INTRODUCTION

April 4, 2025

The Youth Lead/Top Rope Regional Championship Summary is intended to serve as a resource for competitors, coaches and parents. This document is not a substitute for - nor does it take precedence over - the USA Climbing Rules and Policies, which all competitors and coaches are expected to know.

SECTION LISTING

Eligibility And Registration

Eligibility

Registration

Membership Region

Safesport Training - U19 & U20 Competitors

Withdrawals & Refunds

Volunteer

General

Judges

Belayers

General Event Information

Info Sheet

Schedules & Age Categories

Start Lists

Pre-Competition Meetings

Waivers

Accommodations

Competition Details

Format Details

Gym Access During Routesetting

Isolation

Climber Flow And Logistics

Lead Climbing

Lead Ropes

Technical Incidents

Bleeding Competitors

Scoring And  Appeals

Scoring And Ranking

Appeals

Coaches

General

Registration

Team Rosters

Start Lists

Spectators

Safesport

Lead/Top Rope Divisional Championship

Overview

Registration

Resource Links

ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION

ELIGIBILITY

• Please refer to Section 12 of the Rulebook, and USA Climbing’s Registration Policy, to understand the different eligibility pathways.

• Preliminary Regional Rankings will be published by Monday, April 14. These rankings will indicate which athletes in each Category have earned eligibility to compete at the Regional championship. Competitors have until Thursday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT to submit any errors to eligibility@usaclimbing.org.
• Final Rankings and Regional Championship eligibility lists will be published Friday, April 18 by 12:00 p.m. (noon) M.T.
• Regional-eligible competitors will be able to register for the event through their account in the USA Climbing Member Portal beginning on Friday, April 18 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT.

REGISTRATION

• Unclaimed spots that are not accepted by the end of the Final Registration Deadline will not be “passed down” to other competitors. In other words, there are no second- or third-round invites.  

• All steps of the registration process, including payment, must be completed in order for an athlete to be registered for the competition. You will receive an email confirmation once you have successfully completed the process. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 15 minutes, you should contact youthseries@usaclimbing.org immediately. Once registered, the event will appear on the Entries tab in the athlete’s Membership account, and their name will be on the event’s public Entry List linked on the Info Sheet. It is recommended that you verify the athlete’s name appears on that list and, if it applies, the competitor’s team affiliation. Failure to complete all the registration steps by the Final Registration Deadline will result in the competitor not being eligible to compete.
• Ineligible athletes that register for a Championship event in error will be given a refund less processing fees.

MEMBERSHIP REGION

Competitors must compete in the Regional Championship that corresponds with their Membership Region. Any changes to Membership Region must be submitted through the Region/Division Membership Change Request Form. A Youth athlete’s Membership Region shall not be changed during a period that begins at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT two (2) days prior to the scheduled publication of the preliminary end-of-season rankings in a Discipline and ends the Monday after the following Divisional Championship in that same Discipline. See the USA Climbing Membership Policy for additional information.

SAFESPORT TRAINING - U19 & U20 COMPETITORS

Competitors Eligible for the Championship who will turn 18 before the event or are 18 or older must complete their SafeSport training prior to competing. The initial training takes 90 minutes, so it’s important not to wait until the last minute to finish it.

WITHDRAWALS & REFUNDS

• Registration fees for Championship events (less processing fees) are refundable no later than 3 days prior to the first day of the competition at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT. Refunds requested after the deadline will NOT be processed, regardless of circumstance. Refund requests must be submitted through the Withdrawal/Refund Request Form. Please review the USA Climbing Registration Policy for complete details for refunds.

2025 Lead/Top Rope Regional Championship Refund Deadlines

VOLUNTEER

GENERAL

• Championships require a significant number of volunteers. Planning and schedules are based on the assumption that all essential volunteer spots are filled. Failure to secure  necessary volunteers may result in impacts to schedule, competition experience and spectator access. A link to the Volunteer Sign-up sheet will be posted in the Info Sheet.
• The Volunteer Guide - Youth Events summarizes the roles and expectations for the different volunteer positions.
• One of the many ways USA Climbing is committed to the safety and well-being of our youth is through the commitment to the SafeSport Code through Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP). SafeSport establishes consistent standards of response and resolution to abuse and misconduct claims across the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement, whose affiliated individuals must comply with policies and procedures as defined by the Code. Compliance with SafeSport and MAAPP for USA Climbing requires all volunteers for youth events to obtain a free Volunteer membership through the USAC Member Portal. Volunteer Memberships are split into two categories (Covered and Non-Covered Individuals) based on the type of volunteer position.  

