IFSC Youth World Championships

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) hosts an annual Youth World Championships for athletes in categories Youth B and  Youth A.

YWC Purpose

The annual IFSC Youth World Championships is an important part of CEC’s High Performance Pathway. It serves multiple purposes for athletes along their journey:

• For many, YWC is a first opportunity to experience International competition and ALL that this encompasses both in and out of the competition venue:
  • International travel, team dynamics, unfamiliar culture, and more…
• For those with experience, YWC is an opportunity to
  • practice performance on demand: using tools and strategies under high pressure conditions
  • learn/ practice being in an athlete leadership role within a team
• A stage for staff and parents/chaperones to learn, and practice tools and strategies to support these young athletes
• An opportunity to create lifelong friendships born out of respect and common experience: with teammates, coaches and parents/chaperones from Canada and other countries

YWC Objectives 

Because purpose is dependent upon each individual’s experience and stage of their own HP journey, performance objectives are highly individualized. That being said, CEC has the following objectives that can be applied to ALL participants:

• To provide a team environment that focuses on the athlete:
  • Psychological and physical safety
  • Acceptance and open communication
  • Structure and support to enhance personal performance within a team concept
  • Room to be oneself and grow
• To balance short term results with long term development
• To prepare athletes for senior teams through gradual exposure to some of the systems, processes and conditions they will encounter at the Senior Team level
• To provide valuable feedback and observations that will contribute to future growth, both as an athlete and as a person

This page contains a summary of the selection process already published in the CEC Event Team Selection Policy found here plus additional event information as it becomes available.

Eligibility

CEC is eligible to register a maximum quota of three (3) athletes in each age and gender category per discipline (Boulder, Lead, Speed) at the Youth World Championships. Unlike Senior World Cup events, there are no extra quota provisions for the YWCh.

YWCh Quotas

*removed from YWCh as of 2025

Selection Criteria

Below are summaries of CEC’s published selection criteria used to fill these quotas.

Boulder and Lead

Youth B

1. All 3 selections are made based on results from the most recent Youth National Championships

Youth A 

1. First Priority (maximum of 2 selections): Athletes ranked in the Top 6 of the Senior National Team Program of the associated discipline (i.e. Boulder or Lead) as of March 1:
2. Second Priority: Remaining spots in Youth A not filled under first priority above will be selected based on rankings from the most recent Youth National Championships,

Alternate Selections

1. If a selected athlete declines the invitation, the next highest ranked athlete will be invited to a maximum the 6th place position from Youth Nationals.

Speed

Youth B

1. All 3 selections are made based on results from the most recent Speed National Championships, plus the meeting of the associated minimum performance times in the Table below
2. Athletes have until June 1, 2025 to meet the minimum performance time if they haven’t already done so in competition.

Youth A

1. First Priority (maximum of 2 selections): Athletes ranked in the Top 6 of the Senior National Team Program as of March 1st of each year. This includes meeting the senior NT minimum performance times in the Table below
2. Second Priority: Remaining spots in Youth A not filled under first priority above will be selected based on rankings from the most recent Speed National Championships plus meeting the associated minimum performance times in the Table below, to a maximum the 6th place position from Youth Nationals.

Minimum Performance Times and Alternate Selections

1. Athletes who finish in a selection position (i.e. Youth B top 3 from Youth Speed Nationals) but have not yet met the minimum performance time requirement will have until June 1, 2025 to do so. Evidence of achieving the minimum performance time can be submitted via official results table showing the athletes name and time or via video submission to CEC at [email protected]
2. Athletes in alternate selection positions (i.e. Youth B 4th to 6th from Youth Speed Nationals) who have met the minimum performance times will be selected in order of rank after June 1 IF athletes ranked higher decline the invitation OR fail to meet the minimum performance time requirement.

2025 Speed Minimum Performance Times