Tree climbing competition rules: conduct, penalties, protests and gear approval as the rule books state them

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It restates rules in our own words and gives rule numbers so the reader can find the text. The rule book belongs to the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), and the text there is what counts. The events, scoring totals and entry routes are on the guide to tree climbing competitions and the page on the International Tree Climbing Championship. No names of competitors or products appear here.

The rule book and where it applies

The ISA 2026 ITCC rule book is valid from October 1, 2026. Its opening page says the rules run from general to specific, with rules for the whole competition first and rules for each event after, and that each event section ends with a list of penalties and disqualifications that is repeated in the judges' quick reference guides. Rules added or changed since the last revision are printed in bold. The ISA rules page adds that the rules and score sheets for the secured footlock are online only. The Australian policy and the New Zealand association's climbing page both point to the ISA rule book for rules, so one set of rules sits behind several contests.

Competitor duties, section 1.1

Rule	What it says
1.1.1 to 1.1.3	Competitors attend every mandatory meeting. Only the Head Judge can excuse one. Missing a meeting without approval may mean disqualification from the whole event. Questions about gear or rules are raised at those meetings.
1.1.5	Competitors read the rules and conditions beforehand and behave professionally throughout. Failing to may mean immediate disqualification and dismissal.
1.1.6	Competitors do not watch or stay near an event while it is being set up. Doing so is treated as misconduct.
1.1.8	Competitors report to the Event Head Judge before the scheduled start. A competitor who has not reported within 5 minutes of the start time forfeits that event.
1.1.9 to 1.1.11	The required gear is carried into the arena and nothing is added after the event starts. Other competitors do not approach or talk to judges mid-event without consent. A competitor does not leave the event area once the clock has started.
1.1.12	A score in any of the five preliminary events cannot fall below 0.

Misconduct, unsafe acts, penalties and disqualification

Section 1.2 has the Event Head Judges enforce the misconduct rule against any competitor who shows inappropriate, unprofessional or unsporting behavior during or after an event. It says use of alcohol or illegal substances by a competitor, judge, technician or other official brings immediate disqualification and removal. It defines an unsafe act as any action, situation or condition the event judges deem unsafe, at their discretion.

Section 1.3 lists penalties that apply in every event:

breaking a limb within the diameter range the Event Head Judge sets before the competition;
unsporting behavior or conduct;
an unsafe act;
dangerous or uncontrolled movement;
failing to give an audible warning.

It lists these reasons for disqualification: being more than 5 minutes late; not having all required equipment once the time has started; leaving the set area or bringing in gear from outside it; dropping a piece of equipment while working aloft; penalties under an individual event's rules; failing to stay secured while aloft; misconduct; an unsafe act; and breaking a limb larger than the set maximum. It says accumulation or severity of penalties could result in disqualification.

Rule 2.3.34 sets the audible warning penalty: a competitor aloft calls a warning in any situation where something could fall. A first miss is a 3-point penalty, a second miss another 3 points, and a third disqualification. Rule 2.3.33 says throwing or lowering gear from the tree without the Head Judge's approval disqualifies the competitor from that event. In the Work Climb, rule 3.1.2 has the Event Head Judge give an audible warning after an unsafe or uncontrolled act, and says a third such act may result in disqualification.

Official protests

Source	What it says
ITCC rule 1.4	A competitor who thinks they were judged unfairly or incorrectly files on the official protest form from Event Staff. It is signed and handed in writing to the Head Judge within 1 hour of the alleged infraction. The Head Judge, Head Technician and any available Rules Committee members review it and rule. Misconduct in presenting a protest can mean immediate withdrawal of protest rights or disqualification.
ITCC Appendix 10	The printed form says the protest goes to the ITCC Chairperson within 1 hour. It must give the filer's name, the rule number, the person alleged, and a statement with time, place, witnesses and the relief sought. The decision comes before the contest ends. The form has a box for the official decision, ruling stands or ruling overturned.
Australian championship policy, version 1.3	Protests go to the coordinator, head judge or technician, no later than one hour after the alleged infraction was identified, on the official form. A decision on the written protest is due before the contest is over. Misconduct in presenting a complaint withdraws protest rights. The dispute, its resolution and outcome are documented for the records.

The rule book names the Head Judge in rule 1.4.2 and the Chairperson on the Appendix 10 form. This page gives both wordings as printed.

Gear inspection and approval

Under rule 2.3, gear is made to meet or exceed the accepted industry safety standard and is subject to reinspection before each event. Gear that fails the inspection is tagged and quarantined until the event ends. Rule 2.3.2 allows no change from the maker's design without the maker's written consent. Connecting links in the primary fall-protection and work-positioning system are not chain-linked to each other, and quick-release mechanisms should not be part of such a system. Eye and head protection are worn inside the event safety perimeter, and climbers working aloft wear climbing-style helmets marked to one of four named standards.

For new gear, rule 1.1.4 makes it the competitor's job to have it approved by ISA at least three months before the event through a submission form, and says no new equipment is reviewed on competition day. The ISA submission page says requests should be made at least 6 months before the competition. The two pages give different lead times and this page does not reconcile them. The ISA equipment page says all competitors and all volunteers working at height must submit to an inspection before entering an event safety zone, shows its mechanical devices approval list as updated in April 2026, and encourages pre-approval of any new gear, systems or techniques.

Scoring files

The ISA scoring page offers a scoring program dated October 1, 2026, its user guide, score sheets and a quick reference guide for scoring. Organisations that follow the ITCC rules are the intended users.