Just a few thoughts
Competition climbing pre-dates climbing gyms, and comps have always had a huge influence on routesetting and gym culture. So it’s interesting to see this week both a rebrand of the IFSC, and a new concept launched. Also below some perspectives on our community and industry.
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Community & Culture
- Industry Pros Weigh In on What’s New In the Climbing Industry (Audrey Lee, Athletic Business)
- Toxic Conflict at Climbing Gym Divides a Mountain Town (Maya Silver, Outside)
- Do Men Climb More Bravely Than Women? (Hazel Findlay, Outside)
- “Real climbers” versus “indoor climbers” – anatomy of a false debate (Matthew Amaré, Vertige Media)
- Climber Faces Homicide Charges After His Partner Dies. When Does a Bad Decision Become a Crime? (Owen Clarke, Outside)
Comp Scene
- World Climbing Launches New Global Identity (IFSC)
- 2025–2026 CEC Rules Update – What’s New This Season (Christiane Marceau, CEC)
- A New Tournament Format Pits Professional Climbers Against Each Other in a Thrilling Competition Broadcast by Red Bull TV (CBJ)
- Toby Roberts and Janja Garnbret Amongst Competitors in New Comp Format (UK Climbing)
- Video: This Paris Bouldering Comp Was Not What We Expected (EpicTV)
Industry Scene
- Paris Climbing Show 2026 – the complete conference program (Pierre-Gaël Pasquiou, Vertige Media)
- What Vertical Pro / Halls & Walls reveals about the climbing market (Laurence Guyon, La Fabrique Verticale)
- November Gym Round Up (Euro Climbing News)
For Managers
- Jan 21: Lease or Buy? Choosing the Right Path for Your Project (webinar ft. Chris Ryan) (CBJ)
- Jan 26-30: Certification Summit in Florida (CWA)
- Inclusive Workshops coming to Ireland in January (NICAS)
- Video: Wall and Hold Texture – The secret ingredient to success? (Maverick Climbing)
For Routesetters
- Dec 29: Routesetting Roundtable Webinar (CWA)
- Podcast: Lessons From the Sharp End of Modern Setting – Mike Bockino (Holly Yu Tung Chen, CBJ)
- New Climbing Holds and Volumes: December 2025 (CBJ)
- RouteTags Launches To Enhance Your Walls (CBJ)
- The Candy Shop Unveils New Brand Identity & Moves to Dedicated Domain (CBJ)
- Pitch A Guest For The Impact Driver Podcast (Holly Yu Tung Chen)
- Video: How to use blockers to gradually increase precision (The Movement Routesetting)
Training Tips
- Podcast: Dr. Tyler Nelson on How to Maintain and GAIN Strength Beyond Age 35 (The Struggle)
- Podcast: Train More Effectively – The Systems Approach That Will Transform Your Climbing (Eric Hörst, Training 4 Climbing)
- Video: How I Fix Stubborn Medial Elbow Pain / ‘Tendinitis’ (Hooper’s Beta)
Many of the links above are from third-party sources, and the views expressed at those links do not necessarily represent the views of the CBJ editorial team. We share this content to help readers stay informed about what is happening in the industry and the community of climbing.
