This email serves as your 2026 Competitor Packet. It is important to read through all of the following information carefully in order to more fully enjoy your experience at TCC.

Greetings TCC Participants!

We are excited to welcome you to the 2026 Minnesota Society of Arboriculture Tree Climbing Championship! Thanks to the City of Richfield and Hennepin County for hosting us at Augsburg Park for the event.

We had another overwhelming response from the climbing community to participate in this year's competition. There are 65 climbers: 11 in the Women's Division and 54 in the Men’s Division.

The biggest challenge is getting all 65 climbers through the preliminary events on Saturday. We have made alterations to some processes from previous competitions and feel confident that we can get everyone through the preliminary events without truncating any time for events and in an even more efficient manner. Please review the ITCC Rule Book for more thorough information on each event. The Ascent Event for our competition will be scored via the Footlock Event Rules which changes the top amount of points for the Belayed Speed Climb event to 20.

Please take time to review everything included below carefully as you are responsible to know the rules and requirements for the competition. Other, more event-specific strategies will be covered at the mandatory Safety Meeting and Event Walkthrough on Friday.

There is limited onsite parking at this venue so please note the parking details below.  

We will require the help of everyone at the competition to have an efficient and safe event, and we are counting on your cooperation, energy, and support!

Please feel free to reach out with any questions as follows: 

Scoring and Operations/Logistics:

Lynn - lynn@gandlwelles.com

Technical:

Christian Feichtinger - christian.feichtinger@davey.com

Nick Grebe - njulesg@gmail.com

Thank you in advance for your support of TCC, all its volunteers, and your fellow climbers!

Stay Safe!

Lynn & George Welles

MSA TCC Co-Chairs

LOCATION:

Augsburg Park

7000 Nicollet Avenue

Richfield, MN 55423

(map)

Parking:

There is limited onsite parking. Parking areas will fill up quickly, especially on Saturday. See Event Map for gear drop-off areas and where to park, and do consider carpooling or ridesharing! Also, please be sure to share this information with those who may be coming to watch you compete.

*Schedule is subject to change*

FRIDAY, MAY 1

Check-In site: Richfield Community Center

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm | (Mandatory) Competitor Check-in​  

3:30 pm – 8:00 pm | (Mandatory) Safety Meeting, Event Walkthrough, Gear Inspection & Group Photo

SATURDAY, MAY 2

6:00 am – 7:00am | Competitor Check-in & Pre-Stage (light breakfast provided for competitors, volunteers)

7:00 am – 5:00 pm | Preliminary Events (lunch provided for competitors, volunteers)

10:00 am – 3:00 pm | Festival of Trees

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Awards Celebration Dinner

Location: Wooden Hill Brewing - 7421 Bush Lake Rd, Edina, MN 55439 (map) (Dinner and beverages provided for climbers, volunteers, and those who purchased guest tickets. Contact MSA about purchasing additional tickets.)

SUNDAY, MAY 3

8:00 am* |  Masters’ Challenge Competitor Check-in (light breakfast provided for competitors)

9:00 am* |  Masters’ Challenge Events ​

*Masters’ Challenge start times will depend on results from Saturday.

GEAR CHECK FORM

Download/print the GEAR CHECK FORM

***PLEASE print and complete Gear Check Form with as much information as possible prior to Friday's Check-In and Gear Check.*** Tip! An item only needs to be listed once on the form. You do not need to include the same item for each system that you plan to use it.

GEAR INSPECTION

**Please inspect your gear prior to Friday's Check-in!** There will not be a gear resource available onsite to purchase alternative gear.

• MSA Event Code of Conduct
• MSA TCC Policy
• ITCC 2026 Rule Book
• Footlock Rules
• Gear Check Information & Form
• ITCC Mechanical Device Approval & Advisory List - Updated as of April 14, 2026

If you have at least 18-months of work climbing experience and have completed hands-on training in Aerial Rescue, CPR, and First Aid in the last 12 months, consider applying for the ISA Certified Tree Climber credential!

As a competitor at TCC, you may waive the work climb portion of the skills exam for the credential providing you satisfy the requirements and apply (must apply and be approved prior to TCC!). More information and the application can be found here.

Don't have hands-on Aerial Rescue training but plan to earn the credential? Successfully completing the Aerial Rescue Event at TCC satisfies the hands-on training verification requirement for Aerial Rescue.

Application forms:

• ISA Certified Tree Climber Skills Exam Waiver - Must apply and be approved by ISA prior to TCC in order to submit!
• TCC Verification of Aerial Rescue Form for Certified Tree Climber Eligibility for those looking to apply for the credential and needing verification of Aerial Rescue training.

If plan to use your TCC climbs in place of the skills portion of the exam or Aerial Rescue verification, or have any questions about earning the credential, please email Danielle at dtessmer@msa-live.org



Check out the list of 2026 Competitors

There are currently 11 in the Women's Division and 54 in the Men's Division.

Climbers will compete in five preliminary events on Saturday, which include the Ascent Event, Belayed Speed Climb, Aerial Rescue, Work Climb, and Throwline. Those who have accumulated the highest combined point totals for the five preliminary events advance to the Masters’ Challenge on Sunday.

First-place winners of the Masters’ Challenge for both the men’s and women’s divisions will each receive an ArborMaster® Climbing Prize Package and the opportunity to represent MSA at the 2026 ITCC, October 9-11, in St. Louis, Missouri. MSA will sponsor each winner’s ITCC entry fee as well as reimburse ITCC travel expenses up to $1,000.00.

Second-place winners will have the opportunity to represent MSA at NATCC in 2027, location TBD. MSA will sponsor each winner’s NATCC entry fee as well as reimburse NATCC travel expenses up to $500. 

2026 ArborMaster® Climbing Kit Prize Package

MSA is pleased to offer the 2026 ArborMaster® TCC Climbing Kit Prize Package at this year's TCC. This package is designed to help equip and prepare the MN champions for the ISA International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC).

Each prize package includes:

• Silky’s Zubat Ultimate 330mm Hand Saw
• Buckingham MFG SuperSaver^TM
• Yale Cordage Xtc-16 - 150 ft
• DGP (Dynamic Green Products) 1 case of Pro 100 Series Bar & Chain Oil
• Greenworks Commercial Logo’ed Bottle Opener
• Clogger Gift Card $100 value
• OREGON® Professional Maintenance Kit & OREGON® Logo’ed Duffle Bag
• ArborMaster® - 50% savings for a 2-Day, 3-Day, or 5-Day Hands-On Training Modules