WICS 2023 brought together for the 3rd time an intimate group of top-level managers, gym owners, federation representatives, and other climbing industry professionals from all over the world. The summit featured a diverse range of activities, including insightful panel discussions and presentations, and an exhilarating climbing competition with a strong focus on routesetting. Moreover, there was a vibrant exhibition room displaying the latest climbing holds and volumes from top brands. Along this there were the latest technology in the autobelay devices and flooring systems. To top it off we had the “notorious” Walltopia rooftop party. Let’s dive deeper into the key highlights of WICS 2023.

The climbing community is on the rise

WICS 2023 was the first edition of the international gathering of climbing industry professionals since 2019 and it was a blast. Within the last 4 years, the world seems to have changed so much, marked by quite a few negative events, multiple business closures and fear for the future. However, the climbing industry proves to be on the rise in terms of growth, development and professionalization while still being in its romantic period. Climbing appears to be a sustainable business venture as both business owners and their clientele are passion-driven. Their excitement for climbing doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. In fact, it felt that the international scene had been eager to meet up and share their insights, findings, worries, challenges and solutions. WICS managed to bring so much positive energy and smiles through valuable networking and thoughtful insights!

The WICS 2023 conference program covered a broad range of important topics for the climbing industry. Sessions addressed global market trends, the significance of introducing youth to climbing, best practices in route setting, and the future of climbing competitions. With a lineup of renowned experts, attendees gained valuable insights and actionable takeaways from these thought-provoking presentations and discussions.

The summit began with “Climbing Industry Research and Analysis,” presented by Borislav Stefanov, offering a data-driven look at the industry’s current state and future outlook. Following this, the session “Global State of the Market” provided a comprehensive overview of the industry’s status in various regions. Seasoned professionals such as Peter Zeidelhack, Mark Sebille, and Yasmin Gahtani, among others, shared insights on their respective countries, giving attendees a thorough understanding of the worldwide climbing landscape.

The program continued with “Creating Generations of Climbers,” where Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, Alice Kao, and Remi Moehring discussed the role of gyms in engaging youth and retaining them as long-term customers. In addition, “Architectural Design of Climbing Gyms” featured experts discussing trends in space utilization and its reflection of community interests.

Furthermore, “Climbing Competitions” brought together industry leaders, including Finuco Martinez and Stefano Ghisolfi, to examine the evolution and future of competitions, providing valuable perspectives on this dynamic aspect of the sport.

Day 2 kicked off with “Routesetting Trends,” an engaging session featuring Peter Zeidelhack, Jan De Smit, Nataleigh Bell, Niklas Wiechmann, and Guillermo Burba. During the session, they explored how routesetting practices have evolved over the years and their impact on the industry. The presenters’ professionalism and client-centric approach ignited the audience, sparking conversations that extended beyond the panel and into the crowd. The dynamic exchange of ideas highlighted the significance of routesetting in shaping the climbing experience.

In “The Road from Climbing to Entrepreneurship,” Matilda Söderlund shared her journey, detailing the challenges of balancing a professional climbing career with running a successful gym. Following that, Jon Colbert presented “Important Metrics to Understand Gym Performance,” offering data-driven insights on key performance indicators for revenue growth.

Lastly, the summit concluded with a session featuring major gym chain owners, led by Walltopia CEO Ivaylo Penchev, who encouraged open discussion and reflection on industry challenges. Overall, the program provided attendees with a deep understanding of the industry’s landscape and future opportunities.

Paula Horwitz, former head of Climbing Wall Association in the USA, found value in understanding various markets and their growth rates. “The focus on executive level, the expertise level at WICS is higher”, she commended about the audience she met at WICS.

Zhu Haoqin – Zac from Banana Climbing observed a distinctive openness and willingness to share among attendees, creating an environment of collaborative networking. He found WICS the most valuable of the recent industry events he has been to and willingly shared his insights about the industry development in China during the Global State of the Market panel.

