The NZ Secondary Schools Climbing Cup is the national bouldering competition for secondary school students from across Aotearoa. Run by Climbing New Zealand with School Sport NZ, it brings schools together for two days of bouldering each August: qualifying on day one, finals on day two.
Climbers compete for individual category honours. Schools compete for the Top School title — every climber’s results count toward their school’s total, whether or not they’re on an official school team.
Who can compete
Any student currently enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school who meets the School Sport NZ eligibility regulations.
Climbers enter one of four categories:
- Junior Girls — Years 9–10
- Junior Boys — Years 9–10
- Senior Girls — Years 11–13
- Senior Boys — Years 11–13
How to register
Schools register their students through the official Google Form linked above. Students can’t register themselves — your school sport coordinator or a teacher needs to put the entry through. Refer to the Info Sheet for full eligibility, fees, and format details before submitting.
Entry fee: $70 per student
Registrations close: 15 August 2026
- The School Principal must sign off on each entry
- The school is invoiced once the entry is in
We cap entries at 180 climbers. If we’re oversubscribed, we may need to limit entries per school so every region gets a chance to send people.
Schools must supply one Event Official for every eight students entered. Officials attend a short online training session in the weeks before the comp — a great way for parents and coaches to be part of the event.
Competition format
The Cup is bouldering only.
- Day 1 — Qualifying. Four rounds in the Boulder Bash format, up to 45 climbers per round. Fifteen problems each round, scored 10 points for a flash down to 1 point on the tenth attempt, plus a bonus point for the Zone. 150 points available, plus 15 bonus.
- Day 2 — Semi-finals. The top 20 in each category go through. IFSC format: five minutes on, five minutes off, three problems.
- Day 2 — Finals. The top 6 in each category climb for the podium. IFSC format, four minutes per problem.
How the school title works
Every climber earns ranking points based on their finishing position (Annex 3 of the IFSC Rules). We add the points from each school’s top three finishers to decide the Top School title.
What to bring
- Climbing shoes. Hire shoes are available at the venue if you don’t own a pair — bare feet aren’t allowed on the wall.
- Something in your school colours.
- Any personal climbing gear, ready to be safety-checked by the CNZ delegate before you climb.
Get in touch
Event Director: Peter Lofthouse — events.nzsscc@climbing.nz
We can’t wait to see you and your school there.