The 8th National Youth Climbing Championship recently concluded at the National Mountaineering Training Base in Huairou, Beijing, showcasing the growth of youth climbing in China. We spoke with several key figures involved in this exciting event, which saw representatives from the national climbing team, including speed athletes and coaches fresh off their recent victories at the 2024 International Climbing Federation World Cup in Seoul, presenting awards to the young champions.
This championship stands as the pinnacle competition for climbers aged 13 and under in China. Running from October 3rd to 5th, the event set a record with 695 athletes from 125 teams across 23 provinces and regions participating, including 108 individual competitors.
The competition featured four main disciplines: difficulty climbing, speed climbing, bouldering, and all-around events, divided into five age groups: U7 (7 years), U8 (8 years), U9 (9 years), U11 (10-11 years), and U13 (12-13 years), with separate categories for male and female participants. Interestingly, the U7 and U8 groups did not participate in bouldering, while the U9, U11, and U13 groups had their all-around rankings determined by the final standings in difficulty and bouldering.
Among the standout athletes garnering gold medals were Li Mufeng, Zhang Mile, Jiang Haoming, Gao Zixi, Lü Ruizhe, Wang Muyi, and Zhu Chengbin. A particularly memorable moment was when young competitors received their medals from Olympic silver medalist Wu Peng and World Cup gold medalist Zhou Yafei, which left many of them both surprised and inspired.
Looking ahead, two more youth climbing events are on the calendar for this season. After months of training, we observed varying levels of improvement among athletes, with some newcomers notably reaching the finals across multiple events.
Yu Jianxin, who heads the climbing project for the Youth Development Department at the National Sports Administration’s Mountaineering Management Center, commented on the rising skill levels among the young climbers. However, he highlighted a concerning trend of “specialization,” as many young athletes predominantly train in bouldering due to limitations in facilities and coaching approaches. To address this, the competition introduced a rule prioritizing difficulty performance when all-around scores are tied, encouraging a more balanced focus in training.
The National Mountaineering Training Base, a renowned hub for climbers, also accommodates the national climbing and skiing teams. It boasts artificial rock walls that reflect the progress of climbing in China. Notably, this site previously hosted three National Climbing Championships in the 1990s, with the last one in 2000 alongside the Asian Climbing Championships. This recent championship marked the first national youth climbing event at the base in 24 years, giving participants—athletes, coaches, parents, and staff—a chance not only to compete but also to immerse themselves in the climbing culture and the spirit of mountaineering.
The event was meticulously organized by the National Sports Administration’s Mountaineering Management Center, the Chinese Mountaineering Association, and the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau, with support from the Beijing Huairou National Mountaineering Training Base and the Huairou Climbing Association, backed by the Beijing Mountaineering Association.
