hunt, now 21 years old, also happens to be the women’s Pan American and United States national record holder for the speed discipline, which currently resides at 6.30 seconds.)

But that Olympic qualification also thrust Hunt’s training and gym background into the global spotlight, and specifically the speed program at two Central Rock Gym facilities in Kennesaw and Atlanta, Georgia—formerly Stone Summit, before the acquisition this year—through which Hunt had progressed as a youth climber. Along with that focus, Oleksii Shulga, who oversaw the speed programs at those gyms (and, thus, coached Hunt) prior to managing the entire gym team, was spotlighted as well. Shulga is now quick to point out the vital role that climbing gyms—and the staff therein—have played in the formation of all eight American climbers who will take part in the upcoming Olympics.

“The specific people, the business owners, the team owners, the team managers, all these people are an important part of any climber we see right now,” says Shulga, who has continued to support Hunt and her Olympic aspirations as her personal coach, after she graduated from the gym’s youth program. “To [get an athlete] to the Olympic Games requires a lot of factors—good coaching, program in place, the heritage, the legacy, many many things, and they need to be maybe not perfectly lined up, but they need to be in a good position to ‘produce’ the right person.”

Shulga highlights Hunt’s physical and mental talent when talking about the Pan Am record and the historic Olympic berth, but Shulga also believes that Stone Summit, as a facility, possessed a well-structured program and amenities which helped Hunt develop her skill set when she was just a member of the gym’s youth team. For example, the facility in Atlanta, which spans 45,000 square feet and has 30,000 square feet of climbing, includes a 10-meter speed wall, and the Kennesaw location, a 32,000-square-foot gym which also has 30,000 square feet of climbing, includes a 15-meter speed wall.

Given the standardization of the speed route and the subsequent lack of hold variation on the wall, speed is not a discipline with as much variety as bouldering or lead, Shulga notes. Regardless, Stone Summit had long made speed a priority. “Usually for a gym owner, it is a waste of space,” Shulga, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, says of a speed wall in a commercial climbing gym. “To me, as someone who is very passionate about speed climbing, I’ve been to many gyms with speed walls, and I see people in the United States just neglecting the [speed] walls. Bouldering culture is big; it’s the subculture that has developed in gyms, even more so than in Europe, but from a business perspective, speed climbing seems to be something that not many gym owners are interested in.”

Yet, Emma Hunt’s upcoming Olympic appearance will be the payoff, and the “proof,” so to speak, that speed can be a worthy investment for a gym, even if commercial participation might be limited. Such a payoff often requires that gym owners and managers make a leap of faith and look beyond short-term profit margins when deciding to devote valuable wall space to speed.

“The gym owners—especially gym owner Daron Pair [prior to the Central Rock Gym ownership change], he was absolutely supportive of any decisions I made, or that [team owner] Claudiu Vidulescu made, as far as using a speed wall, setting technical sections of the speed wall,” Shulga explains. “I had full access to whatever I needed to do, as long as it was effective for training—even though it was not related to customers, it was related to the team program.”

There is no denying that speed, as a discipline, has had a rocky road of cultural and commercial acceptance in the larger climbing world. Prior to the Tokyo Olympics (in 2021), Adam Ondra publicly chastised speed climbing—a point that Shulga is quick to point out—particularly when speed was included in a novel, three-event “combined” discipline. At the upcoming Paris Olympics, in contrast, speed climbing will be featured as its own discipline—not combined with bouldering or lead climbing like it was at the Tokyo Olympics—and Shulga stresses that this separation has helped some gym owners become more accepting of speed. “In the U.S., there has long been this whole concept that speed is a ‘step brother’ of climbing, but now it’s in a different place because of growing support from gym owners. Still, not many teams operate on the level we do—we are very lucky, as far as having full support.”

A Well-Structured Program

A gym possessing a speed wall is only part of the equation, according to Shulga. At Stone Summit, much of Emma Hunt’s development in the years preceding the Paris Olympics took place off the wall. In fact, depending on the training cycle, Shulga says that up to 30 percent of Hunt’s training in the lead-up to Hunt’s Olympic berth entailed the use of other gym amenities, specifically cardio equipment and free weights. (Shulga says he personally prefers the amenity of exercise bikes, as opposed to treadmills, since they entail less rigor on an athletes’ knees.)