JUDGES

• Judges are essential to running a competition and they make up most of the volunteer positions for events. Less experienced judges are often paired with an experienced judge to give newer volunteers the opportunity to obtain “on the job” knowledge and experience.  
• Judges are typically not assigned to a category in which they have a child competing.  
• In an effort to maintain judging consistency throughout a competition, judges may be asked to judge for an entire session.  
• Scores are entered on an electronic device (either personal cell phone/tablet or a Region provided tablet). Please ensure that your personal device is fully charged prior to arrival.
• Review available and applicable resources prior to arrival.
• Contact the Head Judging Official or Regional Coordinator Team with any questions.

BELAYERS

• Competition belayers are critical to the safety and success of a Lead/Top Rope event.
• Belay certification is usually required for belayers at the host facility. Some events may have time scheduled the morning of the event for belayers to get certified.  The Info Sheet and/or Volunteer Sign-Up has often has this information  
• Belayers are expected to bring their own harness and gym-sanctioned braking device (Manual or ABD based on facility rules).  Any other gym requirements will be listed on the Info Sheet.
• Review available and applicable resources prior to arrival (see Resource Links Section).
• Contact the Head Belayer or Regional Coordinator Team with questions.
• See the USA Climbing Belayers page for more information regarding the certification program and resources.

GENERAL EVENT INFORMATION

INFO SHEET

The Info Sheet is the official source of competition information. Please review it thoroughly. Updates are made as new information becomes available, so be sure to check the Info Sheet regularly as details may change. 

SCHEDULES & AGE CATEGORIES

The competition schedule is subject to change based on registration numbers and is considered final by the Sunday prior to the competition. If changes to the schedule are necessary after this point due to unforeseen circumstances or due to a lack of essential volunteers, notification will be sent out to competitors who are registered for the event.  

Please verify your category and session prior to the event. Competitors may only climb in the session designated for their category, there are no exceptions.

USAC Age Category by Birth Year

START LISTS  

For Isolation format competitions such as Regionals, registered competitors are randomly assigned to a Start List for their category (Rulebook 7.4.4 and 12.6.2). An athlete’s Regional Ranking has no impact on their placement in the Start List. The Start List includes the expected time that an athlete will be starting their first route. The Start List is typically published no earlier than the Final Registration Deadline and no later than 60 minutes prior to the start of the event (Rulebook 3.17).  A link to the Start List will be provided on the event’s Info Sheet.

PRE-COMPETITION MEETINGS

Virtual Technical and/or Judge meetings are often held prior to a Championship event. If there are meetings being scheduled for your event, details (date, time and link) will be listed in the Info Sheet. Recordings are typically linked in the Info Sheet prior to the event. If a Virtual Technical Meeting is held, all Competitors, Coaches and Parents are encouraged to attend or view recording. If a Technical Meeting is not held virtually it will be held in person prior to the start of the event (Rulebook 3.15).  

WAIVERS

All required waivers should be filled out prior to the event to avoid delays at check-in. Waivers typically have an expiration due to time (often a year) or due to a competitor's age (competitors who turn 18 are required to fill out their own waiver). Please note that some host facilities require additional waivers/orientations that will also need to be completed prior to the event.  Competitors will not be allowed to check into Isolation if they do not have a current waiver(s) on file. 

ACCOMMODATIONS

For any competitor or coach requesting an ADA-compliant accommodation, it is the responsibility of the requesting individual to make the request 30 days prior to the event by following the process in the USAC Accommodations Policy; questions can be directed to accommodation@usaclimbing.org.

COMPETITION DETAILS

FORMAT DETAILS

• Format: Single Round Isolation
• Number of Routes per Category: 3
• Climbing Period: 5 or 6 minutes (see Info Sheet for details)
• Preparation Period: Varies (see Info Sheet for details)

GYM ACCESS DURING ROUTESETTING

Access to the gym is restricted prior to the competition in the following ways: No potential competitor, coach, family member, teammate, etc. shall enter or view into the Competition Area during the Routesetting Period, and until the allowed entry of the individual (Rulebook 3.13.4).

