Youth and Masters Bouldering Update

With preparations for the Youth and Masters Championships progressing well a few updates and reminders to our athletes.

To register for the event access the registration page HERE.

Remember that this event is the first event under the new season and therefore the age categories have changed. Please refer to the table below to check your correct category for this event. Note: we will check categories as part of the event setup process if you have registered incorrectly.

Age categories for Youth and Masters Bouldering Championships 2020/21
Masters – born during 1986 or earlier
Juniors – born during 2002/2003
Youth A – born during 2004/2005
Youth B – born during 2006/2007
Youth C – born during 2008/2009
Youth D – born during 2010 (or later)  

This event is also a selection event for New Zealand Team selections for 2021. Please refer to the Climbing New Zealand website if you wish to review the selection policy. Link to Policy.

If you have any questions or queries relating to the selection process please send an email to this email address 

Update on dealing Covid-19 impacts

For the Youth and Masters Bouldering Championships, we are planning the event so that it can proceed under level 2 conditions. This will include the scenario where Wellington is at level 2, and in the scenario that another region of New Zealand is at level two. In both cases processes and protocols around the event will be to a level 2 compliance standard.

The event will be cancelled or postponed if the covid-19 alert levels are above 2 in Wellington (or it is highly likely for this to be the case based on any issues arising in the 4 weeks prior to the event).

If there are disruptions to selection events related to covid-19:

1. The intent is to honour the principles and processes that have been documented in the published Selection Policy if this is at all possible.

2. Should covid-19 restrictions result in the cancellation of a selection event then there will need to be a reconsideration of the selection process for the 2021 Teams.

3. Should covid-19 restriction result in  regional restrictions and some climbers not being able to attend the event, we will ensure that all climbers seeking an opportunity for NZ Team selection to be fairly considered. This may mean arranging a regional event as a means of providing that opportunity and some adjustments to selections into selection camps as a result.

We looking forward to see you all in Wellington at the end of this month.

Richard Waldin
President 
Climbing New Zealand
 0274972677

Note: This event is part of the new CNZ climbing season (2020/2021) and therefore there are new age categories that apply for this event. This event is a qualifying event for New Zealand Team and Development Squad selection for 2021.

CNZ Age Categories for CNZ events between 1st of September 2020 and 31st August 2021 (new season):

Masters – born during 1986 or earlier
Opens   –  born during 2005 or earlier
Juniors – born during 2002/2003
Youth A – born during 2004/2005
Youth B – born during 2006/2007
Youth C – born during 2008/2009
Youth D – born during 2010 (or later)

You can register here.
REGISTER NOW

Covid-19. The planning for this event includes plans to be able to run the event under normal level 2 conditions (events up to 100 people indoors). Additional processes may be required at the event to ensure that the rules that apply are adhered to.

Kind Regards

Richard Waldin
For Climbing New Zealand Management Committee

Covid-19 Impacts

Covid-19 continues to disrupt our daily lives and in recent weeks the impact on our planned events for 2020 has been substantial. I share your disappointment whether you are an athlete, parent, supporter, or volunteer. I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to prepare for events over the last 2-3 months as it seemed we were returning to normal. Please enjoy the climbing that you are able to do, support your clubs and your gyms, they need your support, be kind to yourselves and others. Kia Kaha.

CNZ Open Bouldering Championships – Postponed until 2021

The CNZ Open Bouldering Championships scheduled for 19th of September has been postponed until 2021. We are looking at dates from mid-February and will confirm the re-scheduled date as soon as possible. This decision was taken given the current restrictions in Auckland, the uncertainty about when group gathering limits will be relaxed and internal travel challenges and uncertainty generally. We are also trying to do the right thing in support of Gyms in these uncertain times.

We are also confirming that the CNZ Lead and Para Championships cancelled earlier this month and the Secondary Schools Championships cancelled earlier this week are not able to be re-scheduled in 2020.

CNZ Youth and Masters Bouldering Championship

We are still planning for the Youth and Masters Bouldering Championships for the 31st of October / 1st of November, at HangDog in Wellington. This event should be able to proceed provided the country is at level 2 with no regional travel restrictions and group gathering restrictions are set to 100.

