USA Climbing is the national governing body of the sport of competition climbing in the United States. 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: the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.Tokyo 2020 olympics.com
Competition history Below is a brief timeline of American competition climbing history:
1988 & 1989 – Stand-alone World Cup events at Snowbird, Utah, were organized by UIAA and the American Alpine Club. 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 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. 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. 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. 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.
Starting with the 2024-2025 season:
USA Climbing adopted U13, U15, U17, U19, and U20 category names based on birth year, doing away with the Jr/A/B/C/D terms. This restructuring was driven by a desire to align with international standards and IFSC changes, especially for youth progression and eligibility for international events like Youth World Championships.
Starting in 2025-2026 season: youth age groups split into U20 M/O and F, U19 M/O and F, U17 M/O and F, U15 M/O and F, and U13 M/O/F.
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.
Adaptive Adaptive provides access for athletes with physical disabilities to compete in both bouldering and lead/top rope climbing.
Categories included in Adaptive are open to those with physical disabilities: Neurological / Physical Disability, Visual Impairment, Upper Extremity Amputee, Lower Extremity, Amputee, Seated, Youth.
Elite bouldering
The following are the results for bouldering at Elite National Championship level.
Male 2005 Daniel Woods Mike Feinberg Matt Segal 2006 Daniel Woods Ethan Pringle Nicholas Sherman 2007 Daniel Woods Paul Robinson Sean McColl 2008 Paul Robinson Chris Sharma Sean McColl 2009 Daniel Woods Paul Robinson Sean McColl 2010 Daniel Woods Matt Bosley Robert D'Anastasio 2011 Sean McColl Alex Johnson Kyle Owen 2012 Daniel Woods Ethan Pringle Michael Bautista 2013 Daniel Woods Ian Dory Vasya Vorotnikov 2014 Daniel Woods Vasya Vorotnikov Andy Lamb 2015 Mohammad Jafari Mahmodabadi Daniel Woods Michael O'Rourke 2016 Nathaniel Coleman Jimmy Webb Carlo Traversi 2017 Nathaniel Coleman Kai Lightner Alexey Rubtsov 2018 Nathaniel Coleman Sean Bailey Drew Ruana 2019 Sean Bailey Nathaniel Coleman Drew Ruana 2020 Nathaniel Coleman Sean Bailey Ben Hanna 2021 Colin Duffy Ben Hanna Zach Galla 2022 Dillon Countryman Sean Bailey Luke Muehring 2023 Adam Shahar Hugo Hoyer Dillon Countryman 2024 Vail Everett Zander Waller Brendan Beauchamp 2025https://usac.climb8a.com/event/13694 Benjamin Hanna Joshua Gerhardt Vail Everett 2026 Hugo Hoyer Cozmo Rothfork Sergey Lakhno
Female 2005 Portia Menlove Lizzy Asher Alex Johnson 2006 Alex Puccio Alex Johnson Angie Payne 2007 Alex Puccio Elizabeth Asher Angie Payne 2008 Alex Puccio Alex Johnson Paige Claassen 2009 Alex Johnson Chauncenia Cox Kate McGinnis 2010 Alex Puccio Alex Johnson Francesca Metcalf 2011 Alex Puccio Francesca Metcalf Sasha DiGiulian 2012 Alex Puccio Angie Payne Shauna Coxsey 2013 Alex Puccio Andrea Szekely Isabelle Faus 2014 Juliane Wurm Alex Puccio Megan Mascarenas 2015 Alex Puccio Alex Johnson Angie Payne 2016 Megan Mascarenas Alex Puccio Claire Buhrfeind 2017 Alex Puccio Ashima Shiraishi Brooke Raboutou 2018 Alex Puccio Ashima Shiraishi Brooke Raboutou 2019 Ashima Shiraishi Alex Johnson Margo Hayes 2020 Natalia Grossman Cloe Coscoy Alex Johnson 2021 Melina Costanza Kylie Cullen Maya Madere 2022 Anastasia Sanders Cloe Coscoy Mira Capicchioni 2023 Melina Costanza Kylie Cullen Jojo Chi 2024https://www.usacresults.org/scores/?eid=2098 Melina Costanza Cloe Coscoy Jojo Chi 2025 Melina Costanza Adriene Akiko Clark Nekaia Sanders 2026 Natalia Grossman Brooke Raboutou Melina Costanza
Elite lead
The following are the results for lead at Elite National Championship level
