The 2026 College Sport Wellington Secondary Schools Bouldering Championships delivered an exciting day of climbing action at Faultline Climbing Gym on Friday 26 June, with 115 competitors taking part across junior and open divisions.

Held at the Willis Street venue, the one-day event featured a morning qualifying round followed by afternoon finals, providing athletes with the opportunity to test both endurance and technical skill across a range of bouldering problems. 

The open finals showcased some of the region’s top young climbers, with Fletcher McGrath (Wa Ora Montessori School) claiming the Open Boys title.  McGrath, who has already represented New Zealand at youth level competitions, underlined his growing reputation with a composed and consistent finals performance.  He finished ahead of Hugo Harkness (Palmerston North Boys’ High School) and Quinn Boetzelen‑McIntyre (Wellington High School) in a competitive field. 

The Open Girls division saw Sylvia Palmer (Wellington Girls’ College) continue her dominance of the event, taking the title ahead of Holley Meyer and Mia Pinkerton (both Hutt Valley High School).  Palmer’s win builds on her success in the previous year, where she featured prominently in both junior and open grades at the regional championships. 

There was also a notable crossover between divisions, with several athletes backing up in both grades. In the Junior Boys competition, Hugo Harkness went one better to claim first place, ahead of Moritz Seiler (Hutt Valley High School) and Sam Bate (Hutt International Boys’ School).  Harkness’ result reflects his strong standing nationally, having also featured prominently in youth development squads and competition rankings. 

The Junior Girls event was once again led by Sylvia Palmer, who completed an impressive double by taking out both junior and open titles.  She finished ahead of Eliza Nam‑Kogan (Queen Margaret College) and Willow Stevens (Wellington High School).  Palmer’s continued success highlights her status as one of the region’s leading young climbers, with experience on the national circuit at a young age. 

Competition format played a key role in shaping the results, with all athletes participating in a two-hour self-scored qualifying round before the top five in each open division advanced to finals.  The finals featured three problems per gender, with athletes climbing in isolation and scored on tops, zones and attempts, adding pressure and intensity to the concluding rounds. 

Beyond the podium results, the event once again highlighted the depth of climbing talent across the Wellington region, with strong representation from a wide range of schools.  The Faultline facility provided an outstanding setting, with a diverse range of routes and a vibrant atmosphere supporting both competitors and spectators throughout the day.  A big thank you to Brook and the team at Faultline, for putting on such an awesome day.

With participation numbers continuing to grow and increasing national pathways available for young climbers, the future of secondary school climbing in the region looks extremely positive.

Photos courtesy of Photo Wellington.