Every climbing competition depends on officials. Judges score every attempt, route setters build the climbs, and the jury and technical officials make sure the rules are applied fairly and the event runs safely. CEC competitions rely on trained volunteer and paid officials from across the country.
Officiating roles
Judges
Judges watch each attempt and record the result: tops, zones, and attempts in Boulder; the highest hold reached in Lead; and starts and times in Speed. Accurate, consistent judging is what makes results trustworthy.
Route setters
Route setters design and build the boulder problems and routes athletes compete on. Good setting separates the field fairly, suits the category being tested, and keeps athletes safe. CEC events are led by a Chief Route Setter, who files a competition report after each event.
Jury and technical officials
At CEC events, a Jury President oversees the competition and rules on appeals, and a Technical Delegate makes sure the venue, format, and safety standards meet CEC requirements. Both file a competition report after each event.
Becoming an official
Most officials start as volunteers at a local or provincial competition and build experience from there. If you’re interested in judging or route setting, the best first step is to contact your provincial or territorial climbing association and volunteer at an upcoming event.
CEC’s officials education and certification program covers judges and route setters. For more on officials training, contact info@climbingcanada.ca.
Requirements
Officials at CEC events must complete CEC’s Safe Sport requirements. See Resources for the current list.
Forms and resources
Competitor scorecards, the CEC Volunteer Handbook, the Appeal Form, and the competition report forms for Technical Delegates, Jury Presidents, and Chief Route Setters are available in Resources.