But Stone Summit’s programming was also structured and organized in a manner that allowed Emma Hunt to thrive. The Stone Summit team was—and still is, with its Central Rock Gym rebranding—quite large by any standard: composed of more than 300 total youth climbers (spread across the two facilities), with up to 40 coaches in the program. Some of those coaches are salaried, while many are paid hourly on a part-time basis. The team is broadly divided into a recreational tier and a competitive tier; the recreation tier has six different “clubs” (meaning, levels), while the competitive tier is split (by age and USA Climbing qualification level) into four different levels—the highest of which being the “elite” team.

Shulga says that the various categories within the whole team are fluid—and that climbers are constantly moving into different levels and tiers—although they are only allowed to move to a different level within the competitive team once per season. As Shulga explains, “It’s important to understand that in each tier and level, the kids build up relationships with the other kids on their team and with the coaches—those factors are important too. If you move a kid too often or too early, you need to understand the social dynamics and friendships; it could be difficult for a kid to move, even if they might be ready to move up in terms of climbing proficiency. It’s not always good to do it.”

The frequency of practices within the team’s program is also unique. Team owner Claudiu Vidulescu holds practices for youth climbers five days a week (and sometimes on Saturdays), but there is variability there as well. As an illustration, climbers on the elite team are required to attend a minimum of four of those weekly practices. It was actually in that leeway that Emma Hunt’s dedication first started to shine. Shulga remembers Hunt as a youth climber not only attending the team practices eagerly, but also being open to private lessons. And even when Hunt “aged out” of the team program, she sometimes showed up to participate in team practices—a perk that is offered to all alumni of the Stone Summit/Central Rock Gym youth team in Georgia.

A Family Dynamic

Shulga acknowledges that such an expansive team program comes with challenges, from turnover of hourly coaches to an occasional lack of understanding (from parents and would-be coaches) of how the team operates and how team members can progress from one level to the next. Shulga came to the United States from Ukraine in 2016; his key experience at the time had entailed overseeing a team of just 12 youth climbers in Ukraine, so he struggled with a learning curve himself. “It took me a while to grasp all the levels and learn what I can do with the coaches at the lowest level, compared to how I can help the coaches at the very top,” he admits.

On the flip side, Shulga says that the team members, themselves, don’t usually seem overwhelmed by the breadth of the gym’s team program. Shulga likens the team to an extended family, and says, “When you have a big family, you need to make sure you’re giving attention to every single family member.”

Shulga remembers giving equal attention to everyone, even as Emma Hunt began setting national records.

“I didn’t think of Emma as the only one who might go to the Olympics,” Shulga reflects. “But she was a hard worker, and her talent was working hard and smart—she believed there were no boundaries; I recognized that right away, and it worked out for her really well. I’m glad that my experience and my passion for coaching worked for her. But there were—and still are—so many good, talented kids.”

Editor’s Note: As mentioned, Stone Summit/Central Rock Gym is just one of the climbing gyms that helped a Team USA athlete reach the Paris Olympics. The other gyms—and respective Olympians—are: Pacific Edge in California (Natalia Grossman), ABC Kids Climbing in Colorado (Natalia Grossman, Colin Duffy and Brooke Raboutou; as well as Garrett Gregor, IFSC Head Routesetter for the bouldering portion of the Paris Olympics), New Jersey Rock Gym in New Jersey (Jesse Grupper), Hoosier Heights in Indiana (Piper Kelly), Movement Plano in Texas (Sam Watson), and Planet Rock in Michigan (Zach Hammer). For more information about the climbers qualified for the Paris Olympics, head to CBJ’s Paris Olympics Media Resource for Climbing Gyms and CBJ’s Paris Olympics A-to-Z Guide.

The post The Georgia Gym That Shaped an Olympian appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

As our sport, community and industry anticipate climbing’s second appearance in the Summer Olympic Games—following Sport Climbing’s debut at the Tokyo Olympics—there is perhaps even more excitement and hype than last time. After all, we now have gold medallists defending their titles, and there are now two sets of medals to earn—one for Boulder & Lead, one for Speed. The decision to give Speed its own medal was warmly received, and many hope that momentum will continue and we will see Boulder and Lead split into separate medals in the future, as well. But this summer, all eyes are on Paris…

In total, 68 of the world’s best climbing athletes (34 women, 34 men) representing 22 countries and five continents are expected to compete in Paris. Countless articles on the subject have been written by climbing and non-endemic media, and we’ve curated the best of the bunch below. Without further ado, here is everything you need to know about Sport Climbing’s second appearance in the Olympic Games. (In tandem with this article, be sure to check out our media resource for climbing gyms here.)

