Climbing Works Summer Youth Cup & Squad Selection Event - 8th June
- Ruth
- May 2, 2024
- 2 min read
The Climbing Works has hosted many grassroots youth climbing events over the years, aiming to share our love for the sport, and get more young people involved. The Schools Bouldering competition and the Young Climbers Festival are open to all abilities and are fun competitions with relatively low pressure.
With the youth climbing scene getting stronger and stronger and a high concentration of talented young climbers living in Sheffield or nearby, two years ago the Climbing Works team came up with the Summer Youth Cup. A youth competition for experienced climbers only. Giving young climbers the chance to showcase their skills, get psyched and try up to 30 boulders of varying difficulty.
Climbers do not need to have competed before, but they do need to have a fair amount of climbing experience, and to have climbed F6a to get the most from this competition.
Prizes will be awarded for each age category, for Male and Female. There will be prizes for 3rd place, 2nd place and 1st place.
Selection event
Instead of our usual annual squad selection event, we will be using this years summer cup as a way to select new squad members and to determine the correct groups for our current advanced climbers.
Any climbers that are interested in joining our Advanced Kids Club, Advanced Youth Club, WADs or WADs+ sessions, must take part in the selection event.
All current advanced club and squad members must attend this event to keep their spot. This is important for us to determine the correct groups for each current member, and to set benchmarks for new members wishing to join.
If you are unable to make the date, or wish to discuss other options if you feel like your child may struggle with the format of this selection, please email Olly@climbingworks.com .
Details
Date: 8th June
Time:
Youth C, D & E @ 8:30-1:30pm
Youth A & B @ 2:00-6:30pm
Venue: Unit E
Age Categories:
Youth A - born in 2007 or 2008
Youth B - born in 2009 or 2010
Youth C - born in 2011 or 2012
Youth D - born in 2013 or 2014
Youth E - born in 2015 or 2016
Format
30 Boulders Per Category
Scramble Format
5 Attempts Per Boulder
2.5 Hours to Complete
Scoring
Competitors will be scored on boulder tops - this is controlling the top hold with 2 hands. They will also be scored on zones - this is a marked hold on the climb which has to be controlled - this can be with one hand.
For each competitor attempting a boulder the judge will record:
The number of attempts required to gain the marked ZONE hold
The number of attempts required to reach the Top hold
The competitors shall be ranked according to the following criteria:
First, in descending order, the number of successfully completed boulders (“TOPS”)
Second, in descending order, the total number of ZONE points gained by the competitor
Third, in ascending order, the total number of attempts to complete the boulders
Fourth, in ascending order, the total number of attempts to achieve these zone points.
Your overall score will be the sum of your 30 boulder scores.
Each attempt will have a time limit of 3 minutes.
The mix of low-pressure events for beginners and more advanced competitions like the Summer Youth Cup creates opportunities for climbers of all levels to grow and challenge themselves. I especially like how the event gives talented young athletes a chance to showcase their abilities and connect with others who share their passion. In a way, it reminds me of Slope Rider, where I enjoy pushing my limits, overcoming obstacles, and improving through practice and determination.
Noticing the 30 boulders and F6a requirement, I’m struck by how this event filters for serious young climbers – it’s a world away from just playing tekken 3 online for fun. While sipping coffee, I contrasted its structured scoring with gaming; here, every attempt and zone hold is measured, which really shows the sport’s analytical side.
While they are fun and community-focused, they still allow Trees Hate You coaches and clubs to observe potential and guide motivated climbers toward more structured training pathways, such as squad selection programs.
Excited to see the Summer Youth Cup return! It's great to have events that nurture young talent in climbing while keeping it fun and accessible. Also, trees hate you for providing a unique perspective on nature!
Reading that youth climbers need to have climbed F6a and will tackle 30 boulders, it reminds me of how we use tools like a name numerology calculator to understand our traits