New Single Comprehensive Framework
Climbing Escalade Canada’s (CEC) Board of Directors has approved a new CEC National Team Policy that consolidates all National Team squad rules and Continuous National Ranking (CNR) regulations into one integrated document. This update maintains the existing three-squad structure while modernizing how athlete rankings are calculated—particularly in Speed—and making the system more responsive to current performance.
Beginning in 2026, CEC will operate under a single comprehensive policy that replaces both the former National Team Program Policy and the Continuous National Ranking (CNR) Policy. All rules related to squad structures, selection processes, and CNR calculations now reside within this unified framework.
“I’d like to sincerely thank CEC’s High Performance Governance Committee, the Athlete Commission, the CNR Committee, the Board of Directors, and all National Team athletes and stakeholders who contributed significantly to the creation of this revised policy. I firmly believe it represents the right combination of performance-focused objectives, embedded with important elements that support athlete development.” — Kraig Devlin, CEC High Performance Director
CEC will continue to operate with three National Team squads: Elite, Performance, and Development. The Elite Squad consists of established or near-podium international performers; the Performance Squad includes emerging athletes achieving strong results at world and continental competitions; and the Development Squad comprises promising athletes progressing into World Climbing competition. Selection priority for quota-limited World Climbing and Pan American events remains unchanged, proceeding in the following order: Elite, Performance, Development, and then other eligible athletes as needed.
Intakes and CNR-Linked Requirements
The Initial Intake on January 1, 2026, will be based on 2025 international and continental results, along with the Continuous National Ranking (CNR). Throughout the season, Ongoing Intake will allow athletes to move into National Team squads based on their performance at the 2025-2026 National Championships and their 2026 international results. The existing requirement remains in effect: athletes must be ranked in the CNR Top 10 at the time they meet the relevant Squad Performance Criteria.
Continuous National Ranking (CNR) – Key Updates
The most significant changes to the National Team Policy relate to how CNR is calculated—specifically the time window and the discipline-specific approach.
Boulder & Lead:
In the 2026 transition year, Boulder and Lead CNR will continue to use an athlete’s three best Event Points over the previous 24 months, with decay applied to older results. Beginning January 1, 2027, the fully implemented reviewed CNR will use an athlete’s two best Event Points over the previous 12 months, making rankings more reflective of current performance and reducing the weight of historical results.
Speed:
Speed CNR will now be calculated using times rather than positions. Rankings will be based on the average of an athlete’s best three valid competition runs within the last 12 months, taken from qualification and final rounds at CNR-eligible events (excluding warm up rounds). This new method places the emphasis directly on an athlete’s wall times, aligning Speed more closely with international ranking models.
More information
The full 2026 National Team Policy can be viewed here: 2026 National Team Policy – Board Approved 2025-12-09
The 2026 Athlete Ranking Dashboard will be released in the new year and will include detailed information about the competition calendar and selection dates. Questions and comments can be directed to: kraig@climbingcanada.ca
