International Speed Climbing World Cup Coming to Downtown Denver

Downtown Denver Partnership teaming up with the International Federation of Sport Climbing, USA Climbing for competition on 16th Street 

On May 31 and June 1, the Downtown Denver Partnership (Partnership), in collaboration with USA Climbing and supported by Denver Arts & Venues and Visit Denver, will host an International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup. The event – which will take place in Downtown Denver (official location to be announced) – marks the first time Denver will host an IFSC World Cup competition.

The IFSC Speed Climbing World Cup will take place as part of the 16th Street Summer Kickoff (Kickoff), a weekend-long celebration of the revitalized public space that is nearing completion. This free, two-day event will span across Downtown Denver’s iconic mile-long main street, showcasing 16th Street as a hub for live music, art, food, shopping, and more, with a jam-packed line-up of performances, experiences and activations that will be announced soon at SummerInDenver.com.

 “As climbing continues to gain momentum in the United States, we could not be more thrilled to partner with the IFSC and USA Climbing to host a Speed Climbing World Cup right here in the heart of Downtown Denver,” said Kourtny Garrett, President & CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “As an epicenter for outdoor recreation and the economic hub for the Rocky Mountain West, the opportunity to host a competition like this is synonymous with our ethos. All of us in Denver are incredibly proud to welcome the IFSC, its athletes and a global audience to our city this summer.”

 The competition will be the second part of a Climbing doubleheader in the United States, following the IFSC Boulder World Cup set to take place in Salt Lake City from May 23 to 25. Together, the two World Cups will showcase the growing popularity of climbing and the impressive abilities of its world-class athletes.  

“In Denver we have an urban event with the mountains in the distance, so we combine the present IFSC with our history and roots. The world’s best Speed climbers, including USA’s very own world record holder Sam Watson, will compete in the heart of a city at the foot of the Rocky Mountains,” said IFSC President Marco Scolaris, “Denver also completes the trio of disciplines for the USA as we move from Salt Lake City with Lead Para Climbing and Boulder to showcase the full range of our sport with an exciting, action-packed Speed competition in a new venue. I’m very excited to see the competition, but I’m even more excited to see a new crowd of people enjoying Climbing up close.”

 “We can’t wait to bring speed climbing to Denver,” said Marc Norman, President and CEO of USA Climbing. “For years, Colorado has hosted some of the world’s best climbers and we know that the international climbing community will feel right at home for this World Cup.”

Denver’s event is going to be the third of five Speed competitions of the IFSC World Cup Series 2025, joining stops in Wujiang, China; Bali, Indonesia; Krakow, Poland; and Chamonix, France.

News and updates about all IFSC events will be available on the IFSC website and the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin, and Weibo. Details about the 16th Street Summer Kickoff will continue to be made available at SummerInDenver.com and on the Downtown Denver Partnership’s social channels: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok. 

About Downtown Denver Partnership

The Downtown Denver Partnership implements a place-based economic development strategy to support its vision for an economically healthy, vibrant and growing downtown. Through creative public realm activation with a focus on iconic, inclusive public art, the Partnership is building a thriving center city – a place for the community to come together for meaningful interactions and memorable experiences. The Partnership convenes the public, private and philanthropic sectors to drive progress forward in Downtown Denver to the benefit of all. Visit downtowndenver.com for more. 

About the IFSC 

The International Federation of Sport Climbing is the international governing body of Sport Climbing. It was founded on 27 January 2007 as a continuation of the International Council for Competition Climbing, created 10 years earlier, in 1997. As a non-profit organisation, the objectives of the IFSC are the direction, regulation, promotion, and development of Sport Climbing competitions worldwide.

 After its first appearance at Tokyo 2020, Sport Climbing successfully returned to the Olympic stage at Paris 2024, where 68 athletes from 22 nations competed in six sold-out days of Climbing action. In February 2022, the International Olympic Committee approved the inclusion of Sport Climbing in the initial programme of the Olympic Games LA28, while in June 2024 the International Paralympic Committee ratified the inclusion of Para Climbing in the Paralympic Games LA28. In 2018, two Sport Climbing medal events were presented at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

On 25 April 2021, the XVII IFSC General Assembly elected the current Executive Board: IFSC President Marco Scolaris, IFSC Vice President Kobinata Toru, IFSC Vice President Wolfgang Wabel, IFSC Secretary General Debra Gawrych, and IFSC Treasurer Pierre You; the Executive Board of the IFSC also includes representatives of the five IFSC Continental Councils, and the President and Vice President of the IFSC Athletes' Commission.

About USA Climbing

USA Climbing is the national governing body for competitive climbing in the United States, supporting athletes, coaches, and events across the country. As a nonprofit organization, USA Climbing’s mission is to promote the growth and development of climbing while advocating for the sport’s values of inclusivity, sportsmanship, and environmental responsibility.