In 2020, Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) drafted a 2021-2024 CEC Strategic Plan with the dream of developing a National Training Centre to help our athletes thrive and achieve success.
Imagine a place where the best climbers and coaches around the country could gather for a few weeks at a time, to learn from each other and from international contributors. What would this dream facility look like? We imagined a state of the art climbing facility with the best walls, holds, and training spaces available, so that our athletes could replicate the environment necessary to compete at the world cup level.
Today, in partnership with the Richmond Olympic Oval, Arc’Teryx, Nomad Walls, and Bold Climbing, we are excited to announce that we have made this dream a reality! Climbing Escalade Canada’s first National Training Center for high performance athletes is now official!
Climbing Escalade Canada has selected the Richmond Olympic Oval to be home to our National Training Centre. The Oval worked in collaboration with the CEC on the design of the Oval’s climbing facilities which included the addition of the Lead and Speed Climbing Wall in 2020 and an extension of the Boulder Climbing Wall in 2022. The Oval and CEC will continue to collaborate to ensure a world class training and competition facility for CEC athletes.
With a National Training Center located at the Oval, CEC athletes will be joining a larger community of national team athletes who utilize the Oval as part of their daily training environment. The Richmond Olympic Oval offers integrated services that support high performance athlete development including strength & conditioning, mental performance, sport nutrition, performance testing and sport medical.
The Oval’s High Performance Department works in partnership with numerous National Sport Organizations including, but not limited to, Volleyball Canada, Wheelchair Rugby Canada, Field Hockey Canada, Speed Skating Canada and Table Tennis Canada to support the planning and delivery of technical training, integrated services, camps, pathway projects in conjunction with provincial sport organizations and competition hosting.
“We have been working on this project for many years now, in collaboration with our partners,” said Andrew Wilson, High Performance Director of Climbing Escalade Canada. “In conjunction with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Cycle, we will be hosting Semester Sessions at the National Training Centre. Athletes will be invited to stay in Richmond for periods up to 6-8 weeks, and train with the best resources available. Younger athletes will be supported in their scholarship endeavor with the integrated school model and services at the Oval.”
This would not have been possible without our amazing high performance partners: the Richmond Olympic Oval, Arc’Teryx, Nomad Walls, Bold Climbing.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Wilson, CEC High Performance Director
[email protected]
Christiane Marceau, CEC Executive Director
[email protected]
Andrew Clark, Director Sport Business, Richmond Olympic Oval
[email protected]
More info:
Richmond Olympic Oval – HP Partner
A legacy venue of the 2010 Olympic Games, The Richmond Olympic Oval is an indoor multi-sport and fitness facility that delivers programs and services to the community, visitors and local, provincial and national team athletes. The Oval has partnered with CEC to support the development of community to national level athletes through the delivery of HPP programming and services, access to world class facilities and equipment, and the hosting of CEC training camps, competitions, and events.
Arc’Teryx – HP Partner
Arc’teryx, the global design company specializing in technical high-performance apparel and equipment, has entered into a multi-year agreement with CEC to support competition climbing at a national level. This partnership is designed to champion the development and growth of competitive climbing in Canada over the next few years.
“Founded by climbers in 1989, Arc’teryx began its iconic design legacy with its first product, a climbing harness. Rooted in climbing from its inception, Arc’teryx is proud to be supporting the next generation of Canadian climbers through this partnership with CEC.”
Nomad Walls – HP Partner
Nomad Walls is the Official Wall and Flooring Partner of the CEC HPP and has worked closely with CEC to build and develop a new boulder training wall at the Richmond Oval.
“Over the next few years, Nomad Walls is thrilled to contribute to the growth of Climbing in Canada through this partnership with CEC. Nomad Walls will support the Canadian athletes’ development by providing them with state-of-the-art climbing solutions ranging from standard fixed walls to fully modular and mobile walls. Nomad Walls was created with the purpose of bringing modern climbing virtually anywhere. Founded by a team of passionate climbers with an engineering background, innovation is at the core of every product they design.”
Bold Climbing – HP Partner
Bold Climbing has partnered with the CEC as the official hold and volume company of the CEC HPP to provide quality holds and volumes for the high performance program.
“Bold Climbing and our IFSC Sponsor brands – Artline, Blocz, Bluepill, and Rockcity – are proud to be part of the High Performance Program. It’s an honor to help Canada’s future Olympians achieve their dreams, and push the limits of climbing in Canada.”
Climbing Escalade Canada
The purpose of Climbing Escalade Canada is to be a leader in the promotion and development of competition climbing in Canada for athletes and the extended climbing community. We strive to enable athletes to achieve their high performance potential in an ethical, equitable and equal competition environment.