Simon Bruenner from Blockhelden in Germany appreciated the presence of experienced individuals who were genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about the climbing industry. He particularly enjoyed the presentation of Yasmin Gahtani from the Saudi Arabia Climbing Federation. Simon valued the open and inclusive nature of the event, encouraged by Walltopia CEO Ivaylo Penchev, which stirred up active participation and expression of diverse perspectives.

The exhibition at WICS 2023 showcased the latest designs of holds and volumes from eight top brands – HRT, Cheeta, Flathold, Ibex, Sup’R, Agripp, Kilter, Thrill Seeker and Under Blue Hold. These cutting-edge shapes presented exciting opportunities for creative routesetting. Climbing gym owners and route setters found immense value in the exhibition, discovering products that had the potential to elevate their climbing facilities and enhance the overall climbing experience for their patrons.

The exhibition’s emphasis on quality and ingenuity reflected the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in indoor climbing. The summit’s success was further bolstered by the support of its supplier sponsors – Composite-X, Headrush, HRT, Climbmat and GymRealm. These industry-leading companies not only contributed to the exhibition’s vibrancy but also played an instrumental role in elevating the overall quality of the event.

The kick-off evening for WICS 2023 featured a different kind of bouldering competition – Set&Send. With its was novel format the comp provided spotlight on routesetting as a major part of comps along with the athletes performance. Climbers and routesetters teamed up to work together on setting the problems on three signature Walltopia boulders featuring the latest panel designs from the company – the wooden boulder, the bamboo boulder and the stone boulder.

There were 5 teams of a routesetter and a male and female climber, representing 5 different hold brands – Flathold, Kilter, Sup’R, Cheeta and HRT. Every team could forerun their own problems but not the other team’s problems. They could, however, watch them set and forerun, so the climbing was not onsight. Despite a couple of minor organizational flaws, the comp was a fun experience for both participants and the audience which didn’t stop cheering! The competition was also broadcasted live on YouTube narrated by the perfect commentary by world famous commentators Charlie Boscoe and Danaan Markey. The athletes gave a beyond-excellent performance with unexpected outcomes of the climb attempts and the upshot was not clear until the very last send! The final result is as follows:

Female climbers:

1. Lucia Dorfell
2. Brooke Raboutou
3. Cloe Coscoy

Male climbers:

• Boyan Kirov
• Slav Kirov
• Shawn Raboutou

The awarding for the routesetting was separate and was decided by a gentlemen’s vote between all comp participants – setters and climbers. Each of them voted anonymously for their favorite problem in the following three categories:

Most creative problem (the one that was most difficult to read) – won by Dirk Uhlig – HRT holds
Most attractive problem (the one that was most attractive to watch) – won by Gautier Supper – Sup’R holds
Most aesthetic boulder (the best art piece on the walls) – also the most difficult to decide as apparently all problems looked amazing on the walls. Three setters split the prize – Tsukuru Hori (Cheeta holds), Dirk Uhlig (HRT) and Pierre Broyer (Flathold)

As the World Indoor Climbing Summit 2023 concluded, attendees enjoyed a memorable rooftop pool party at Walltopia headquarters. With stunning sunset views, the event provided a chance to relax, sip drinks from an open bar, and engage in casual conversations. Some couldn’t resist a refreshing swim in the pool, while others continued to network in a laid-back setting. As the night progressed, the party moved indoors, continuing into the early hours, leaving everyone with lasting memories and stronger connections after an unforgettable summit finale.

In conclusion, the World Indoor Climbing Summit 2023 was a major success, leaving a significant impact on climbing industry professionals. Its international scope encouraged the exchange of ideas, fostering collaboration and networking. Over time, while the key topics have remained the same, the level of conversation has matured, becoming more customer-focused and professional.

The industry has evolved, balancing top-quality service with its passion for climbing. Ultimately, the event demonstrated that the unity within the climbing community transcends cultural differences, driven by a shared love for the sport.

 WICS would like to extend sincere thanks to all attendees, speakers, and participants who contributed to making the World Indoor Climbing Summit (WICS) 2023 a major networking success for the indoor climbing industry. Your insights and contributions during discussions and presentations helped shape the future of our field. We are also grateful to our sponsors and partners for their invaluable support in bringing WICS 2023 to life.