New Season events and new age categories

The CNZ Open Bouldering Championships and the CNZ Youth and Masters Bouldering Championships are part of the new CNZ Competition season that now runs from September (2020) to April (2021). These events are qualifying events for New Zealand Team and Development Squad selections for 2021. A new season Lead and Para Championship event will also be scheduled in early 2021. For all these events the following age categories apply:

Masters – born during 1986 or earlier
Opens   –  born during 2005 or earlier
Para-climbers – born during 2005 or earlier
Juniors – born during 2002/2003
Youth A – born during 2004/2005
Youth B – born during 2006/2007
Youth C – born during 2008/2009
Youth D – born during 2010 (or later)

Thanks to sponsors

A shout out to our event sponsors, Rab and The North Face, and our media partners The New Zealand Sports Collective and SkySport Now for staying with us in these hard times. Please continue to support them for supporting us.

Richard Waldin
President, Climbing New Zealand
For Climbing New Zealand Management Committee

As you will all be aware, Auckland has been put into level 3 lockdown from midday today (Wednesday) until midnight on Friday. The rest of the country will be at level 2 for the same period. All non-essential travel to Auckland prohibited up until midnight Friday, and no certainty about restrictions beyond that time frame.

There is no other choice but to cancel the Lead Championships this week-end.

This is incredibly disappointing particularly knowing all the hard work that has gone into the preparations for this and other events after the previous lockdown period. Thanks to all of the volunteers who have helped in preparation and who were ready to help this week and in the week-end.

As this is uncharted waters, we are still to work out what this will mean for future events this year. At this stage the schools event is still on as scheduled, however a decision on whether this goes ahead will be made early next week.

We will follow up with more information in the coming days including refund processes.

Kia Kaha

Richard

Richard Waldin
President 
Climbing New Zealand
www.climbing.nz 
+64274972677

Selection Policy

At our management committee meeting on the 29th of July the new Climbing New Zealand selection policy was ratified. The new policy can be accessed on the website here. Selection Policy Page.

With the adoption of the new selection policy Climbing New Zealand introduce a new climbing season for our events. The new season will run from September to April of the following year.

New age groups for CNZ events (excluding Schools events) come into effect from the 1st of September 2020.

This change in age groups is a key change to ensure that athletes seeking selection compete fairly against each other in selection events. By way of example selection events to select the New Zealand Teams and Development Squads for the 2021 year has climbers competing in their 2021 age category from 1 September 2020.

CNZ events in 2020 that are included in the new season:

CNZ Open Boulder Championships 2020

This event is open to any climber who is 15 years or older on the date of the event, specific provision in the new Selection Policy. Event date is 19th of September, registration will open shortly.

Youth and Masters Bouldering Championship 2020

This re-scheduled event is scheduled for the 31st of October and 1st of November 2020. The event is being hosted by the Dynomites club at Hangdog in Wellington.

Please study the new age categories carefully to understand how this change affects you.

CNZ Age Categories for CNZ events between 1st of September 2020 and 30th April 2021 (new season):

Masters – born during 1986 or earlier
Opens   –  born during 2005 or earlier (but must be at least 15 on the date of the event)
Para-climbers – born during 2005 or earlier
Juniors – born during 2002/2003
Youth A – born during 2004/2005
Youth B – born during 2006/2007
Youth C – born during 2008/2009
Youth D – born during 2010 (or later)

We will provide more information on the overall selection process ahead of the new season events.

Richard Waldin
President
Climbing New Zealand

National Secondary Schools Climbing Championship 2020

Due to Covid-19 restrictions this event has been cancelled

Climbing New Zealand is pleased to be able to bring together this National Secondary Schools event in 2020. The event will be held on the 31^st of August and 1^st of September at Extreme Edge Panmure, Auckland.

The event has two categories junior and senior for both male and female. The format is a combined format featuring all three climbing disciplines Speed, Bouldering and Roped Climbing (Top Rope format for this event).

There will be awards for the top climbers in each category, top school overall and top school in speed climbing.

Senior category finals will be live streamed on the Tuesday afternoon, there will also be a video summary of the event produced. Thanks to SkySport Next and the New Zealand Sports Collective.

Thanks to Extreme Edge Panmure and our team of Climbing New Zealand and Auckland Sport Climbing Association volunteer organisers.

Details of the event and the registration process are available here. Event Information and Registration Registrations close on August 14th.

https://www.sky.co.nz/sky-sport-next.

Climbing is a fast growing sport and recreation for all ages. In 2021 Sport Climbing will have its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.

I am pleased to announce that we have been able to re-schedule the National Lead Championships, postponed from May. Event to be held at Extreme Edge Panmure, Auckland on the 15th and 16th of August 2020.