ISOLATION

• Competitors must check-in to the Isolation Area - referred to as “ISO” - during their category’s designated check-in window, which is published in the Competition Schedule. Except in rare circumstances, athletes who arrive after the Isolation deadline will not be allowed to compete (Rulebook 3.16.2).
• Competitors and coaches are prohibited from bringing into Isolation any electronic communication equipment - meaning any device capable of data, voice or other communication, such as phones, smart watches, pagers, walkie-talkies, cameras, personal fitness devices, wireless headphones, etc (see Rulebook 3.16.6 and the Glossary for additional details). They will be able to leave those devices at check-in and retrieve it when they are done climbing.
• Competitors/Coaches may bring food, drinks, reading materials, etc. into Isolation. Unless permitted by a Head Judging Official, nothing can be delivered into Isolation for a competitor or coach once they have entered.
• After checking in, competitors will be in an Isolation Zone where they can warm up until their turn to climb. Only coaches who are Level 2 Certified with USA Climbing (and designated volunteers) are permitted to be in this area with the athletes. Athletes may not leave the Isolation Zone (unless escorted by a Head Judging Official or designated volunteer) until it is their turn to climb.

CLIMBER FLOW AND LOGISTICS

• Prior to the start of the session, competitors will be brought out of the Isolation Zone and given a collective observation period of the routes.  During that time, (from 4 to 6 minutes per route as set by the Jury President), the competitors are NOT permitted to use any recording or laser pointing equipment, but they MAY:

• Touch only the climbing surface and first holds on the route, without leaving the ground
• Use binoculars to observe the route
• Make hand-drawn sketches and notes
• Discuss the route and share beta with other competitors

• Competitors will return to the Isolation Zone as directed by a USA Climbing Official.
• Competitors will be called to the staging area inside ISO at least 10 minutes before their Start Time on the first route.  The Competitor will be escorted out of Isolation and into the Field of Play, where the competitor will sit in a chair facing away from the route for one Attempt Period prior. These chairs are an extension of the Isolation Zone; competitors seated in them are not allowed to communicate with or accept food, drink, or equipment from parents, spectators, or coaches.
• Competitors have either five (5) or six (6) minutes to climb each route (called the Climbing Period); the number of minutes is established by the Jury President in consultation with other officials. It may be followed by a Preparation Period of up to one minute during which climbers move to their next route. This is followed by a rest period of two Climbing Periods sitting in a chair facing away from their next route. If there is a Preparation Period, the climber can use that time to warm up (without turning around) before they attempt the next route. Athletes repeat this process until they have concluded their attempt on the third and last route. After their third route’s Climbing Period has ended, climbers will sit in another chair for five or six minutes, still effectively in the Isolation Zone, in case there is an appeal that might involve them getting the opportunity to have another attempt on a route.
• There will be a digital timer showing the amount of time remaining in the Climbing Period or Preparation Period (if applicable). Further, the timer will provide audio signals indicating when one (1) minute is remaining and during the final five (5) seconds of the Climbing Period, as well as at the end of the Preparation Period (i.e., when the competitor may begin climbing). A sample timer can be found in the Resource Links section below.
• Competitors may make only one attempt on a route during their Climbing Period for that route. If a competitor’s attempt ends before the Climbing Period has ended, they return to the chair for the time remaining. The competitor is still in Isolation and must not communicate with any spectators, parents, or coaches.
• Competitors may use any hold on the route to start the climb (there is no designated starting hold or position).  Their attempt shall be deemed to have started when every part of the competitor’s body has left the ground. A hop to reposition the body prior to beginning the route is not considered an attempt, nor is a jump to brush or see a hold.
• Scores will be recorded by the Climbing Judge at each route and presented to the competitor via electronic device. Competitors are strongly encouraged to review the device to see that it displays their name correctly, the correct route, as well as the correct score. Climbing Judges will also maintain a written tally sheet in addition to the electronic scoring.
• If a competitor disagrees with a Climbing Judge's score, they should discuss that with the judge immediately in a respectful manner. If it is not resolved immediately to the competitor's satisfaction, they may file an Appeal (see more on Appeals below).
• For serious infringement of the Rules, competitors and coaches may be issued an official warning (Yellow Card) or be disqualified (Red Card), and spectators may be issued an official warning or be dismissed from the facility. See Rulebook Section 4 for details.

