These criteria set out how CNZ nominates climbers to the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The NZOC then makes the final selection.
LA28 Olympic Games Nomination Criteria for Climbing Events
Published September 2026. Takes effect 1 December 2026.
Selection for the Oceania Qualifying Events themselves are determined in accordance with the CNZ Selection Policy.
CNZ has not finalised all elements of the selection process for those events but expressions of interest will likely be called for from eligible Development Squad members and a decision taken as to whether in addition to the National Championship events being held in our current 2026/2027 season, CNZ will hold other selection events for this purpose including Selection Camps or other events (as foreshadowed by clauses 3.4 and 3.5 of the Selection Policy).
CNZ’s understanding from World Climbing is that New Zealand will be allocated 10 places per discipline per gender at the Oceania Qualifying Events.
This page will be updated once further steps and details have been finalised.
How the process works
Build a competition record.
Results at National Championships, other selection events held in New Zealand (if any) and at international competitions all count. Selection for a New Zealand team to an Olympic qualifying event follows the CNZ Selection Policy.
New Zealand receives places at the Oceania Olympic Qualifier.
World Climbing tells CNZ how many New Zealand athletes can enter each discipline. The Oceania Qualifiers are being held in October 2027.
The CNZ Selection Committee picks the team to attend the Oceania Olympic Qualifier.
It fills those places based on each athlete’s competition record and in accordance with the CNZ Selection Policy.
Athletes compete at the Oceania Qualifier.
The highest-placed athlete of each gender in each discipline earns an Olympic quota place. World Climbing’s documents below list the other routes, such as the World Championships and the 2028 Olympic Q-Series.
The LA28 selectors decide on nomination.
In addition to having earned a quota place, the selectors must be satisfied the athlete can finish in the top 16 at the Games, with the potential to win an Olympic diploma (top eight).
The athlete must also have competed at the Oceania Qualifier and at least three other listed World Climbing events during the qualification period, two of them outside Oceania.
Earning a quota place does not guarantee nomination. Please see clause 5 of the Olympic Nomination criteria.
The NZOC makes the final selection for the New Zealand Olympic Team.
If injury, illness or anything else stops you competing at one of these events, tell the CNZ President in writing as early as you can, ideally seven days before it starts (clause 6.2). You may be asked for a medical certificate (clause 6.3). If you don’t tell the President, the selectors do not have to take it into account.
Who is eligible for nomination
Clause 3 of the nomination criteria has the full eligibility rules. The main ones are that you must:
- be born in 2011 or earlier
- be a New Zealand citizen with a New Zealand passport
- be a member of CNZ or an affiliated club
- hold a World Climbing licence for 2028
- send the NZOC an athlete application by the deadline in the key dates below, and a team agreement before nominations are made
- meet CNZ and World Climbing eligibility rules, be medically fit to compete, and not be sanctioned or under investigation for an anti-doping or integrity breach
Key dates
- 1 January 2027 to 12 June 2028Qualification period
- 12 July 2027, 5pmNZOC athlete application due if you are not a regular CNZ member at that date
- October 2027Oceania Olympic Qualifier
- 10 November 2027, 5pmNZOC athlete application due for regular CNZ members
- 14 January 2028, 5pmLast date for late applications (exceptional circumstances only) and for giving the NZOC your contact details for drug testing
- By 13 June 2028CNZ nominates athletes to the NZOC
- 14 to 30 July 2028Olympic Games, Los Angeles
The LA28 selectors are Rob Moore and Chris Warburton.
World Climbing qualification systems
Our nomination criteria refer to World Climbing’s qualification system throughout, so read them together. World Climbing publishes one document per discipline:
These links go to the IOC’s copies, so they always point at the current version. Qualification systems for every LA28 sport are on the IOC’s Los Angeles 2028 documents page.
Questions about LA28 nomination go to selection@climbing.nz