WHEN & WHERE TO WATCH

• Live & Replays: NBC (USA), CBC (CAN), Eurosport (Europe), all other locations (PDF)
• Results: Olympics.com
• August 5: Men’s Boulder semi-final & Women’s Speed qualification
• August 6: Women’s Boulder semi-final & Men’s Speed qualification
• August 7: Men’s Lead semi-final & Women’s Speed final
• August 8: Women’s Lead semi-final & Men’s Speed final
• August 9: Men’s Boulder & Lead final
• August 10: Women’s Boulder & Lead final

ORGANIZATIONS

• International Olympic Committee
• International Federation of Sport Climbing
• USA Climbing
• Climbing Escalade Canada
• GB Climbing
• Sport Climbing Australia
• Links to other National Federations

OFFICIAL OLYMPIC EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIERS

• See photos of the venue
• Walls: EP Climbing – video: “We built the TITAN”
• Holds: Cheeta, eXpression, Flathold, Squadra
• Macros: 360, Cheeta, Flathold, Rockcity
• Volumes: Blocz, Cheeta, Squadra
• Auto Belay: Perfect Descent
• New Olympic Uniforms Unveiled in Brooklyn (USAC)
• Paris 2024 Olympic Sport Climbing Walls Unveiled (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
• This is the Bouldering Wall for the Paris Olympics (Gripped)

OLYMPIC SUPPORT STAFF

• IF Delegate: Piero Rebaudengo (ITA)
• IF Delegate: Hazel Han (KOR)
• IFSC Event Delegate: Stanley Yeo (SGP)
• IFSC Jury President: Tim Hatch (GBR)
• IFSC Judge: Karalyn Aronow (USA)
• IFSC Judge: Nelson Lam (NZL)
• IFSC Judge: François Leonardon (FRA)
• IFSC Head Routesetter – Boulder: Garrett Gregor (USA)
• IFSC Routesetter – Boulder: Sergio Verdasco (ESP)
• IFSC Routesetter – Boulder: Tsukasa Mizuguchi (JPN)
• IFSC Routesetter – Boulder: Olga Niemiec (POL)
• IFSC Routesetter – Boulder: Tomasz Olesky (POL)
• IFSC Routesetter – Boulder: Remi Samyn (FRA)
• IFSC Head Routesetter – Lead: Martin Hammerer (AUT)
• IFSC Routesetter – Lead: Akito Matsushima (JPN)
• IFSC Routesetter – Lead: Adam Pustelnik (POL)
• IFSC Routesetter – Lead: Brad Weaver (USA)
• IFSC Routesetter – Lead: Jan Zbranek (GER)

OLYMPIC CLIMBING ESSENTIALS

1. Athlete Database for Sport Climbing Paris 2024 (UK Climbing)
2. IFSC Officials Announced for Paris 2024 (IFSC)
3. Sport Climbing Qualification and Scoring Explainer (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
4. IFSC’s Media Guide to Paris 2024 (IFSC)
5. The competition and scoring system for climbing in Paris 2024 (Desnivel)
6. Olympic Torch Goes for a Climb, Ski and Highline in Chamonix (Gripped)
7. Youth Athletes Test Paris 2024 Climbing Walls (IFSC)
8. The Olympic Qualifier Series, Explained (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
9. Here’s Who’s Setting for the Paris Olympics (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
10. Full Results and Recap of Tokyo Olympic Games (Joe Robinson, CBJ)
11. A-to-Z Tokyo Olympic Resources for Climbing Industry Insiders (CBJ)

OLYMPIC RESULTS & RECAPS

UK Climbing Videos:

• Day 1 – Men’s Boulder Semi-Final
• Day 2 – Women’s Boulder Semi-Final
• Day 3 – Men’s Lead Semi-Final
• Day 4 – Women’s Lead Semi-Final
• Toby Roberts wins Olympic Gold at Paris 2024
• Women’s Olympic Climbing 2024 – The Closest Final Yet