LEAD CLIMBING

Lead climbing competitors shall be capable of lead climbing safely and shall, upon request of the host facility, provide documentation or attestation, as outlined by the host facility, of the competitor’s lead climbing certification. Climbing Judges may order a competitor’s attempt be terminated if decided that to proceed further would contravene the regulations regarding the safety of the competitor, another competitor, or another individual in the Competition Area and/or if they reasonably believe that further progress on the route would be dangerous (Rulebook Sections 3.1.10; 3.1.16; 7.7.4; USA Climbing Registration Policy).

LEAD ROPES

• If a host facility requires or allows for personal or shared team ropes they are subject to inspection and approval by host facility staff and the Head Belayer. 
• The rope must be a dynamic rope with a diameter between 9.5mm and 10.1mm and meet the gym's lead rope length requirement.
• Lead climbing competitors shall tie-in with a figure-8 knot plus a “safety knot” (per Rulebook 3.1.14).  Personal or shared team ropes must be flaked into baskets or wide, open-top bags for ease of transport between routes (eg. large IKEA blue bags).

TECHNICAL INCIDENTS

• In general, a Technical Incident (a “technical”) is an event or circumstance that results in a disadvantage or unfair advantage to a competitor and is beyond the control of that competitor. Examples include: a spinning/broken hold, collision with another climber, or a timing system failure. Note that issues with clothing or hair, twisted ankles, etc. are NOT technicals.
• A competitor must call a technical immediately, and if the judge agrees, the competitor must cease the attempt or they will forfeit the opportunity to call a technical later.

BLEEDING COMPETITORS

• A bleeding competitor is not allowed to climb or continue climbing, and they are not granted a technical.  If a competitor is called down from a climb due to bleeding, their attempt will be terminated and their score will reflect the highest scored hold that was controlled prior to being called down. A medic will be available to help all competitors. Additional assistance for bleeding competitors is addressed in Rulebook Section 3.3.3.
• USA Climbing recommends that all competitors have a small medical kit that includes tape, bandages, gauze, etc. with them in the Field of Play in case the medical professional is not immediately available to assist the competitor to stop minor bleeding. Cutting the tape into small strips beforehand can be helpful so that climbers don’t have to tear it in a stressful moment.

SCORING AND  APPEALS

SCORING AND RANKING

• For Top Rope, the Top is a visibly labeled handhold.  For Lead, the Top is the final protection point on the route
• Handholds on a route are scored and are identified on a route map (called a “Topo”) that may be seen by a competitor after their attempt (Rulebook 7.11)
• Athletes are ranked based on their best result on each route (the number of scored holds they control before falling).
• Those route rankings are then multiplied together to determine the athlete’s overall ranking for the competition. (Rulebook 7.12.2)
• Live results are displayed online during the competition. A link to the event’s results page will be shared at the competition. You can also go to USACresults.org and search for your event.

APPEALS

The formal process for resolving disputes that occur on the field of play is done by filing an appeal. An appeal requires a description of the judgment in question and must also be accompanied by a specific rule from the Rulebook to back up the claim. Appeals can only be filed by a competitor or a USA Climbing Certified Coach.  The appeal fee is $100. The deadline for making a scoring/ranking appeal at a Regional Championship is ten (10) minutes after the publication of the Official Results for that category. The appeal deadline will be announced and published on the online results page. Refer to the USA Climbing Guide to Appeals for more information.

The availability of official video will be listed in the Info Sheet. When official video is available, it will be the sole source of video considered for any appeal per Rule 6.3.4. If official video is not available, and the use of unofficial video evidence is permitted per Sport Discretion (Rule 6.1.12), the Jury President will consider unofficial video in such a way as to not risk the creation of inconsistencies that would unfairly affect the ranking of other competitors. If unofficial video evidence is permitted, competitors are strongly encouraged to have their attempts on routes recorded (e.g., by a coach, parent, or friend). Good recordings will capture the entire attempt full Rotation/Climb period.

COACHES

GENERAL

• Only USA Climbing-certified Level 1 or Level 2 Coaches that are registered for the event may access Coaches-only areas at the competition or file an appeal on behalf of a competitor. (USA Climbing Membership Policy)
• Only event registered USA Climbing Level 2 Certified coaches may enter Isolation. Coaches in isolation and while in attendance at the event are subject to the same rules and regulations as competitors. (Rulebook 3.16)
• Coaches will be required to verify their identity upon check-in with a valid photo ID.
• Coaches are not permitted to interact with Judges while they are judging.  Questions and concerns should be directed only to the Head Judging Officials.
• Additional details for coaches who will be in ISO during the event, including those in multiple sessions will be provided once determined. Be sure to check the Info Sheet for instructions and to find out if coaches in ISO for multiple sessions may receive food deliveries or can leave and return to ISO between sessions.

