Climbing World Cup Coming To Salt Lake City This Month
May 19, 2021, 9:49 PM | Updated: Feb 12, 2023, 6:01 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Salt Lake City has brought back Olympic level competition to Utah as it will host back-to-back IFSC climbing World Cups for bouldering and speed.
The events are set for Friday, Saturday and May 28-30.
Climbing fans won’t be able to travel to Japan this summer to watch climbing at the Olympics, but 3,000 fans will be able to watch the best climbers in the world compete right here in Utah.
It’s fast and furious and the sport requires elite strength and athleticism.
“We have three disciplines within competitive climbing and then our Olympic format has been designated sport climbing and that’s sort of an umbrella term for boulder lead and speed all combined into one event,” said Meg Coyne, USA Climbing national teams manager.
Sport climbing is growing fast.
“So many gyms have been popping up all over the country,” explained USA speed climber John Brosler.
One week to go! Salt Lake City, here we come 🇺🇸✈️#SaltLakeCityWC #ClimbingB2B @USAClimbing pic.twitter.com/uzNeN1BPH2
— International Federation of Sport Climbing (@ifsclimbing) May 14, 2021
For the next two weeks, Salt Lake City will be the center of the climbing universe.
Coyne said, “We are having not one, not two, but three World Cups in two weekends right here in Salt Lake. It is absolutely a first for the U.S. and something that’s incredibly unusual internationally as well.
“It’s bringing a lot of exposure to the sport and to the Olympians from the U.S. that are competing in Tokyo in a few months,” Brosler added.
“ It is a bit of an Olympic preview – yes,” Coyne said.
Salt Lake City is not only hosting this major international event but USA Climbing is headquartered at Industry SLC on 600 West.
“That’s a little hole in the wall and you can’t see it from the street but it’s ours and we love it and we know that it is an unusual privilege,” Coyne said.
USA Climbing team member Nathaniel Coleman is from Murray and qualified for Tokyo.
Coyne said, “Salt Lake has an interesting history with climbing in general and especially competition climbing. It’s becoming quite a hub for competitive climbers.”
You can get tickets and more information here.
