Youth World Championships: GB Climbing team set for Helsinki test

Britain’s top young climbers are heading to Helsinki for the 2025 IFSC Youth World Championships, where they will compete against the best emerging talent from across the globe.
The week-long event, which runs from 28 July to 3 August, will see athletes battle it out in Boulder, Lead and Speed disciplines in the Finnish capital on the walls of Helsingin Kiipeilykeskus (Boulder) and KiipeilyAreena Ristikko (Lead).
A total of 19 athletes have been selected to represent GB Climbing, with competitors ranging from the Under-17 to Under-19 categories. Among those returning to the international stage are Sam Hammond, Lucy Garlick, and Iggy Rinaldi, who will feature in multiple disciplines.
The Youth World Championships has previously featured Olympic champions Toby Roberts and Janja Garnbret, and this year will see many GB Climbing athletes making their world championship debut.
Dr Laura Needham, Head of Performance at the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), said:
"We’re incredibly proud of the dedication and progress our youth team has shown over the past year. Competing on the world stage is a huge moment in any athlete’s journey, and this group represents the energy, focus and passion that defines GB Climbing. We’re excited to see them test themselves against the best and gain valuable international experience in Helsinki."
Schedule highlights
28 July: U19 Boulder qualification
29 July: U17 Boulder qualification; U19 Boulder semi-finals
30 July: U17 Boulder semi-finals and finals; U19 Boulder finals
31 July: U19 Lead qualification
1 August: U17 Lead qualification; U19 Lead semi-finals
2 August: U17 Lead semi-finals; U19 & U17 Lead finals
3 August: U17 & U19 Speed qualifications and finals
Full GB Climbing selection:
Boulder U17 F: Iggy Rinaldi, Imogen Lilley, Martha Frost Mullen
Boulder U17 M: Harveer Seikham, Spike Fullwood, Tom Bouwknegt
Boulder U19 F: Fae MacDougall, Isabella Bridgens, Lucy Garlick
Boulder U19 M: Sam Hammond, Joe Honeyfield, Fred Williams
Lead U17 F: Iggy Rinaldi, Florence Nuttall, Mia Gallagher
Lead U17 M: Tom Bouwknegt, Issac Sutton, Harveer Seikham
Lead U19 F: Fae MacDougall, Lucy Garlick, Connie Bridgens
Lead U19 M: Sam Hammond, Fred Williams, Oliver Goodwin
Speed U19: Ava Hamilton (F), Kishan Fillingham (M)
Follow along with all the action on the GB Climbing Instagram for daily updates and results coverage. The IFSC Youth World Championships will be streamed live on the IFSC YouTube channel.
Related Content
Perfformiad Newyddion
Erin McNeice secured a third-place finish in the Lead World Cup in Chamonix, adding a fourth Lead medal to her season tally. Meanwhile, Andrew Goodall narrowly missed setting a new British Speed climbing record by 0.029 seconds.
Perfformiad Newyddion
Great Britain’s Sam Hammond delivered an outstanding performance at the IFSC European Boulder Youth Cup in Graz this past weekend, securing a silver medal in the U19 Men’s competition - his first podium finish in Boulder on the international stage.
Perfformiad Newyddion
With the first senior IFSC World Cups just around the corner, the GB Climbing Teams are preparing for the busy 2025 season ahead.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the climbers who have been named as part of the England National and Regional Squads for the 2025 season.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The international climbing season got underway this past weekend with the IFSC Boulder European Cup in Munich, Germany, with a strong showing from the eight athletes representing Great Britain.
Indoor Climbing Articles
Since its founding in 2023, the National Universities Lead and Speed Climbing Championships (NULSCC) has rapidly grown into one of the UK’s premier university climbing competitions. Created by passionate climbers Elliot Payne and Laure Renault during their final year at the University of Warwick, NULSCC was born from a shared love for competition climbing and a desire to build an inclusive, high-level event for student athletes.