Male 2004 Vadim Vinokur Ethan Pringle Ionel Ene 2005 Ethan Pringle Vadim Vinokur Daniel Woods 2006 Daniel Woods Vasya Vorotnikov Gabor Szekely 2007 ? ? ? 2008 Chris Sharma Jon Cardwell Dave Graham 2009 Carlo Traversi Dave Graham Ethan Pringle 2010 Magnus Midtbo Daniel Woods Matty Hong 2011 Magnus Midtbo Carlo Traversi Matty Hong 2012 Vasya Vorotnikov Dylan Barks Daniel Woods 2013 Daniel Woods Carlo Traversi Noah Ridge 2014 Brad Weaver Noah Ridge Robert D'Anastasio 2015 Kai Lightner Jesse Grupper Matty Hong 2016 Sean Bailey Kai Lightner Ben Tresco 2017 Kai Lightner Jesse Grupper Drew Ruana 2018 Sean Bailey Drew Ruana Solomon Barth 2019 Jesse Grupper Zander Waller Solomon Barth 2020 Not held n/a n/a 2021 Jesse Grupper Colin Duffy Nathaniel Coleman 2022 Sean Bailey Jesse Grupper Hugo Hoyer 2023 Hugo Hoyer Sergey Lakhno Ross Fulkerson 2024https://www.usacresults.org/scores/?eid=2098 Cruz Padilla Hugo Hoyer Sergey Lakhno 2025https://usac.climb8a.com/event/13658 Sergey Lakhno Declan Osgood Dillon Countryman 2026 Colin Duffy Dillon Countryman Jesse Grupper
Female 2004 Emily Harrington Lizzy Asher Elizabeth Broun 2005 Emily Harrington Elizabeth Broun Lizzy Asher 2006 Emily Harrington Andrea Szekely Mykael-Ann McGinley 2007 ? ? ? 2008 Emily Harrington Paige Claassen Tiffany Hensley 2009 Emily Harrington Paige Claassen Sasha DiGiulian 2010 Sasha DiGiulian Lauren Lee Paige Claassen 2011 Sasha DiGiulian Paige Claassen Dana Riddle 2012 Sasha DiGiulian Delaney Miller Michaela Kiersch 2013 Charlotte Durif Delaney Miller Chelsea Rude 2014 Delaney Miller Sasha DiGiulian Claire Buhrfeind 2015 Delaney Miller Margo Hayes Claire Buhrfeind 2016 Margo Hayes Grace McKeehan Michaela Kiersch 2017 Ashima Shiraishi Margo Hayes Brooke Raboutou 2018 Claire Buhrfeind Michaela Kiersch Alex Puccio 2019 Margo Hayes Ashima Shiraishi Katherine Lamb 2020 Not held n/a n/a 2021 Quinn Mason Melina Costanza Kyra Condie 2022 Anastasia Sanders Quinn Mason Kyra Condie 2023 Melina Costanza Adriene Clark Analise Van Hoang 2024https://www.usacresults.org/scores/?eid=2098 Melina Costanza Analise Van Hoang Quinn Mason 2025 Adriene Akiko Clark Ella Fisher Melina Costanza 2026 Brooke Raboutou Analise Van Hoang Alexandra Inghilterra
Elite speed
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 2004 Patrick Cassiday Brian Solano Ethan Pringle 2005 Hans Florine Patrick Cassiday Brett Ashton 2006 Patrick Cassiday Vadim Vinokur Eric Cosman 2007 ? ? ? 2008 Ryan Roden Brian Furciniti Daniel Duran 2009 Ryan Roden Nic Sutton Michael Perry 2010 Eric Sanchez Nic Sutton Joshua Levin 2011 Alex Johnson Joshua Levin Mark Puccio 2012 Alex Johnson Joshua Levin Charlie Andrews-Jubelt 2013 Joshua Levin Dominic LaBarge Thomas Pitzel 2014 John Brosler Stanislav Kokorin Ryan Strickland 2015 Libor Hroza John Brosler Michael Retoff 2016 Libor Hroza John Brosler Max Hammer 2017 John Brosler Libor Hroza Max Hammer 2018 John Brosler Jordan Fishman Max Hammer 2019 John Brosler Noah Bratschi Joe Goodacre2020 Not held n/a n/a2021 Joe Goodacre Rafe Stokes Micah Liss2022 Sam Watson Merritt Ernsberger Noah Bratschi2023 Michael Hom Thomas Lin Logan Miner2024https://www.usacresults.org/scores/?eid=2098 Merritt Ernsberger Logan Miner Taede Mai2025https://usac.climb8a.com/speed/event/602172 Michael Hom Logan Schlecht Merritt Ernsberger2026 Ben Jennings Noah Bratschi William Eaton
Female 2004 Mykael-Ann McGinley Audrey Gawrych Emily Harrington 2005 Mykael-Ann McGinley Stephanie Outland Josie McKee 2006 Mykael-Ann McGinley Jayme Hatch Stephanie Outland 2007 2008 Tiffany Hensley Amanda Sutton Stephanie Outland 2009 Amanda Sutton Mykael-Ann McGinley Tiffany Hensley 2010 Shannon Lochridge Amanda Sutton Taylor Mitchell 2011 Dana Riddle Amanda Sutton Delaney Miller 2012 Danielle Rogan Jacquelyn Wu Kyra Condie 2013 Kyra Condie Kayla Lieuw Marissa Romero 2014 Megan Carr Danielle Rogan Jacquelyn Wu 2015 Sidney Trinidad Grace Mckeehan Kyra Condie 2016 Claire Buhrfeind Sidney Trinidad Erica Meister 2017 Claire Buhrfeind Amanda Wooten Grace McKeehan 2018 Claire Buhrfeind Piper Kelly Amanda Wooten 2019 Emma Hunt Piper Kelly Sienna Kopf 2020 Not held n/a n/a 2021 Callie Close Emma Hunt Piper Kelly 2022 Callie Close Piper Kelly Sophia Curcio 2023 Isis Rothfork Kaitlyn Bone Kailer Kordewick 2024https://www.usacresults.org/scores/?eid=2098 Emma Hunt Sophia Curcio Isis Rothfork 2025https://usac.climb8a.com/speed/event/602172 Micaela Patajo Kayleigh Borek Isis Rothfork 2026 Sophia Curcio Piper Kelly Kayleigh Borek
Current US speed climbing records