Janja Garnbret Wins Second Olympic Gold; Team USA Climbs to Two Medals and World Record in Paris (Joe Robinson, CBJ)

The Men’s Lead & Boulder Combined Event Has Come to an Epic Finish (John Burgman, Outside)

Garnbret, Raboutou, and Pilz Medal in the Women’s Boulder & Lead Combined Final (John Burgman, Outside)

Paris 2024 Sport Climbing – Women’s Boulder & Lead Final – “even sweeter” Gold for Garnbret (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)

IFSC Articles:

• Miroslaw Makes History With First Ever Olympic Speed Gold
• Leonardo Wins Indonesia’s First Paris 2024 Gold
• Great Britain’s Roberts Takes Men’s Boulder & Lead Gold
• Garnbret Survives Injury Scare for Second Olympic Gold

OLYMPIC PERSPECTIVE & COMMENTARY

1. Pierre Broyer, Olympic routesetter interview (Grimper)
2. Podcast: Olga Niemiec, IFSC Olympic Routesetter (That’s Not Real Climbing)
3. Olympic Route Setter Garrett Gregor on Paris 2024 (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
4. “Too Hard! Too Reachy!” The Olympic’s Routesetters Think These Criticisms Are Unfair (Owen Clarke, Outside)
5. Olympic routesetting controversy discussion (Impact Route Setting)
6. Podcast: Paris 2024 OIympics with Professional Climber and Coach Tim Kang (Testpiece Climbing)
7. Podcast: Olympic Reactions with Allison Vest (The Nugget)
8. Podcast: Commentary Queens – Men’s and Women’s Combined Finals in Paris (Circle Up with Allison and Kyra)
9. Podcast: Vertical Drag Racing – Part 2 (Alex Honnold, Climbing Gold)
10. Paris medals based on Tokyo and Los Angeles scoring (8a.nu)
11. How to Make the Climbing Olympics (Even) Better (Andrew Bisharat, Evening Sends)
12. Why Paris 2024 is Way Cooler (For Climbers) Than Tokyo 2021 (Steven Potter, Outside)
13. Was Climbing “Better” Before It Was an Olympic Sport? (Matt Samet, Outside)
14. Olympic Sport Climbing Is Dangerous. But Not How You’d Think (Owen Clarke, Outside)
15. Video: Road to the Olympics – Exclusive Interview with Ollie Torr (Lattice Training)
16. Podcast: Paris Preview (Alex Honnold, Climbing Gold)
17. Podcast: Meagan Martin – Olympics Predictions, Training like a Ninja Warrior (The Struggle)
18. Who’s Going to Podium at the Paris Olympics? Here’s Our Predictions (John Burgman, Outside)
19. How a team of climbers designed a gravity-defying boulder for a new Olympic sport (Elissaveta M. Brandon, Fast Company)
20. Meet the Paris 2024 Olympic Routesetters: Martin Hammerer, Lead (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
21. Meet the Paris 2024 Olympic Routesetters: Olga Niemiec, Boulder (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
22. Meet the Paris 2024 Olympic Routesetting Team – Garrett Gregor (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
23. WTF is a Rose Move? Plus, 39 Other Sport Climbing Terms You’ll Hear this Olympics (Matt Samet, Outside)
24. Climbing’s Olympic Legacy Already in Motion (IFSC)
25. How Our Olympic Climbers Are Supporting The Paris 2024 ‘Ecolympics’ (BMC)
26. Just How Hard is Olympic Sport Climbing? (Owen Clarke, Outside)
27. 8 Women to Watch in Boulder & Lead at the Paris Olympics (John Burgman, Outside)
28. 8 Speed Climbers To Watch for at the Paris Olympics (John Burgman, Outside)
29. The favourite climbers for the combined event in Paris 2024 (Isaac Fernandez, Desnivel)
30. Who Will Dominate Men’s Boulder & Lead at the Paris Olympics? (John Burgman, Outside)
31. What’s Different About Speed Climbing This Time Around? (Head Rush Technologies)
32. Video: Garrett Gregor – Paris 2024 head routesetter (EP Climbing)
33. Olympic heritage: a springboard for youth (Laurence Guyon, La Fabrique Verticale)
34. Climbing Moves We Might See in the Paris 2024 Olympics – and How to Do Them (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
35. What Can Regular Climbers Learn From the Eating Habits of Olympians? (Marisa Michael, Outside)
36. 12 Sport Climbing Highlights to Look Forward to in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
37. Budapest makes and breaks Paris 2024 Olympic dreams (Eddie Fowke, Planet Mountain)
38. Podcast: World Cup Rambles and Olympic Realizations (Circle Up with Allison and Kyra)
39. Who would have won Tokyo 2020 under the Paris 2024 scoring system? (Xa White, UK Climbing)
40. Video: Climbing’s Olympic “Universality Place” Explained (Tyler Norton, Plastic Weekly)
41. Video: Did the biggest names make it to Paris 2024? (UK Climbing)
42. Video: Did The Big Guns Make It? (EpicTV)
43. What legacy in climbing after the Paris 2024 Games? (Laurence Guyon, La Fabrique Verticale)
44. Paris Olympics – will there be a “wow” effect for manufacturers? (Laurence Guyon, La Fabrique Verticale)
45. What do you expect from the Paris 2024 Olympics? (Laurence Guyon, La Fabrique Verticale)
46. Shanghai Olympic Qualifier Series Combined Boulder & Lead Key Takeaways (Inside Climbing)
47. Race to the Olympics – Speed Climbing Key Takeaways from Shanghai OQS (Inside Climbing)

OLYMPIC ATHLETE PROFILES & INTERVIEWS

1. Video: How I Won Climbing Gold In Paris (Toby Roberts)
2. Video: Janja Garnbret Unfiltered – Climbing’s Greatest Competitor (adidas)
3. Team USA Sport Climbers Land in Spain for Training Camp (USAC)
4. How Hard Have Paris Olympians Climbed on Rock? (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
5. Podcast: Molly Thompson-Smith – Qualifying and preparing for the Olympics (Careless Talk)
6. Podcast: Colin Duffy – His Journey as a 2x Olympian (The Nugget)
7. Paris 2024’s favourite speed climbers (Isaac Fernandez, Desnivel)
8. Podcast: Great Expectations – Natalia Grossman and Jesse Grupper (Alex Honnold, Climbing Gold)
9. Podcast: Emma Hunt (The Nugget)
10. Sam Avezou, and Everything Becomes Possible (Antonin Pharel, Grimper)
11. The Georgia Gym That Shaped an Olympian (John Burgman, CBJ)
12. GB Climbing Olympic Coach Rachel Carr on Paris 2024 (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
13. Podcast: Brooke Raboutou – Paris Bound (Alex Honnold, Climbing Gold)
14. Podcast: Sam Watson – World’s Fastest Climber, Converting Strength to Power, Mindset Tips for Dealing with Pressure, and Olympics Preparation (The Struggle)
15. Jenya Kazbekova and Yaroslav Tkach: The Ukrainian Climbers in Paris 2024 Amid War (Anna Mavka, UK Climbing)
16. Conquering The Climb – Emma Hunt’s Ascent to Speed Climbing Stardom (Head Rush Technologies)
17. Meet the Olympic Climbers Representing Team USA at Paris 2024 (USAC)
18. Video: Colin Duffy’s Climbing Strategy for the Olympics (EpicTV)
19. Olympic Training at Portland Rock Gym – Team USA Climbers Conquer the Titan Wall (EP Climbing)
20. How a Sport Climber Prepares for the Olympics (Talia Barrington, The Cut)
21. Meet the Climbers on Team USA (Steven Potter, Outside)
22. Trio of Colorado climbers in Paris Olympics reinforce Boulder’s status as sport’s mecca (Kyle Newman, The Denver Post)
23. Four Sport Climbers Set for Team GB Debuts at Paris 2024 (GB Climbing)
24. Toby Roberts, the man who didn’t disdain (Antonin Pharel, Grimper)
25. Capucine Viglione, French speed champion and qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Alexis Piguel, Grimper)
26. McNeice, McArthur, and Thompson-Smith Qualify for Paris 2024 in Budapest (GB Climbing)
27. Raboutou Punches Her Ticket to Paris 2024 (USAC)
28. Alberto Ginés qualifies for Paris 2024 (Desnivel)
29. Hammer Punches His Ticket to Paris 2024 (USAC)
30. Brooke Raboutou Earns Gold at Olympic Qualifier Series (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
31. Bronze for Erin McNeice at the Olympic Qualifying Series in Shanghai (UK Climbing)
32. Lee, Ginés López, and Ondra Podium at Olympic Qualifier Series (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
33. Podcast: Jesse Grupper – Comp Climbing, Training, & His Relentless Positivity (TrainingBeta)
34. Janja Garnbret & Brooke Raboutou – progress through fun (Slovenian Tourist Board)
35. Video: Miho Nonaka – Japan’s Iconic Olympic Climber (adidas)
36. After Giving Up His 2020 Olympic Dreams for Family, Campbell Harrison Is Going to Paris (Holly Yu Tung Chen, Outside)
37. Podcast: The Down Under Lowdown with Campbell Harrison (Circle Up with Allison and Kyra)
38. Natalia Grossman’s Training for the Olympics (PhysiVāntage)
39. Brooke Raboutou is taking lessons from Tokyo as she eyes Paris 2024 (Nick McCarvel, Olympics.com)
40. Pay Day with Campbell Harrison (ABC News Australia)
41. Podcast: How Jesse Grupper is getting Psyched and Ready for the next Olympics (The RunOut)
42. South Korea’s Lee Dohyun Takes 50 Boulder & Lead Points in Shanghai (IFSC)
43. Raboutou Eyes Second Olympic Ticket After OQS Win (IFSC)
44. China, Indonesia Split Speed Glory in Shanghai (IFSC)
45. Conversation With… Molly Thompson-Smith (IFSC)
46. Podcast: Natalia Grossman – The Tyranny of Expectations (Enormocast)
47. Alberto Ginés – Our goal is to qualify (Eva Martos, Desnivel)
48. Podcast: Jesse Grupper (The Nugget)
49. Podcast: Jakob Schubert (The Nugget)
50. Podcast: Brooke Raboutou – An Olympian’s Mindset (The Nugget)
51. IFSC Continental Events Qualify 20 Climbing Athletes for Paris 2024 (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
52. Video: New Climbing Olympians From USA and Europe (Tyler Norton, Plastic Weekly)
53. What a Rookie Season! Sorato Anraku Is Headed to the Olympics (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
54. Video: Who is Toby Roberts?! Climbing’s New Olympian (UK Climbing)
55. Oriane Bertone and Toby Roberts Are Olympic-Bound (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
56. Toby Roberts and Oriane Bertone win IFSC European Qualifier and Olympic Tickets (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
57. Grossman, Grupper, and Watson Qualify for Paris 2024 (Mary Andino, Outside)
58. Four USA Climbing Athletes Qualify for Paris 2024 at Pan American Games (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
59. Jesse Grupper Is Going to the Olympics (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
60. Texas Teen Speeds to Ticket to Paris (USAC)
61. Gold Medal and Ticket to Paris for Piper Kelly (USAC)
62. American Speed Climber Piper Kelly Punches Ticket to Olympics (Delaney Miller, Outside)
63. Mawem and Miroslaw Qualify for Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Speed (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)

The post Paris Olympics A-to-Z for Climbing Industry Insiders appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

If the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics taught us anything, it was that Olympic momentum equates to unprecedented interest in climbing. Not only did climbing’s Olympic debut (in 2021) result in many people of all ages wanting to head to their local gym to give climbing a try, it also prompted many local media outlets to reach out to the closest climbing gym for a report on the sport’s surge in popularity. 

It’s likely that the forthcoming Paris Olympics (July 26-Aug 11) will be preceded by the same widespread interest from media outlets in climbing. In many cases, reporters will reach out to climbing gyms in hopes of not only learning about the fundamentals of climbing (What is bouldering? What is speed climbing? etc.), but also about climbing’s statistical uptick in mainstream culture, the profusion of gyms around the country, and some insight on climbing’s Olympic format and the qualified Olympians, specifically.

We want to help you be well-suited to speak on those topics, if/when the media reaches out to your gym. We also want to help your gym get positive press and publicity in conjunction with climbing’s Olympic lead-up this summer. So, we’ve put together a “cheat sheet,” of sorts, that can hopefully act as a reference guide for questions that your gym might be asked by members of the press in the next month or so. (Click here to download the fact sheet, and more Paris Olympics-related resources for climbing industry insiders can be found here.)

