Husqvarna National Tree Climbing Championship 2022

Tree Climbers Battle for the Top Spot

New Zealand’s best tree climbers will battle it out for the national title. 30 arborists and talented tree climbers will compete in the NZ Arb Husqvarna National Tree Climbing Championship on Friday 4 November and Saturday 5 November at the Wellington Botanic Gardens.

The competition kicks off at 1 pm sharp on Friday 4 November with the preliminary events and continues throughout the day on Saturday 5 November. These preliminary events test competitors’ ability to professionally and safely manoeuvre in a tree while performing work-related tree-care tasks efficiently.

The final championship round – the Masters’ Climb – for the men’s and women’s national titles begins at approximately midday on Saturday 5 November.

The eventual champions will then represent New Zealand at the 2023 International Tree Climbing Championships.

On Saturday, the general public are encouraged to bring the whole family down to the Wellington Botanic Gardens to watch the tree climbing action and meet a bunch of cool arborists that climb trees for a living. And the kids can also have a go! Kids will wear a special safety harness and with the help of our NZ ARB arborist experts, will get to climb a tree (as high as they are comfortable) and check out a view usually reserved for the professionals and birds!

NZ Arb Husqvarna National Tree Climbing Championship schedule

Friday 4 November
Wellington Botanic Gardens – access off Glenmore Street
From 1pm – Preliminary Events Start

Saturday 5 November
Wellington Botanic Gardens – access off Glenmore Street
From 8.00am Preliminary Events Continue
From approx. midday Treetech Mens’ Masters & Levin Sawmakers Yale Cordage Womens’ Masters start

(note – start time may vary depending on time of completion of preliminaries)

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More information about the Tree Climbing Events
Tree climbing competitions simulate working conditions of arborists in the field. Male and female competitors perform five different events during preliminary rounds to qualify for the championship. Each event tests a competitor's ability to professionally and safely maneuver in a tree while performing work-related tree-care tasks in a timely manner.
PRELIMINARY QUALIFYING EVENTS
Competitors are scored individually in each event-Aerial Rescue, Work Climb, Ascent, Belayed Speed Climb, and Throwline. The competitor with the highest score is the winner of that event. First, second, and third place for men and women are awarded for each event.
Competitors' total scores for all five events are combined and the male and female competitors with the highest combined score from the preliminary events move on to the Masters' Challenge Championship.

MASTERS' CHALLENGE
The Masters' Challenge consists of one event and competitors are scored on technique and skill. The competitors in this round with the highest score are named the male and female World Champions.

About New Zealand Arboricultural Association
The New Zealand Arboricultural Association (NZ Arb) was created in 1989 in response to a growing demand for the formation of a national body to represent professional and non-professional people involved in New Zealand tree care.

In 1996, NZ Arb joined the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) to become its 32nd Chapter. The New Zealand Arboricultural Association is proud to foster the mission of the ISA; through research, technology and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. For more information on NZ Arb visit www.nzarb.org.nz