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
The competition is heating up on Day 2 of the British Lead Championships as the semi-finals conclude at the Big Depot, Manchester.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The qualification round of the 2025 British Lead Championships concluded this evening, with Olympian Toby Roberts top of the Senior Men and a three-way tie at the top of the Senior Women.
Perfformiad Newyddion
This weekend (Saturday 8 February - Sunday 9 February), the country’s top Lead climbers will battle it out for the coveted title of British Champion.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The 2025 British Boulder Championships came to an electrifying conclusion on Sunday 26 January, at Big Depot, Manchester, where Erin McNeice, Jack MacDougall, Iggy Rinaldi, and Spike Fullwood were crowned national champions after an intense weekend of competition.
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
The opening day of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) British Boulder Championships unfolded on the walls of the Big Depot Manchester, showcasing the best of British bouldering talent.
Indoor Climbing Articles
'Tis the season for indoor sessions! But if you feel like you're becoming part of the furniture at your local, why not try a bit of wall tourism? Grab your mates and get ready to check out some of the UK's coolest climbing walls...
Rock Climbing Articles
Ready to have a go on the sharp end? We've put together a list of eight great choices for your first ever trad lead in the Lake District.
Dringo Dan Do
Ahead of the 2025 Boulder, Lead and Speed season, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) have made changes to how they define age categories.
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
The BMC, Mountaineering Ireland and Mountaineering Scotland are pleased to present the Youth Climbing Series Grand Final 2024. Please note, this is an invitational event only.
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is pleased to announce that the British Boulder and Lead Championships, the pinnacle of the domestic competition calendar, will take place in Manchester in early 2025.
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
Today, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can announce that the Youth Climbing Series (YCS) 2024 Grand Final will take place in Leeds at the Big Depot and Depot Leeds Armley, on 23-24 November 2024.
Perfformiad Newyddion
British climbing sensation Toby Roberts added another medal to his collection last weekend after securing a bronze medal at the IFSC Climbing Boulder World Cup in Prague last weekend.
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
Zoe Peetermans and Sam Butterworth claimed the 2024 British Boulder Champions titles on Sunday 25th August at Last Sun Dance in Leeds.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the 18 athletes who will represent the GB Climbing team at the 2024 IFSC Youth World Championships in Guiyang, China. The event is scheduled to take place from Thursday 22 August to Sunday 1 September at the Guizhou Bureau of Sports.
Olympics News
The 2024 Olympic Games are underway, and the nation's eyes are firmly on Paris and all the Team GB athletes. As Sport Climbing makes its second-ever appearance at the Olympic Games, we get to witness a new chapter in history as four climbers step out onto the mats to represent Great Britain.
Rock Climbing Articles
The Youth Ready to Rock Sport climbing course is designed to help young climbers (11-17 year olds) make their first moves onto rock by having a fun day out, as well as covering the use of some key skills and equipment, for both the participant and the parent/carer.
Rock Climbing Articles
It might seem like a lofty goal, but maybe it’s time to give 8a a go. All you need is the right route, a shot of determination, and to read this 10 step guide on how to climb 8a.
Dringo Creigiau Dysgwch Sgiliau
Lowering off from a sport climb isn't always as easy as it is at the climbing wall. Knowing a few techniques can make the difference between an enjoyable day's climbing and a trip to A&E.
Rock Climbing Articles
Back in 2017, Margo Hayes ticked La Rambla 9a+ in Siurana, Spain. By September that same year she had climbed another 9a+, Biographie at Ceuse, and in 2019 she ticked her third. How does she do it?
Mynediad Dysgwch
Access to the south side of Cheddar Gorge is fragile and relies upon climbers following the agreements in place with the landowner.
Dringo Creigiau Dysgwch Sgiliau
What are the different types of climbing and mountaineering and what do they involve?
Rock Climbing Articles
Dream of climbing 7a but think you’ll never reach that level? With a little hard work and some secret beta from top sport climber Steve McClure, you’ll be clipping the chains on your project in no time.
Dringo Creigiau Dysgwch Sgiliau
Trad climbing offers an unparalleled sense of freedom. With the appropriate skills, training, and equipment you really do have the ability to go anywhere. Here we give the low down on how to get started.
