Climbing · Worth knowing

Climbing Escalade Canada has released the selection policy for the 2026 World Climbing Nations Grand Finale, a team-based competition in Boulder and Lead disciplines scheduled for November 7–8, 2026, in Iizuka, Fukuoka, Japan. CEC will select four athletes — two men and two women — to represent Canada, with selection conducted according to CEC's published policies and World Climbing requirements. The policy details cover eligibility, selection procedures, replacement protocols, funding, and appeals processes.

Mia Krampl secured Slovenia's remaining Olympic climbing ticket at the Combined final after a dramatic Lead round where multiplication scoring rules proved decisive. Starting in seventh place overall after Speed and Boulder, Krampl needed to win Lead while competitor Lucka Rakovec finished third—an outcome that hinged on other competitors' performances and climbing speed. When Julia Chanouride matched Rakovec's score but climbed faster, Krampl advanced to Tokyo as the 19-year-old's highpoint held up against the remaining competitors. In other competition results, Kokoro Fujii won the Toulouse male final ahead of Adam Ondra, who competed despite feeling ill and withdrew from Speed heats. Lucka Rakovec dominated the Boulder qualification with seven tries on four problems, three fewer than her nearest competitors. Domen Škofic completed Gancho perfecto, suggesting an upgrade to 9a+ after three weeks of attempts and recovery from a tendon injury, while Dai Koyamada made a first ascent of an unnamed 8C+ boulder problem.

The American Alpine Club launched Alpine Track, a new mentorship program that brought eight emerging alpine climbers together with coaches Sam Hennessey and Anne Gilbert Chase for eight days of training in Grand Teton National Park. The inaugural module focused on multipitch climbing fundamentals including gear placement, anchor systems, descent techniques, rock rescue, and overnight climbing planning. Participants will return for a second field module in December in Bozeman, Montana, and Cody, Wyoming, to practice ice climbing, with the full program designed as a yearlong progression across four field modules combining technical instruction, mentorship, and hands-on mountain experience. The program is provided free to AAC members through support from Arc'teryx, Sterling, and The Mountain Guides.