For the first time in North America, the world’s top men and women ice climbers will compete for glory on a 50-foot-tall wall of sheer ice at the 2019 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup Finals. Join in the excitement and experience free winter thrills and fun at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver.
Competition ice climbing combines formidable over-hanging walls of ice with artful technique and sheer power. In the lead discipline, ice climbers require great technique, tactical mastery and nerves of steel to ascend seemingly improbable icy pillars dozens of feet above the ground. The speed discipline is most closely akin to all-out vertical sprint using ice axes and crampons.
In 2014, the sport debuted on an exhibition basis at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
"Competitive ice climbing is one of the most exciting things I've ever watched; the stamina, skill, and seeming impossibility of it all makes for an outstanding spectator experience. They’re up there doing crazy moves, wielding sharp tools and they hang on forever,” said Phil Powers, American Alpine Club CEO.
All weekend long, the park will be transformed into Barbegazi, a free winter festival with fun for all ages, including ax throwing, a huge ice maze, a 300-foot-long fat tire biking course and a snowball target range! Celebrate winter with food trucks, an ice bar and beer garden, and fire pits. Music guest Dragondeer will perform at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The event will be free and open to the public. Festival hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup Schedule
Friday, Feb. 22
Winter Festival: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (no climbing events)
Saturday, Feb. 23
Winter Festival: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lead qualifiers: 8 a.m.
Dragondeer performance: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Speed qualifiers: 4:30 p.m.
Speed semi-finals and finals: 6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 24
Winter Festival: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lead semi-finals: 10:30 a.m.
Lead finals: 4:30 p.m.
Medal ceremony: 6 p.m.
