Watch the World Climbing Series take place this October in Salt Lake. Catch the action and get your discounted tickets.
The World Climbing Series is coming to Salt Lake from October 16-18, 2026. This is the last World Climbing Series Boulder event of the season with top World Rankings on the line. Hosted at Smith’s Ballpark, former home of the Salt Lake Bees, this is the first time an international climbing competition will be staged on the ballpark infield.
Ballpark/Granary District
You're already in it. Industrial bones, creative energy. Old warehouses now hold breweries and live music, so the post-event pint is a short walk away. In between catching the action, discover the walkable Ballpark neighborhood.
Start the morning with a latte from Publik Coffee, cross the street from Smith’s Ballpark to grab a burger and beer from Lucky 13 and in the evening check out the many local restaurants and breweries.
Learn About the Team Bringing the World Climbing Series, USA Climbing
USA Climbing is the national governing body for competition climbing in the United States, supporting athletes, coaches, events, and the broader climbing community nationwide. 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. USA Climbing oversees Youth, Collegiate and Para Climbing competitions and supports Team USA athletes representing the United States on the international stage.
To learn more about USA Climbing, visit usaclimbing.org and follow @usaclimbing on social media.
USA Climbing in Salt Lake
Get to Know Some of the Boulder Athletes Competing
Meet some of the world’s best climbers from Team USA that will be competing at Smith’s Ballpark in the World Climbing Series this October. Here’s who to watch.
Nekaia Sanders
Nekaia grew up in Corona Del Mar, CA, and started climbing at the age of 9. She’s been vegetarian for her entire life and when she’s not climbing, she enjoys painting as her favorite hobby. Her sister, Sovrae Sanders, is also on Team USA and will be competing in the World Climbing Series.
When in Salt Lake, her favorite place to climb indoors is at Momentum Climbing Gym in Fort Union. She notes Salt Lake as the best place to climb because of the difficult boulders, indoor facilities and having an abundance of strong climbers in the community.
Her pre-competitions routine consists of watching a mindless TV show the night before and eating oatmeal in the morning of the competition. Her current go to shows are Love On the Spectrum and Impractical Jokers.
Career Highlights
- 2nd at World Climbing Pan America Series, Salt Lake City 2026
- 1st at 2026 National Team Trials, Beaverton OR
- 6th at 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships, Orlando
- 2nd at IFSC Pan American Cup Armenia 2025, Boulder Armenia 2025
- · Placed 10th for Women’s Boulder and 11th in Women’s Lead at the FISU University Championship Innsbruck 2022
Sovarae Sanders
Sovarae grew up in Corona Del Mar, CA, and began climbing around the age of five. She’s competed in youth circuits for over a decade and her sister, Nekaia will be competing in the World Climbing Series as well.
Her favorite place to climb in Salt Lake is the Bouldering Project in the Granary District. When not climbing in Salt Lake, she enjoys going to Loki Coffee on 900 South and then walking around Sugarhouse Park. Before a competition, you’ll find Sovarae listening to Harry Potter and filling out Spanish workbooks.
Career Highlights
- Ranked 12th at the World Climbing Pan America Series Salt Lake City 2026
- 5th place for Boulder at IFSC Pan American Cup Armenia 2025
- Ranked 7th for Boulder at IFSC Climbing Youth World Championships 2022
Melina Costanza
Melina grew up in Seattle, WA, and started climbing at the age of five. When not climbing, she works at a law firm drafting electrical engineering patents. Her favorite athlete is LeBron James.
Career Highlights
- 1st, World Climbing Pan America Series Salt Lake City 2026
- 3rd, 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships, Orlando
- 3rd, IFSC World Championships Seoul 2025
- 1st, 2025 NACS Greenville
- In 2024 she won the Women’s Boulder National Championship and Women’s Lead National Championship
- That same year Melina came in 4th for Women’s Lead/TR and 5th for Women’s Boulder at the National Team Trials
Annie Sanders
Annie is from Fort Worth, TX, and began climbing and competing at the age of seven. She’s currently the youngest member of the US National Team. When not competing, she enjoys swimming and mountain biking. Annie is currently ranked 2nd in Boulder and 1st in Lead in the 2026 World Climbing Series rankings.
Career Highlights
- One of only three climbers to win 2 IFSC World Cup medals at the same event
- Took home gold in both the 2023 and 2024 National Team Trials for Women’s Lead/TR and Women’s Boulder, Lead and Combined
- Took home first place for Women’s Boulder, Lead at the 2022 National Championships
- Won four gold medals at Youth Worlds and Flashed Omaha Beach 5.14 at the New River Gorge
- Just this year, in 2026:
- 4th World Climbing Series Koper 2026, Lead
- 1st, World Climbing Series Chamonix 2026, Lead
- 2nd, World Climbing Series Innsbruck 2026, Lead
- 1st, World Climbing Series Innsbruck 2026, Boulder
- 1st, World Climbing Series Prague 2026, Lead
- 1st, World Climbing Series Prague 2026 Boulder
- 3rd, World Climbing Series Bern 2026 Boulder
- 1st, World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 Lead
- 4th, World Climbing Series Keqiao 2026 Boulder
Brooke Raboutou
Brooke grew up in Boulder, CO, and began climbing at age one. She’s the daughter of former climbing world cup champions, Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou and Didier Raboutou. Her older brother, Shawn, is also a successful competitive and outdoor climber. In September 2026, she placed 2nd at the World Climbing Series Koper 2026.