Note: This event is not a qualification event for New Zealand Team selection for 2021. More information to come on selection process with a Lead event in early 2021 to be scheduled.

Register here.

We have also confirmed the following events are to go ahead as scheduled.

• 31 Aug/1 Sept NZ Secondary Schools National Championship 2020 – Panmure Extreme Edge, Auckland. Contact your school about attending this event.
• 19 Sept – CNZ National Open Bouldering Championships 2020 – Northern Rocks, Glenfield, Auckland

We are continuing to seek a revised date for the Youth and Masters Bouldering Championship later in the year.

We look forward to seeing you all at these upcoming events. All the best for your training and preparation.

Richard Waldin
President
Climbing New Zealand

To: Climbing New Zealand Athletes and Supporters
From: Richard Waldin, Climbing New Zealand President

This is my first opportunity to formally share updates with you since my election to the President’s role in April 2020. There has been a lot to catch up on and plenty of challenges at present for all sports and sporting organisations. Thank you all for your continuing support for your Clubs, your Gyms and Climbing New Zealand.

I am pleased to announce new Management Committee members, Jacob Dodds, Secretary, Amanda Speed, Athlete’s Rep., and Lara Whiting, Auckland Sport Climbing Club representative. Full Management Committee list is on our website here.

David Sanders, outgoing President remains heavily involved in the sport, David along with Sarah Hay are our representatives on the IFSC Oceania Council and David continues to be our liaison with the IFSC. David is also engaged with our new competitions sub-committee preparing for our competitions in 2020.

We have also confirmed our Selection Panel for 2020. Rob Moore, Peter Lofthouse and Fabrizio Facchini are our selectors with Ian Hallam the Panel Convenor.

I am also pleased to confirm the return of our key competition sponsors Rab and The North Face for 2020. Please support these brands that support our Sport.

While we have already had to withdraw our involvement in the IFSC World Youth Climbing Championships (this event has now been formally cancelled) and our involvement in other international events this year is uncertain, I do want to recognise all the athletes who have been selected to New Zealand Teams in 2020. The team lists are all on our website under the NEW ZEALAND TEAM heading.

On the domestic front, we did manage to have a successful Speed Climbing Championship event in early March. Several speed records were set, and congratulations to our Open Champions Kade Allan and Amanda Speed. Full results are on PIKI here. All speed records are now listed on the website here.

With COVID-19 alert level at 2 and athletes back into the Gyms (and onto the Crags) we are now starting to consider what competitions we can organise in 2020. There is much to consider as we work through the issues. To assist us, we are surveying climbers and parents to gauge opinions. Please contact your local club if you have not seen the survey.

We have had good news with the confirmation of the Oceania Open Combined Championships (Olympic Qualification Event) now confirmed for the 19^th and 20^th of December 2020.

We welcome your feedback, thoughts and ideas – engage with your local club, contact any member of the Climbing New Zealand Management Committee or contact me directly.

Kind Regards

Richard

Richard Waldin
President
Climbing New Zealand
0274 972 677

www.climbing.nz

Climbing New Zealand – National Selection Panel Member

We are seeking expressions of interest from suitability qualified individuals for a role on the National Selection Panel. This role operates as a part of a panel of 3 selectors, the other two being the current National Youth Coach and current Opens Coach. The selection panel selects Youth, Open and Para teams and development squads, guided by the Selection Policy.

Key attributes:

• A passion for the sport of Sport Climbing, and a desire to it grow and thrive in New Zealand;
• Ability to work with young athletes and identify talent;
• Ability to analyse results and apply quantitative and qualitative assessments as required;
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills;
• Highly respected amongst the Climbing community;
• Understanding of IFSC international regulations and rules of the Sport.

Expectations:

• Able to attend National qualifying competitions and events as required.
• Participate in selection meetings or online calls.
• Support meeting key decision timelines.

This is an un-paid volunteer role, with expenses reimbursed. Appointment is for one year to appoint teams for 2021.

Please submit expressions of interest with background and qualifications to by the 20^th of May 2020, or contact Richard Waldin on 0274972677 for more information

Richard Waldin
President
Climbing New Zealand

After consultation with the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), the Oceania Council has announced that the Oceania Combined Championships which was postponed from March 2020 will take place on the 19th and 20th of December 2020.

See attached communication from the Oceania Council.