USA Climbing recently released its 2024-2025 Rulebook, which included several notable changes to previous years’ rules and regulations. The changes ranged from preparatory and operational alterations—such as host facilities being able to apply for a limited waiver allowing members of the public to climb on Qualification Events’ routes and boulders during setting week—to terminology tweaks, like an event’s Chief Routesetter now being referred to as the Head Routesetter. [Editor’s Note: Gym customers who climb on QE routes/boulders during setting week are prohibited from competing in said event; per the new rulebook, those customers cannot be “potential competitors, coaches, or representatives of potential competitors.”]
Youth age categories were also changed for the 2024-2025 season, explained in-depth by USA Climbing here. The decision to change the age categories was largely the result of discussions and deliberation between USA Climbing staff and members of a Youth Series Task Force. Qualitative and quantitative data was also collected and “played a critical role in the decisions made for the upcoming 2024-2025 season,” per the announcement above.
Most of the amendments to the rules are listed near the beginning of USA Climbing’s new rulebook, in a page titled “Highlighted Changes.” The full 2024-2025 rulebook can be found here.
Panning out, the various changes to the rules came approximately nine months after the formation of the Competition Advisory Committee, a joint group comprised of representatives from the Climbing Wall Association (including many gym owners and operators) and USA Climbing. The Competition Advisory Committee met biweekly to discuss the logistics of hosting competitions and to “provide advice on creating a sustainable competition climbing infrastructure that meets the needs of indoor climbing facilities, competitors, volunteers, and the climbing industry as a whole,” according to Garnet Moore, committee member and Executive Director of the CWA.
The Competition Advisory Committee was not created with a goal of changing any particular USA Climbing rules, Moore explained, nor did the committee have voting authority regarding any rule alterations or changes. However, Moore noted that the Competition Advisory Committee was given notice that rule changes were coming (prior to the new rulebook’s publication) based on committee conversations. “I believe that this more collaborative effort has really helped give USA Climbing deeper insight into gym operations and a better understanding of the ways that certain rules and policies can have a higher impact than a non-operator might assume,” Moore told CBJ.
Climbing Business Journal is an independent news outlet dedicated to covering the indoor climbing industry. Here you will find the latest coverage of climbing industry news, gym developments, industry best practices, risk management, climbing competitions, youth coaching and routesetting. Have an article idea? CBJ loves to hear from readers like you!
