AOTEAROA'S PREMIER FESTIVAL-STYLE BOULDERING COMP
Bloc Fest is a full-day festival experience bringing together competitors, community, and culture under one roof. Kicking off in Hamilton on Saturday 6 June 2026, with Auckland and Christchurch to follow in August.
Competitors of all levels tackle up to 30 boulder problems across three qualification sessions, with the top finishers advancing to an electrifying finals format that runs through the afternoon and into the evening. Categories cover Open A (elite), Open B (intermediate), Open C (beginner/developing), and Youth Under 14—with cash prizes.
Beyond the competition, Bloc Fest is a festival. Expect live music, shoe demos from leading climbing brands, food and nutrition booths, workshops, physio and mobility sessions, cafe and bar specials, and a relaxed atmosphere designed to welcome everyone from serious competitors to first-time spectators.
Spectating is free! To enter the comp, see the ticketing options below.
Dates
Boulder Co. Hamilton: Saturday 6th June
Boulder Co. Christchurch: Saturday 1st August
Boulder Co. Auckland: Saturday 22nd August
tickets
COMP FORMAT
Qualification
Climbers compete across three 2-hour qualification sessions (max 70 per session). Each session includes 30 boulder problems, ranging from V0–V11. Each competitor logs their best result per problem using the scoring below:
Attempt | Points |
Flash (1st attempt) | 10 points |
2nd attempt | 7 points |
3rd attempt | 4 points |
4th attempt or more | 1 point |
A hidden cutoff score determines which competitors in Open A, B and C qualify for finals. Competitors are automatically placed into a category based on their total qualification score.
Categories
Open A – Elite open division (male & female)
Open B – Intermediate open division (male & female)
Open C – Beginner/developing division (male & female)
Youth – Under 14 years (male & female)
Finals
The top six male and top six female from each category advance to finals. Finals are held in a rolling rotation through the afternoon and evening, with each finalist competing on 3–4 dedicated boulder problems in a timed isolation/rotation format (5 min 15 sec per problem). Finals categories run in order: Open C → Open B → Youth → Open A.
Cash Prizes
| Open A | Open B | Open C | Youth | |
| 1st | $400 | $150 | $100 | $50 |
| 2nd | $200 | $125 | $75 | $20 |
| 3rd | $150 | $100 | $50 | $10 |
Beyond the Comp
Expect a full day of goodness, with plenty going on, whether you’re between attempts, cheering on a mate, or just here for the vibe.
Live music keeps the energy up from qualifications through to finals. Shoe demos from leading climbing brands give you the chance to test out the latest kit before your next session.
Drop into a workshop to sharpen your technique, unwind with yoga between rounds, or book in with our on-site physios for some pre-climb mobility work (or post-climb damage control).
And of course, our cafés and bars will be running specials all day. A long day on the wall deserves a proper feed and a cold one.
Bloc Fest is proudly supported by:
Climbing shoes designed for performance to ensure that your rock climbing experiences are better than you’ve had before. Available from the Boulder Co. Pro-shops.
The new standard in chalk. For athletes who demand confident grip.
Raglan Rock Adventure Co offers rock climbing, caving and canyoning tours from Raglan, on the beautiful west coast of the North Island.
The pioneering brand in the manufacturing of climbing holds, representing quality, innovation, and design.
Bloc Fest Hamilton sponsors:
