Ohio Tree Climbing Championship: organiser, 2026 schedule, five events, climber caps and the 2027 date
The Ohio Tree Climbing Championship (Ohio TCC) run by the Ohio Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture: the two-day 2026 schedule, the five preliminary events, the climber caps and in-state rule, how a win leads to the international final, and the 2027 date on the chapter calendar.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the Ohio Chapter ISA says on its Ohio TCC page, its events calendar and its history page. The national and regional events are in the table of championships. The Ohio page lists the 2025 placings by name, and this page names no climber because it has not read terms that allow reuse of names.
The organiser
The Ohio Chapter's history page says the National Shade Tree Conference defined six regions in 1941 and that the first chapter it created was the Ohio Chapter, in 1942. The chapter's bylaws, last revised July 3, 2025, give January 30, 1942 as the date it was organised as the first chapter of ISA. The chapter's own stated purpose for the championship is to give people working in the industry a competitive learning environment and to show the public the skills of professional tree climbers.
Schedule on the 2026 page
| Day | What the page lists |
|---|---|
| Friday, May 1, 2026 | Climber gear check and the Belayed Speed Climb. |
| Saturday, May 2, 2026 | Preliminary events, the Masters' Challenge and awards. |
The page gives no town or park for the 2026 event. The chapter's events calendar lists the 2027 Ohio Tree Climbing Championship for May 14 and 15, 2027, also without a place.
Events and field size
The page says the 2026 competition had a maximum of 30 professional climbers plus 5 students. They compete in five preliminary events: Aerial Rescue, Ascent, Belayed Speed Climb, Throwline and Work Climb. First, second and third place medals are awarded in each preliminary event. The first-place winners of the Masters' Challenge get the chance to represent Ohio at the 2026 International Tree Climbing Championship.
Who may enter
The page defines an in-state climber as a person who lives or works in Ohio at the time of the competition. The page caps registration before the March 31 deadline at four in-state climbers per division, men and women, from one organisation. After that date the page says all other in-state climbers and out-of-state climbers register first come, first served, and that a wait-list option takes names early. After March 31 the page says extra competitors are confirmed by registration date. The page gives no entry fee.
Where the page stops
The page links no rule book on its face and gives no prize list. The chapter's other events on the same calendar, such as its Ohio Tree Care Conference, are separate events.