Rock Climbing Articles
The Youth Ready to Rock Trad climbing course is designed to help young climbers (11-17 year olds) make their first moves onto rock by having a fun day out, as well as covering the use of some key skills and equipment, for both the participant and the parent/carer. Trad climbing is the most popular style of climbing on British crags.
Dringo Creigiau Dysgwch
If you've learnt to climb routes indoors, sport climbing can be a logical first step into the exciting world of outdoor climbing. Here's how to get started...
Dringo Creigiau Dysgwch Sgiliau
Climb grade 5 outdoor sport routes, but want to progress? How do you start pushing your comfort zone, and what should you focus on?
Dringo Dan Do Newyddion
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce that the 2024 British Boulder Championships will be hosted at Last Sun Dance in Leeds.
Olympics News
Four sport climbers will make their Olympic Games debuts this summer for Team GB as the British Olympic Association (BOA) name the team that will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the 15 athletes selected to represent the GB Climbing team at the IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup Innsbruck 2024. Competition will run from Monday 24 June to Tuesday 25 June at the Kletterzentrum Innsbruck.
Olympics News
The culmination of the Olympic Qualifying Series in Budapest saw GB Climbing athletes Erin McNeice, Hamish McArthur, and Molly Thompson-Smith qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics Games.
Perfformiad Newyddion
Round Two of the Olympic Qualifying Series (OQS) kicked off in Budapest, marking the athletes' final opportunity to secure a spot for Paris 2024. As the heat was turned up on and off the wall the top 20 men’s and women’s Boulder & Lead semi-finalists have been confirmed.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) is reaching its finale at the Ludovika Campus in Budapest this week. A total of 48 top climbers from around the globe will vie for their last chance to secure a spot in the Boulder & Lead event for Paris 2024.
Perfformiad
After six remarkable years with the GB Climbing Team, Richard Slocock has announced his retirement from international competition. With an impressive tally of three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, the 44-year-old’s contributions to the GB Climbing team have been extraordinary.
Perfformiad
The third day of the Olympic Qualifying Series (OQS) featured the men’s and women’s Boulder & Lead semi-finals, selecting the top-eight athletes to compete in the final.
Perfformiad
Part one of the Olympic Qualifying Series in Shanghai, China, began today with the Boulder qualifying round. 46 men and 48 women are contesting the combined Boulder and Lead event at the city’s Urban Park over a four-day event on the Huangpu riverside, all in a bid to secure coveted spots at Paris 2024.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the lineup that will compete in Shanghai, China to represent the GB Climbing team at the first event of the Olympic Qualifying Series from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 May 2024.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The May bank holiday weekend witnessed our teams in action in Graz, Austria, for the European Youth Cup, and Salt Lake City, USA, for the Speed and Boulder World Cup and Paraclimbing World Cup.
Perfformiad Newyddion
With the 2024 international competition season now firmly underway, teams are gearing up for events in Salt Lake City, USA, and Graz, Austria.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The first Lead competition of the World Cup series got underway yesterday (12 April) in Wujiang, China. Erin McNeice, Molly Thompson Smith, Jack Macdougall, Max Milne, and Toby Roberts represented GB Climbing.
Perfformiad Newyddion
Three GB Climbing athletes competed for medals at the Keqiao Boulder World Cup in China.
Perfformiad Newyddion
The semi-final round saw four GB Climbing athletes take to the wall for the first men’s Boulder competition of the World Cup series. Due to worsening weather conditions, the qualification round was cancelled on Monday 8 April, which means that the semi-final today featured 67 athletes, with the top 20 moving into the final.
Perfformiad Newyddion
Erin McNeice reached her first finals in an IFSC World Cup competition today, which saw the 20-year-old secure a personal best result with fifth place in the Boulder competition in Keqiao, China.
Perfformiad Newyddion
GB Climbing’s Erin McNeice cruises into the semi-finals in the opening Boulder event of the 2024 IFSC World Cup Series in Keqiao.