Career Highlights
- Silver medalist for Women’s Boulder & Lead at the 2024 Olympic Games Paris
- 5th Place for Women’s Combined at the 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo
- Has 17 IFSC World Cup podium finishes
- First U.S. climber ever to qualify for an Olympic Games
- Became the youngest person in the world to climb 5.14b, at age 11
Analise Van Hoang
Analise is from Berkeley, CA, and started climbing at the age of six. Her favorite food is Biscoff cookies and her favorite hobby when not competing is climbing outside. Her favorite athlete is Maddy Van Hoang.
Career Highlights
- Analise won silver for Women’s Boulder and Women’s Lead at both the 2026 World Climbing Championship Arco and 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships
- Won bronze for Women’s Lead at the IFSC Pan American Cup Armenia 2025
Colin Duffy
Colin is from Broomfield, CO, and began climbing at the age of 5. He was the youngest member of the USA Climbing team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In college, he aspires to go into Engineering. He’s passionate about rescuing animals and has rescued a dog, Lucky, and a cat, Sparky. When not climbing and rescuing animals, he enjoys solving puzzles and Rubik’s cubes.
Career Highlights
- Currently ranked 6th in the World in Boulder
- 2nd, World Climbing Series Comunidad de Madrid 2026, Boulder
- 4th, IFSC World Cup Comunidad de Madrid 2025, Lead
- 5th, IFSC World Cup Chamonix 2025, Lead
- 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships: Gold (Men’s Lead)
- Olympic Games Paris 2024: 4th Place (Men’s Boulder & Lead)
- In 2023 ranked #7 in the world in Men’s Boulder & Lead
- Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: 7th (Men’s Combined)
- IFSC World Championships Bern 2023: 2nd (Men’s Boulder & Lead)
- IFSC World Cup Chamonix 2023: 6th (Men’s Lead)
- IFSC World Cup Villars 2023: 5th (Men’s Lead)
- IFSC World Cup Innsbruck 2023: 9th (Men’s Boulder)
- IFSC World Cup Brixen 2023: 7th (Men’s Boulder)
- IFSC Wolrd Cup Prague 2023: 8th (Men’s Boulder)
Landers Gaydosh
Landers is from Fayetteville, NC, and started climbing at the age of 3.
Career Highlights
- 1st, 2026 Youth National Championship Boulder, Salt Lake City
- 4th, 2026 Youth National Championship Lead, Salt Lake City
- 2nd, NACS Vail Boulder
- 4th 2026 National Team Trials Boulder, Beaverton OR
- 4th 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships Boulder, Orlando
- Ascent of Moonlight Buttress, Zion, at age 13
- U16 Ice Climbing World Champion 2022
- 5th place at IFSC Youth World Championships in bouldering
Auggie Chi
Auggie grew up in Newark, NJ, and started climbing at the age of 8. His favorite athlete is Tomoa Narasaki and he enjoys playing videogames and cooking when not climbing.
Career Highlights
- 1st, World Climbing Pan America Series Salt Lake City 2026 Boulder
- 5th, 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships Boulder, Orlando
- 2025 Youth National Championships: Bronze (Boulder, M19)
Hugo Hoyer
Hugo is from Chattanooga, TN, and started climbing at the age of 6. He enjoys playing drums, guitar, and video games. His favorite athlete is Adam Ondra.
Career Highlights
- 1st, 2026 YETI Climbing National Championships Boulder, Orlando
- 5th, World Climbing Pan America Series Salt Lake City 2026, Lead
- IFSC Pan American Championships Santiago 2024: Silver (Men’s Boulder)
- 2024 National Team Trials: 1st (Men’s Boulder)
- 2024 National Team Trials: 2nd (Men’s Lead/TR)
- 2023 YETI National Championships: 1st (Men’s Lead/TR)
- 2023 YETI National Championships: 2nd (Men’s Boulder)
Ben Hannah
Ben is from Santa Fe, NM, and started climbing at the age of 2. His favorite athlete is Charlie Barron and when not competing, he enjoys drawing, painting and shaping climbing holds.
Career Highlights
- 6th, World Climbing Pan America Series Salt Lake City 2026, Boulder
- 5th IFSC Pan American Cup Armenia 2025, Boulder
- 2025 National Team Trials: 1st (Men’s Boulder)
- 2023 YETI National Championships: 5th (Men’s Boulder)
Climb in Salt Lake's Backyard
Did you know Salt Lake has world-class climbing canyons within forty minutes of downtown? Salt Lake’s Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon offer a variety of rock types, making it an easy choice why Salt Lake is home to a large climbing community. In America’s Mountain City it’s easy to explore the city and the mountains in one trip.
In addition to the outdoor opportunities, Salt Lake provides multiple indoor climbing facilities including the Bouldering Project and The Front in the Granary and Momentum Indoor Climbing in Millcreek.
In between attending the World Climbing Series and checking out Salt Lake’s canyons, make the most of your time in Salt Lake and discover the unique neighborhoods that will keep you exploring.