The Opening Ceremony of the Youth World Championships in Arco: a symbolic embrace between nations beneath the walls of the Climbing Stadium, FASI’s Federal Technical Centre
A spectacular celebration of colour, music and togetherness officially marked the beginning of the World Climbing Youth Championships 2026, hosted at the Climbing Stadium in Arco.
The town in Trentino has taken up the baton from Helsinki, host of the 2025 edition, welcoming athletes, coaches and representatives of the international delegations with an opening ceremony that fully embodied the values of sport: participation, respect, friendship and fair competition.
With its Climbing Stadium set against an extraordinary natural backdrop, Arco has become the beating heart of international youth sport climbing, ready to host a week of competition featuring the world’s most promising young athletes across the Boulder, Lead and Speed disciplines.
The ceremony opened with the entrance of the Lega Sbandieratori flag throwers and an acrobatic performance by the Arco Dance School, creating an atmosphere filled with celebration, rhythm and emotion for everyone in attendance.
The spotlight then turned to the 68 delegations from around the world, who paraded with their national flags before gathering beneath the historic Rock Master walls, already prepared for the start of the competitions. The result was an extraordinary international scene, filled with smiling and excited young athletes, proud to represent their countries on the most important global stage in their age category.
Following the Italian national anthem, the attending authorities addressed the delegations.
Marco Piantoni, Deputy Mayor of Arco, welcomed the participants on behalf of the municipal administration and expressed his best wishes for the success of the event.
Paola Mora, President of CONI Trento, encouraged the athletes to embrace this important competitive and personal experience, fully appreciating the value of an international event capable of creating memories, relationships and emotions that will last for years to come.
Davide Battistella, President of the Italian Sport Climbing Federation, welcomed the participants and wished them the very best of luck, emphasising FASI’s pride in hosting so many promising young international climbers at the Federal Technical Centre in Arco, which in recent months has become the beating heart of Italy’s Olympic preparation programme.
The final address was delivered by Marco Scolaris, President of World Climbing, who remembered Cristian Brenna and Luce Douady and invited everyone present to experience these Championships with the awareness that, through sport and its values, each individual can help build a better future founded on peace.
The opening ceremony brought together athletes from every nation in a symbolic embrace beneath the walls of the Climbing Stadium.
It was an image that perfectly captured the spirit of the World Climbing Youth Championships 2026: a competition at the highest level, but above all an opportunity for connection, personal growth and shared experiences, founded on mutual respect, fairness and sport’s unique ability to unite people, cultures and countries.
Now it is time for the climbing walls to take centre stage: Arco is ready for the start of a truly global sporting spectacle.