We hope this media reference guide proves useful as a quick and handy tool when talking with reporters. It would be greatly appreciated if you could cite Climbing Business Journal as the source for some of the various statistics, as we worked hard to gather the data that is listed in this sheet. But mostly we’re just as psyched as you that the Paris Olympics will bring new positive publicity to climbing…and to your gym.

Sincerely,
The Editors at Climbing Business Journal

The post Paris Olympics Media Resource for Climbing Gyms appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

Earlier this month, the news dropped that Para Climbing was nearing inclusion in a Paralympic Games—the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. LA28—the organizing committee for those Games—had submitted a proposal to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to add Para Climbing to the list of 22 other sports on the program. That proposal was officially approved by the IPC Governing Board on Wednesday, June 26, marking the first time Para Climbing has ever been added to a Paralympic sports program.

“Thank you to the IPC for welcoming us as part of the Paralympic family, but thanks must also go to the LA28 organizing committee for believing in our sport and making history for the both of us,” said Marco Scolaris, President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), following the approval. “By proposing climbing as an additional sport, they have given us another opportunity to fulfill our purpose—to make the world a better place through climbing. All of our Para athletes do this every day, and now they can do it on the world stage for all to see at the Paralympic Games.”

“When I first [started] climbing at 12 years old, the idea that Sport Climbing, let alone Para Climbing for people like me, would enter the world stage on the Olympic and Paralympic scale was unimaginable,” longtime Para Climbing athlete Mo Beck said of the historic moment in a USA Climbing (USAC) announcement. “I cannot wait for the opportunity for our para athletes to amaze the world with what they can do, and look forward to growing the sport in a way that is accessible to all athletes. And to 12-year-old me, I say: ‘Keep at it, you never know what heights you’ll reach with the help of an incredible community.’ LA28, let’s go!’”

More information about the approval can be found in the announcements on the IPC, IFSC and USAC websites, and additional context around the proposal can be found in the original CBJ article below.

Para Climbing Nears Inclusion at 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles

Published June 14, 2024

On Wednesday, LA28—the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles—proposed the addition of Para Climbing to the 2028 Paralympic Sports Program. The proposal marks the first time an organizing committee has proposed additional sports for both an Olympic and Paralympic sports program, and—if approved by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)—it would mark the first time Para Climbing has been added to a Paralympic sports program.

According to articles on the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) website, previously—in January 2023—the IPC decided to not include Para Climbing on the initial program for the Paralympics in Los Angeles. But the IPC did leave the door open for additional sports to be added, identifying a shortlist of sports from which LA28 could consider making a selection. That selection turned out to be Para Climbing, which would join 22 other sports on the program for those Paralympic Games, if the selection is approved. A decision from the IPC is expected on June 26, when the IPC Governing Board will be reviewing and voting on the proposal.

Per the IFSC’s announcement, “…LA28 assessed the global and domestic popularity, the universality at major international events as well as the cost and complexity of the shortlisted sport,” when making the decision. Globally, Para Climbing events sanctioned by the IFSC have long been taking place in countries around the world—including in the United States, where IFSC Para Climbing World Cups stateside have been held for four straight years, first at Sender One LAX in Los Angeles in 2021 and then at climbing gyms in Salt Lake City the past three years. Domestically, at the national level, USA Climbing (USAC) has been holding Para Climbing National Championships for over 10 years, ever since the first one at Stone Summit Atlanta in Georgia. And locally, climbing gyms and organizations in the U.S. have been running adaptive climbing programs for decades.

“It has been quite a journey, one led by amazing athletes, and an ongoing effort to see this day come to reality,” USAC CEO & President Marc Norman said in USAC’s announcement. “We’d like to thank LA28 for recognizing our athletes and look forward to a potential confirmation on June 26.”

“I just cried at work,” added Mo Beck, a decorated Para Climbing athlete and member of the USA Para Climbing National Team.

“…When we were notified by the Los Angeles 2028 Organizing Committee, my first thought was for our athletes and their chance to show the world what they can do,” IFSC President Marco Scolaris said in the aforementioned IFSC announcement. “My next one was to some of our crazy visionaries who first believed in the magic of Para Climbing, together with us. I am talking about pioneers like the former Presidents of the Italian and French Federations, Ariano Amici and Pierre You. We all took our first crazy step together in 2011 with Para Climbing’s debut at our World Championship and we hope that the next step will be the IPC confirmation.”

