Canadian Zach Richardson Wins Silver at North American Cup Series
Gold and silver were decided by thin margins in both the men's and women's comps
The second North American Cup Series (NACS) event of 2024 was held over the weekend in Vail, Colorado as part of the GoPro Mountain Games. Unlike the first NACS event held in April in Salt Lake City, which hosted Lead, Boulder, and Speed comps, this event was solely a Boulder comp. Canadian athletes had solid performances, with Zach Richardson, Matthew Rodriquez, and Anna Kelley all making the finals. Richardson, a two-time Canadian Boulder National Champion, had the standout performance for Canada, earning silver in the men’s comp.
What Is the NACS?
The NACS was first launched by Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) and USA Climbing in 2021.The mission of the series is to “provide a high-level competition series for advanced and elite athletes from the America’s to continue their development outside of World Cup competition.” CEC and USA Climbing are the national governing bodies for comp climbing in Canada and the US respectively, as recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the IFSC.
The 2021 series had five events. In 2022, four events were held. The 2023 season was the biggest ever, with seven events – two in Canada, one in Costa Rica, and four in the US. This year’s series will see five events – three in the US and two in Canada.
“The NACS is an excellent opportunity for athletes to gain valued experience at an elite level,” said the Executive Director of CEC, Christiane Marceau before the start of the 2023 series. “It reduces the gap between national events and IFSC World Cups, adding a much-needed development step. For Canadian athletes, the NACS stops are also a great way to collect [Continuous National Ranking] points for Team Canada Selection!”
2024 NACS Vail Results
In the men’s final, American Charles Barron placed first after topping all four problems, flashing three of them. Canadian Zach Richardson, who earned silver, also topped all four problems but he took 12 attempts to achieve his four tops, whereas Barron only took five. American Zander Waller earned bronze with three tops and four zones. Canadian Matthew Rodriquez placed sixth.
“Last night I felt that feeling I’ve been chasing since I was a little kid,” said Richardson on Instagram about the comp. “I’ve wanted to quit competing countless times over the years. I made it this far by choosing to find happiness in every little part of the process.”
Podium spots for gold and silver were even tighter in the women’s comp. American Helen Gillett earned gold with three tops in six attempts. American Cloe Coscoy won silver with three tops in seven attempts, just one attempt more than Gillett. Melina Costanza earned bronze with two tops and four zones. Canadian Anna Kelley placed fifth with one top and three zones.
The full Boulder results for the Vail NACS event are found below, as are the livestream replays for both comps.
Boulder Results – Men
- Charles Barron [USA] (4T4z 5 5)
- Zach Richardson [CAN] (4T4z 12 7)
- Zander Waller [USA] (3T4z 6 7)
- Simon Hibbeler [USA] (3T3z 4 4)
- Benn Wheeler [USA] (1T2z 1 6)
- Matthew Rodriquez [CAN] (0T3z 0 5)
Boulder Results – Women
- Helen Gillett [USA] (3T3z 6 3)
- Cloe Coscoy [USA] (3T3z 7 3)
- Melina Costanza [USA] (2T4z 3 7)
- Nekaia Sanders [USA] (2T4z 7 11)
- Anna Kelley [CAN] (1T3z 6 10)
- Madeline Morris [USA] (1T3z 6 17)
Upcoming 2024 NACS Events
- June 22-23, Altitude Kanata, Ottawa, Ontario (Boulder), Hosted by CEC
- September 13-15, Location TBD (Lead, Speed), Hosted by USA Climbing
- October 4-6, Olympic Oval, Richmond, BC (Lead & Speed), Hosted by CEC
2024 NACS Vail Boulder Final Replay
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