REGISTRATION

• Coaches must register for this event through their USAC Membership account due to SafeSport compliance. Registration will open on Friday, April 18, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT and will remain open through the end of the event. A current Level 1 or Level 2 coach membership is required. Registration can be found by clicking the "Events" tab in your USAC account. Contact info@usaclimbing.org with questions.
• If a coach’s membership or supporting documents have lapsed, the deadline to renew and/or upload required documentation is Friday, May 9 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT. Please ensure your membership will be in current standing for the event well in advance of this deadline.

TEAM ROSTERS 

Team Rosters must be completed by Monday, May 5 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) MT to be considered for team championships (USA Climbing Teams Policy). See Resource Links for the Team Roster Guide and Quickstart Video.

START LISTS

Coaches who will be in ISO can print out a copy of the Start List to help with management of their competitors. The list can be printed from the online scoring platform via the following steps.

Open the event’s Results page using the link provided in the Info Sheet. Click on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of the screen and select “Start List” as shown in the first image below.  On the next screen, click on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of the upper right corner of the screen. In this menu, the preferred view and additional options can be selected prior to printing or saving the list.

SPECTATORS

GENERAL

• Some events may charge a fee for spectators or limit the number of Spectators per competitor. Spectators may also have specific entry times. These types of details will be included in the Info Sheet.
• Spectators are encouraged to cheer for climbers while they are competing. It is very important that spectators/parents refrain from any kind of communication with competitors while they are in the Field of Play (either climbing or sitting in a chair facing away from the route. Competitors may not accept food, drink, equipment, etc. from parents, spectators or coaches. More tips for spectators may be found on the Dos and Don’t for Spectators. In addition, please remember that no “beta,” coaching, or advice may be given at any time.
• Spectators—including coaches—are not permitted to interact with Judges while they are judging. Spectators may speak to one of the Head Judging Officials (Jury President or USAC Judge) if they have concerns or questions.   
• For serious infringement of the Rules, competitors and coaches may be issued an official warning (Yellow Card) or be disqualified (Red Card), and spectators may be issued an official warning or be dismissed from the facility. See Rulebook Section 4 for details.

SAFESPORT

Please ensure you are following the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies. As a reminder, all training modalities – including taping, stretching, massages, etc. require the modality to take place in an observable and interruptible location and that two adult participants are present. If you see any violations of the USA Climbing MAAPP, or emotional or physical misconduct, please fill out and submit USA Climbing’s Incident Report Form. To report a concern of sexual misconduct, please visit the U.S. Center for SafeSport at https://uscenterforsafesport.org. QR codes, copies of the policies and instructions on how to report are posted throughout the facility for reference.  Credentialed individuals, with the exception of a media credential, have been SafeSport trained. If you have any questions about the policies or need assistance with how to report, please find someone with a credential. For any questions or concerns contact athletesafety@usaclimbing.org for more information.

LEAD/TOP ROPE DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

OVERVIEW

• Top 13 competitors in the U15, U17, U19 and U20 Categories from each Regional Championship. Competitors in the U13 Category do not advance to the Divisional Championship. See Rule 12.12 for additional details, including extra advancement rules. Eligible competitors may register directly through the USA Climbing Member Portal when registration opens.
• Lead/Top Rope Divisional Championships Dates:

• Saturday, May 31 (Qualification Round)
• Sunday, June 1 (Finals Round)

• Qualification Round:

• Format:Flash
• Two (2) routes per Category
• Demonstration videos will be posted not later than two (2) hours before the start of the round.
• Climbing Period: Five (5) or six (6) minutes
• Competitors will have a minimum rest of fifty (50) minutes between routes

• Final Round

• Format: Isolation
• One (1) route per Category for Finals
• Collective observation period: four (4) to six (6) minutes
• Climbing Period: six (6) minutes

• The top 13 competitors from the Qualification Round advance to Finals. The top 6 competitors from the Finals Round advance to the National Championship in June. See Rule 12.12 for additional details, including extra quota rules.

REGISTRATION

RESOURCE LINKS