The summer Games in 2028 is the third edition to have a climbing event on the program. Sport Climbing first made its Olympic Games debut at the most recent summer Olympics in Tokyo, and this year speed climbing and bouldering/lead climbing will be split up into two competitions at the upcoming summer Olympics in Paris. Sport Climbing is already set for a return in Los Angeles, having been on the initial sports program since it was approved in 2022.

More information about the Para Climbing announcement can be found on the LA28, IFSC and USAC websites.

Editor’s Note: In much of the past World Cup and National Championship reportage, paraclimbing has been written as a single word; in the LA28 proposal, it is written as “Para Climbing,” so that is how we have chosen to refer to it in this article.

The post Para Climbing Added to a Paralympic Games for the First Time appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

New York, NY – April 16, 2024 – Today, The North Face has unveiled the official sport climbing competition uniforms to be worn by athletes from the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Austria in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Peak performance meets visual storytelling in the design of these uniforms. Each piece was meticulously constructed, pattern making was analyzed with 3D soft-wear, and garments were fit on climbing walls using athletes to achieve premium sport climb competition standards. Throughout the testing and development process, The North Face also worked closely with athletes including Nathaniel Coleman, Melina Costanza, and Nina Williams to ensure the design and construction of the product exceeded expectations.

Visually, The North Face drew inspiration from iconic mountains in each region in designing each uniform – Mount Denali in the U.S., Mount Grossglockner in Austria, Mt. Fuji in Japan and the Hallasan Volcano in South Korea. These mountains are the highest peak in each region, signifying athletes reaching the “highest peak” in their sport. 

The uniforms are also marked by an external taping construction that challenges tradition without sacrificing performance. By shifting traditionally internal construction methods to the exterior of the garment, The North Face has created a distraction free, next-to-skin product that simultaneously highlights iconic North Face Climb DNA. 

Sport climbing made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, making this year only the second time the sport has appeared at the Games. As noted on the official Olympics website, sport climbing is a modern sport that has become immensely popular over the past 20 years. There are over 25 million climbers in 150 countries all over the world, and 39% of climbers under 18 years old.

The North Face was founded in 1966 as a climbing store and since then, has maintained its position at the center of the climbing community. Through its support of climbers of all levels – from the pinnacle of competition on the Olympic stage to introducing and inspiring newcomers to the sport – The North Face is the timeless leader within the world of climbing.  

In addition to the uniforms designed for The U.S., Japan, South Korea and Austria, The North Face also designed a sport climbing competition kit for France. While French athletes will be wearing different uniforms to fulfill conflicting sponsorship obligations, versions of both the French and United States competition kit will be available for consumers to purchase on July 1st, 2024. The available pieces will include men’s and women’s competition shorts, t-shirts and tank tops, with prices ranging from $80-$145. 

CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

The post The North Face Unveils Official Sport Climbing Competition Uniforms For Paris Olympic Games appeared first on Climbing Business Journal.

So much happens in any one calendar year, and last year was no exception. In 2023, several developments in the climbing gym industry in North America proved significant enough to transcend the niche climbing gym space and garner headlines in the media at large. For example, one climbing gym chain—Movement—acquired additional facilities that quantitatively made Movement the largest climbing gym chain in the world. Elsewhere, one of the biggest industry news stories of 2023 revolved around a $6 million settlement pertaining to a 2019 auto belay accident at Vertical World in Seattle, Washington. In a wholly different legal realm, more employees unionized at climbing gyms last year than ever before (see below for more info). And as the calendar turned to 2024, climbing gym owners themselves were mobilizing in opposition of USA Climbing’s plans for a new National Training Center in Salt Lake City.

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“Building anything from scratch is hard,” keynote speaker Kevin Jorgeson told a packed audience inside the Salt Palace Convention Center at the 2022 CWA Summit in Salt Lake City. Jorgeson’s speech had a hopeful tone, but there was no denying that the climbing gym industry was facing some hard challenges; it was rebounding from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was continuing to adapt amid rising inflation and supply chain issues that had plagued industry-related manufacturing for months.

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