Date: 20-01-2025
Understanding the new IFSC Category changes,
The IFSC have updated their category system for youth events starting in 2024, and Climbing New Zealand (CNZ) has adjusted their athlete selection format to reflect these changes.
Here’s a breakdown of the new IFSC categories and their equivalents in CNZ’s updated selection format:
- YD (Youth D) becomes U13: This category is for climbers under 13 years old.
- YC (Youth C) becomes U15: This category is for climbers under 15 years old.
- YB (Youth B) becomes U17: This category is for climbers under 17 years old.
- YA (Youth A) becomes U19: This category is for climbers under 19 years old.
- Junior becomes U21: This category is for climbers under 21 years old.
Climbing New Zealand (CNZ) has made important updates to its athlete selection process to align with the new categories introduced by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), with a key change affecting the Junior/U21 category. The IFSC will no longer host this category at the World Youth Event moving forward, prompting CNZ to adjust its selection approach accordingly.
The main impact is on the Junior/U21 category, which is no longer part of the World Youth Event under the IFSC. However, CNZ will still consider selections for the Australian Youth Nationals later in the year, contingent on whether the Australian Sport Climbing Association (SCA) opts to host the U21 category.
Should the SCA choose to include the U21 category at the Australian Youth Nationals, CNZ will select athletes who have either participated in the Boulder Nationals held late last year or the upcoming Lead Nationals. This ensures that athletes have met certain competitive standards as part of the selection process for international events.
Climbing New Zealand will not be registering Athletes under the U21 Category, instead Athletes will enter CNZ Events as an Open Athlete.
For more information, Please contact Climbing New Zealand: