Try your hand at a national competition series...
The ClimbScotland Youth Climbing Series (YCS) is the national youth competition bringing together young climbers from all over Scotland to compete to select the Scottish YCS Team as well as select a Scottish Youth Squad.
UK and Ireland Series
The YCS is the main competitive event in Scotland for young climbers. It is a great way to meet other young climbers as different climbing walls host the event each year. The Scottish YCS is part of a wider series across the UK and Ireland. Each country organises its own series to select teams which then come together in a grand final. England has 7 'Regional Teams', whilst Wales, Ireland and Scotland each have a single Team. These teams come together for the final to find the best young climbers in the UK and Ireland in each category but also to find the strongest Team.
If you are relatively new to climbing (or a complete beginner) or have never done a competition before and feel this may be too difficult but would like to see what competitions are like, you may prefer to compete at our entry-level event where the standard is more appropriate and you can chose to lead or top-rope: check out the
ClimbScotland Fun Competition.
However, if you want to have a go at the YCS simply compete in your local round: especially useful for first-timers or if you want to try the next step up from the fun competition.
- NOTE: Those competing in categories, A, B and C must be competently and regularly lead climbing indoors already.
How the YCS competition will work in Scotland for 2020
2020 Series Sponsors:
We are looking for Scottish Series sponsors - if you feel you can help get in touch with the Mountaineering Scotland Office
Bookings for the whole series or individual rounds will be live in November 2019
The UK and Ireland Series format changed in 2019.
You can read about these changes and why here. However, the series in Scotland maintains the previous format for our rounds and then adopts the new format for the Scottish team selection. There will be a two-region format for the YCS rounds: North and South Scotland. There are two (2) rounds in the North Scotland Region and two (2) rounds in the South Scotland Region. The top placed climbers in each category from each region will be invited to form a development squad, the
ClimbScotland Youth Development Squad. These climbers will be supported through the year with a series of coaching and competition preparation academies. They will also be invited to attend the Scottish YCS Team selection weekend. This team selection will be held over two days following the new YCS format: boulders on Saturday and routes on Sunday. We will select the top 3 performers in each category from the squad to make up the Scottish Team who will compete in the Grand Final alongside the teams from England, Wales and Ireland in April.
- NOTE: Members of the ClimbScotland Development Squad are not eligible to compete in the ClimbScotland Fun Competition
- NOTE: Members of the GB National Development Squad (Youth A, B and C) are not eligible to compete in the YCS
Qualifying for the 2020 ClimbScotland Youth Development Squad:
The top ranked climbers in each category in each Region who have competed in a minimum of one (1) round shall be invited to be members of the ClimbScotland Youth Development Squad. The number of qualifiers in each category for this development squad will depend on the number of competitors in that category. If a region has fewer than 6 competitors in a category then the top three will qualify for the Scottish Team selection. If there are 6-10 competitors in a category there will be four qualifiers, and if there are 11 or more, there will be five qualifiers. Scottish members of the GB National Development Squad shall also be invited to be part of the ClimbScotland Youth Development Squad and shall be eligible to participate in the coaching sessions (Youth C, B and A).
Selection of the Scottish YCS Team:
The Selection of the Scottish YCS Team (of 30 children) from the ClimbScotland Youth Development Squad members will be based on their performance at a new YCS Format competition.
When are the competitions?
The Scottish competitions are held between January and March each year. The venues will change from year to year. The dates and venues for 2020 are below.
Competition Information is available at the bottom of this page
All Regional Round Registrations start at 9am
The Team Selection Registration START TIMES are: Saturday 10am / Sunday 10am)
SEE PARENTS INFO AT PAGE BOTTOM
The Grand Final Registrations Schedule will be posted on the BMC website soon
Please note the closing date for entries to each round is 4 days prior to the event. What catergory am I in?
There are five youth catergories which are based on your year of birth:
- Youth E & D - Top Roping
- Youth C, B & A - Leading
What are the timings for the day?
Registration opens at 9am and we aim to finish the competition and presentations by 5pm.
Please note: Due to the nature of the competition format, it may finish ahead or behind schedule.How much does it cost?
All competitors are required to be a ClimbScotland or Mountaineering Scotland member in order to compete in our Youth Climbing Series. If you are not already a member, please
register here before attempting to book on to the Competition.
The cost per round for the ClimbScotland Youth Climbing Series is as follows:
- 1 Round: £25
- Rounds 1 and 2: £50
- Team Selection Weekend: £50 (Invite Only: registration via MSCot Members Portal)
- Grand Final: £30 (Selected Scottish YCS Team: registration via BMC website)
Concessions: are applicable to climbers whose parents or guardians are on Income Support or Family Credit. Evidence must be provided in support of this. Please make your booking through the office on 01738 493 942.
Volunteers: Adult volunteers are vital to ensure the youth competitions happen. You can register for the following roles:
- Category Judge (we try to double-up any new judges with those more experienced)
- Top-rope Belayer (belaying Youth D and Youth E category competitors)
- Lead belayer (belaying Youth A, B and C category competitors)
Volunteer Registration and Support:
- Further information can be found here
- There are up to 20 volunteer places available at each event which will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis
- You can volunteer by email
- When you volunteer as a lead belayer you will be asked to read and confirm acceptance of a Volunteer Competency Form
- We offer free belay training sessions at local climbing walls throughout the year, which helps ensure belay safety at the competiitons but is also a good refresher for any climber
- You will be asked to check-in and register on the morning of the competition
- There will be a belay and judge briefing before each competition starts
- Volunteers in any of the positions above get free hot drinks on the day
- Volunteer’s details will be kept on a central register
How to enter the Youth Climbing Series
Book and pay quickly and easily online via the
Mountaineering Scotland web portal, here's how:
- Existing members who are first time users of the portal will need to set up their login via the 'first time access' tab and follow on-screen instructions.
- You need to log-in via your child's membership log-in to book their place, if you do not know or remember your child's log-in details, contact us to get them.
- Non-members will need to log in to the portal via the 'join us' option, enter their details and follow on-screen instructions, before going straight into the 'events & courses' tab at the top of the page. Select the relevant YCS round and a year’s ClimbScotland Gold Mountaineering Scotland membership will be added to your price at the checkout stage.
- After booking you will receive a confirmation email with more information about the YCS.
- New members will get their membership pack through the post in a week – find out what you get as a Mountaineering Scotland member.
- Please note the closing date for booking is four days before the start of each round. Booking will close at midnight on the Tuesday before each event. If you have problems booking, phone the office (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm) on 01738 493 942.
YCS ROUGH GUIDE 2020
YCS Regional Rounds 2020 PARENT INFORMATION
YCS RULES 2020
(UPDATED to VERSON 5 FOR NEW SELECTION EVENT FORMAT)
YCS Team Selection 2020 PARENT INFORMATION (Available soon)