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Compete

Qualification & Categories

Age categories, how athletes qualify for CEC events, and how the competition season is scheduled.

Athletes qualify for CEC national events through their provincial or territorial sport organization, through pre-qualification set by CEC, or by applying directly to CEC. Your age category is based on your age on December 31 of the competition year.

Age categories

Age is calculated as of December 31. Birth years below are for the 2026–27 season.

  • Senior: 17 or older (born 2010 or earlier)
  • U21 (Junior): 19–20 (born 2007 or 2008)
  • U19 (Youth A): 17–18 (born 2009 or 2010)
  • U17 (Youth B): 15–16 (born 2011 or 2012)
  • U15 (Youth C): 13–14 (born 2013 or 2014). Competes at Regional Championships, not at National Championships.
  • U13 (Youth D): 11–12 (born 2015 or 2016). Does not compete at Regional or National Championships.

Para-climbing athletes compete by sport class rather than age category. See Competition Series for who can enter the Para-Climbing National Championships.

How to qualify

All athletes must be licensed members in good standing with their provincial or territorial sport organization (PTSO). There are three ways to qualify.

1. Pre-qualification

CEC pre-qualifies some athletes for each event. Quotas are specific to each discipline and age category.

  • National Team: athletes named to the Elite, Performance or Development Squad as of September 1 of the previous year are invited to the Senior National Championships in their discipline and, if age-eligible, to the Youth National Championships.
  • Senior national champions: reigning champions in each discipline and gender are pre-qualified for the next Senior Nationals.
  • Youth national champions: reigning U17, U19 and U21 champions are pre-qualified for the next Senior Nationals and, if age-eligible, the next Youth Nationals.
  • Youth World Championships: athletes who competed at the most recent Youth Worlds in U17 or U19 are invited to the Youth Nationals in that discipline, if age-eligible.

2. Through your province or territory

Each PTSO receives a number of spots for CEC events and runs its own selection. Contact your PTSO for its process and deadlines.

3. Apply to CEC

  • Foreign national athletes (affiliated with another national federation, or temporary residents in Canada) apply directly to CEC.
  • Canadian citizens living abroad may apply directly to CEC.

To apply, contact info@climbingcanada.ca.

Provincial and territorial contacts

How the season is scheduled

CEC uses these guiding principles when building each competition season. They aren’t fixed rules, and CEC aims for a reasonable balance when they pull in different directions.

  • International alignment: fit the World Climbing calendar and the Olympic format and cycle.
  • Access and opportunity: offer Boulder, Lead and Speed; hold national events for U17, U19, U21 and Senior, and regional events for U15, U17 and U19; alternate Nationals between East and West.
  • Athlete-centred: limit travel and cost, give enough notice to book travel, and avoid weekday competitions where possible.
  • Long-term development: encourage athletes to compete in all three disciplines until Senior, and balance training with competition.
  • Host partnerships: keep costs and logistics manageable for host gyms and avoid their busiest times of year.
  • Members and stakeholders: schedule events two years ahead, listen to input and keep qualification pathways clear.