Event Details

Dates

Sunday 6 – Thursday 10 September 2026

Venue

Rocktopia, 9 Triton Avenue, Mount Maunganui

Entry Fee

NZ$80.00 per climber 

RegistrATION TIMELINE 

Entries Open

Friday 20 March 2026 at 9:00 AM

Entries Close

Wednesday 3 June 2026 at 7:59 PM

All registrations must be submitted online by each school’s designated Zespri AIMS Games Coordinator using their unique login code.

CONTACT

Email: info@nzaimsgames.co.nz​​​​​​​

PLANNING INFORMATION

Entry Fees

• NZ$80.00 per climber (non-refundable)

• Payment is due within 7 days of invoice receipt

• Invoices will be issued to school accounts managers after entries close

Eligibility

Students must be aged over 10 and under 13 years as of 31 December 2025. For the 2026 Games, eligible birth years are 2013, 2014, and 2015. Birthdates must be provided during registration.

Competition Divisions

• Year 7 Boys (maximum of 12 climbers per school)

• Year 7 Girls (maximum of 12 climbers per school)

• Year 8 Boys (maximum of 12 climbers per school)

• Year 8 Girls (maximum of 12 climbers per school)

Disciplines

All climbers will compete across the following three disciplines:

• Discipline 1 – Top Rope

  • Qualifying rounds: Four routes will be set.

  • Quarterfinals & semi‑finals: Three routes will be set.

  • Final: One route will be set.

  • Routes will progress in grade from 15 to 25.

  • Each climber has one attempt per climb.

  • A judge will oversee each climb, provide instructions, and record scores on the climber’s scorecard.

  • Climbers have 2 minutes 45 seconds per attempt, starting once clipped into the Auto Belay system. Climbers will have a 3 minute rest between climbs. Timing is subject to change depending on the number of competitor entries.

  • If time expires, the last hold reached will count as the climber’s score.

  • Each handhold is worth points, with the Top Hold earning a 10‑point bonus. To claim the bonus, the climber must hold the Top Hold in a controlled manner for three seconds.

  • Scoring may be adjusted to align with the Olympic format and will be confirmed at the event briefing.

• Discipline 2 – Speed Climb

  • Each climber has two attempts.

  • The climbers score will be the fastest time of the two attempts.

  • For schools with at least six participants, the six fastest times will be combined to calculate the overall average.

  • The school with the lowest average time will be awarded the title of Fastest School.

• Discipline 3 – Bouldering

  • Qualifying rounds: Three boulder problems will be set.

  • Quarterfinals, semi‑finals and final: Two boulder problems will be set.

  • Problems will include two scoring zones and a top finish hold.

  • Climbers have 2 minutes 45 seconds per attempt, with a three‑minute rest between problems. Timing is subject to change depending on the number of competitor entries.

  • Points are awarded for reaching Zones and the Top Hold. Fewer attempts result in higher scores.

  • Final scoring decisions are at the sole discretion of the Rocking Climbing organising committee.

Multi-Code Participation

Students may enter more than one sporting code, provided they meet permitted code crossover eligibility.

Please note: No timetable adjustments will be made to accommodate scheduling conflicts between sporting codes. It is the responsibility of each school and the parents/caregivers to ensure that students’ chosen events do not overlap.​​​​​​​

PROGRAMME

Year 7 climbers wishing to attend the Zespri AIMS Games Opening Ceremony are recommended to book tickets for Show 2 (7:00 PM).

MEDAL PRESENTATIONS

Medals for the top three individual placings across all year groups, genders, and the Fastest School will be presented at the conclusion of the competition (Thursday 10 September 2026).

Prizegiving will take place at Rocktopia.