INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SPORT CLIMBING ANNUAL REPORT 2019 www.ifsc-climbing.org CONTENT Paraclimbing World Championships ----58 President’s Message -------------------- 4 Olympic Qualifying Event ------------ 62 Secretary General’s Message ------------ 6 Youth World Championships-----------64 Inside the IFSC ------------------------- 8 ANOC Beach Games ---------------- 66 WHAT IS THE IFSC?--------------------- 8 China Open ------------------------ 67 MAKING HISTORY --------------------- 8 SPORT DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENTS ---- 68 THE STRATEGIC PLAN------------------- 10 A 2019 Meetings -------------------- 68 A N WOMEN IN THE IFSC-------------------- 12 Official Sport Equipment ------------ 74 N N N New Result System ---------------- 77 U GOVERNANCE ------------------------ 14 U A A EXECUTIVE BOARD--------------------- 16 L Corporate Activities ------------------- 78 L STAFF -------------------------------20 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS ------- 78 2 NEW HEADQUARTERS ------------------24 Marketing Strategy ---------------- 78 3 NATIONAL FEDERATIONS----------------26 Synca Dentsu --------------------- 79 R Sponsors------------------------- 80 R E TRIBUTE TO MR. YURIY SKURLATOV -------28 E P Broadcasters---------------------- 82 P COMMISSIONS------------------------30 O Monthly Highlights Shows ----------- 86 O R R Our Sport ------------------------------42 Digital Marketing ------------------ 90 T T NUMBER OF CLIMBERS WORLWIDE ------- 42 Media --------------------------- 94 Continental Qualifying Events OLYMPIC GAMES ---------------------- 44 Graphic Charter --------------------- 95 Tokyo 2020------------------------ 44 2019 MEETINGS ---------------------- 96 Paris 2024 ------------------------ 46 IFSC Plenary Assembly 2019 --------- 96 Youth Olympic Games - Dakar 2022 ---- 47 International Meetings -------------- 98 2019 SEASON FIGURES -----------------48 FINANCE ---------------------------- 102 World Cup Series -------------------48 World Championships----------------54 Contacts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -108 INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SPORT CLIMBING President’s Message Marco Maria SCOLARIS IFSC PRESIDENT A While it has been tradition in years past for the President of the IFSC to share a few words in A N the Annual Report to celebrate our achievements from the previous year, we have recently found N N N ourselves faced with unprecedented obstacles far beyond our control and therefore must adapt. U U A At this moment, I will break from past traditions and chose instead to reflect on the current situation. A L L Every night, we see the effects of the pandemic spread across the globe resulting in broken hearts 4 and devastated communities. We may now be living in difficult times, but our climbing community 5 is resilient and will never give up. R R E While Sport Climbing’s debut in the Olympic Games has been disrupted and the Olympic Flame E P has been placed on a temporary leave of absence, we are not without hope. We will keep our chins P O O up and look forward in anticipation for that time when we can once again count down the days R R T until the Games begin. T For now, let us use this experience to come together as an IFSC family and unite as an international Sport Climbing community. Let us look forward to the future with hope and even more determination. We will climb again. WORLD UP, KEEP CLIMBING! Marco Maria SCOLARIS IFSC PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SPORT CLIMBING Secretary General’s Message Debra GAWRYCH IFSC SECRETARY GENERAL THE IFSC MADE SOME GREAT STRIDES FORWARD IN 2019 TO IMPROVE • Created a new results system to be implemented in 2020. COMMUNICATION WITH OUR NATIONAL FEDERATIONS, OFFICIALS, • Successfully worked through the immense amount of work for the preparation of the Tokyo 2020 Games A EVENT ORGANISERS, ROUTE-SETTERS AND ATHLETES. WITH THESE STEPS led by IFSC Head of Olympic Coordination Jérôme Meyer and Vice-President Sport/Events Kobinata Toru, A N alongside IFSC President Marco Scolaris and staff Francesca Jengo, Silvia Verdolini and Anne Fuynel, with N N N FORWARD WE ARE BUILDING A BETTER FOUNDATION FOR 2020. too many others to name including IFSC staff, officials, routesetters and outside contractors. U U A A From working on the “Road to Tokyo 2020” and numerous other event and administrative activities, we have • Added another athlete representative to the IFSC Executive Board, so that male and female athletes will L L made tremendous strides in 2019. As the Secretary General, much of my work has been behind the scenes; be better represented. working with the staff, Member Federations, Continental Councils and outside agencies. While not as visible, it I have spent a lot of time in our Torino office this year, as well as coaching and mentoring staff, facilitating 6 is very