The National Universities Lead and Speed Climbing Championship (or NULSCC for short) is a competition Warwick Climbing organizes at the Sports and Wellness Hub on Saturday 22nd February 2025. NULSCC is the biggest university lead and speed competition in the UK with competitors from all over the country.

This event will run throughout the whole day, with qualification separated into an AM and PM session, followed by finals in the evening. Universities a long way away from the location are likely to be allocated to the PM session to make travel arrangements easier. Universities will be allocated and communicated their session in January. Our primary media to share information will be through instagram: @nulscc.ww

Contact us through @nulscc.ww on instagram or at NULSCC.Manager@gmail.com for any questions.

The highlights from last years NULSCC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPO0tsrXe8E 

Preregistration forms and payment

When applying for pregistration you will be asked to pay a 40 pounds non-refundable deposit to secure a place for your athletes at NULSCC this year. Each athlete will be required to pay 20 pounds for entry. If you have preregister you will be given the option of paying the 20 pounds per athlete now, or later on with the individual sign ups.

https://forms.gle/iQEnkaCPVkezV4UR6 --> for Preregistration sign ups

https://forms.gle/WXhSc8Xa9FrLMdAP7 --> for Elite athlete sign ups

Note: do not submit any payment without first doing the form, we will contact you about payment

Format

Lead qualification will consist of two lead routes which must be attempted at a specified time according to a start list. You must be able to lead climb safely. Highest holds reached on each route determines ranking.

Speed qualification will run in scramble format, with athletes having two practice runs followed by two qualification runs, the fastest time of which determines ranking. These runs may be done at any time during the qualification period, subject to wall availability.

For each category, the 8 highest ranking athletes in lead will qualify for the lead final, on a single route

For each category, the 8 highest ranking athletes in speed will qualify for the speed final, in a series of knock-out heats.

How to register 

Essentials

• All registrations begin with our forms! Do not make any payments without being instructed via email. If you make payment in error, you may not be refunded.
• All entries are provisional until payment is received.
• It is possible to enter without club/society input but you should contact your club/society in the first instance if possible.
• With some exceptions, academic institutions can typically pre-register to reserve spaces for six athletes and additional spaces can be filled on a first-come first-served basis at a later date.
• If you are in any doubt, please reach out to us through our Instagram: @NULSCC.WW or email NULSCC.Manager@gmail.com

If you are:

A Team Captain/ Club President:
 

The best way to secure places for a team at NULSCC is to pre-register. By paying a £40 non-refundable deposit, you reserve up to six places for your athletes. There is a female category, an open/male category and a non-binary category. You can reserve a maximum of three places in any given category. Then, you can purchase those first six tickets with a £10 discount on each. This means preregistering is the cheapest way to compete! Each institution can only reserve six places. If you can’t find six athletes, you can enter any number but you get the best value from a full team.

If you have too many athletes, it is up to the named institutional lead to decide how to allocate the places. Additional athletes from any institution will be able to sign up during the additional athlete registration period on a first-come first-served basis.
 

A student athlete, my club is definitely sending athletes to NULSCC

Make sure your Team Captain/Club President is aware of the preregistration and registration process. If they have pre-registered, there will be a named institutional lead who manages the selection of those athletes. Ask them about the internal selection process and make them aware that you’re interested. 

If you are unsuccessful, you are still able to sign up during the additional athlete period. Your club cannot stop you from attending NULSCC as you are able to complete the registration and payment independently during the additional athlete period.
 

A student athlete, I don't know if my club is sending athletes to NULSCC:

Make sure that you have contacted whatever club infrastructure your institution has and made your interest clear. You could consider finding other people who are interested and pre-registering yourselves, appointing yourself as the named institutional lead. Please note that if multiple pre registrations are received from the same institution, the NULSCC organisers will identify the most appropriate institutional lead, our decision is final.

If there is not enough interest at your institution to preregister, you can complete the registration and payment independently during the additional athlete period.
 

An Alumni of the last two years or I was enrolled at a university in the last two years:

If you are not currently enrolled in a UK university, but were enrolled in the last two years you are eligible to compete as an alumni. You will be able to participate in all aspects of the event except for team scoring.Your individual score will not count towards the team score of your institution.

You will not be able to sign up as part of your institution's preregistration. This means that you will need to register as either an additional athlete or an elite athlete.
 

I think I might be an elite athlete:

For NULSCC, elite athletes are defined as current members of national teams (who will typically hold a current IFSC license) or athletes who have previously made a podium at NULSCC. These athletes can either enter through the normal channels, or use the elite athlete registration system that opens at the same time as preregistration. The fees are the same as for additional athlete registration, but you are not subject to the first-come first-served system.