important to the ongoing operations and strategic growth of our organisation. improved meetings, conversations and teamwork with our organisation. I see that our staff are now working 7 together more effectively and becoming better leaders. This is proving to be beneficial in some of the obstacles R Here are some highlights from 2019: R E and difficulties we have faced on our “Road to Tokyo program” and the running of some of our large events. E We signed a major sponsorship and media contract with Japanese marketing group Synca/Dentsu. This P • The most important point is that we are learning and growing. We don’t know everything and sometimes miss P O gave us the financial resources to increase the quality of our TV and event production, to enable live O opportunities or make mistakes. Each time we do this, we evaluate; “What worked and what did not work.” R broadcasts of all World Cups, World Championships and the Olympic Qualifying Event, and to hire staff R T We come up with better solutions and ways to work. In this way we are forging new territory in the climbing T to manage increased media, sponsorship, and event production needs. world and in the world of international sport. We do this, not alone; we do this together, with all of you. • We welcomed new staff members: It is easy to tell someone what they are doing wrong. What is more powerful is to share feedback with people • Hazel Han, Sport Assistant and organisations about what they can do to be more effective (of course, all of this is one’s individual opinion). • Federico Ferro, Venue Delegate Be open to that feedback yourself and you will find that people are more willing to hear feedback from you. • Marco Vettoretti, Event Sponsor & Media Officer Keep growing and help us to Keep Climbing. World Up! • Simona De Mari, Bookkeeper Thank you for your support, • Piero Rebaudengo, General Director Debra GAWRYCH • Added new Member Federations: IFSC SECRETARY GENERAL • FMCA – Fiji Mountaineering and Climbing Association • Conducted a Risk Analysis & Strategic Planning Process culminating in the IFSC Climbing Summit to celebrate 2019 successes with our Golden Members and key stakeholders. • Brought better organisation and new structure to each department of the IFSC & stakeholders. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SPORT CLIMBING Inside the IFSC WHAT IS THE IFSC? The IFSC is an international non-governmental, non-profit organisation whose main objectives are the direction, regulation, promotion, development and furtherance of Sport Climbing around the world. A A N The last two decades has seen a period of spectacular growth for both Sport N N Climbing and the IFSC. Our sport has gained credibility on an international stage N U U not only as a competitive sport, but also for its social values. The IFSC is a young A A L and healthy federation founded on modern sporting principles and ethics, which L are cultivated alongside the growth and development of the sport. 8 9 R R E MAKING HISTORY E P 2007 IFSC FOUNDED P O O R 2010 IFSC GAINS IOC (INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC R T COMMITTEE) RECOGNITION T 2016 SPORT CLIMBING CONFIRMED AS AN OLYMPIC SPORT FOR TOKYO 2020 2017 IFSC GAINS IPC (INTERNATIONAL PARACLIMBING COMMITTEE) RECOGNITION 2018 FIRST OLYMPIC SPORT CLIMBING MEDALS AWARDED AT THE BUENOS AIRES YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES 2019 SPORT CLIMBING IS PROVISIONALLY CONFIRMED FOR INCLUSION AT THE PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SPORT CLIMBING Inside the IFSC THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2024 ARCO WORKSHOP CLIMBING SUMMIT On August 28th, during the 2019 IFSC Youth World Championships December 14, 2019 saw the first ever IFSC Climbing Summit A in Arco, Italy, the IFSC held a workshop to address and inform take place in Turin, Italy, home to the IFSC Headquarters. A N its Member Federations. N N Following the workshop in Arco earlier in the year, the Climbing N U Led by IFSC Secretary General Debra Gawrych, the meeting Summit represented the occasion to celebrate the goals achieved U A saw approximately 40 participants from 24 Member Federations. in approach to the year of Sport Climbing’s Olympic debut. A L L The workshop was an exploratory session dedicated to IFSC Golden Members and other IFSC stakeholders gathered to Members to inform and collect feedback on the direction and discuss key objectives of the IFSC, moving forward to the 10 future goals of the IFSC. It resulted in several powerful action Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and beyond. The Climbing 11 plans to improve communication and functioning of the Summit further validated the Strategic Planning initiative. R R Continental Councils and communication from the IFSC to Comments and action plans will be communicated at the E E P Member Federations. 2020 Plenary Assembly. 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