NK Lead 2026: A Milestone Event for Dutch Climbing

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Last Saturday was the moment we had all been anticipating: the absolute pinnacle of the Dutch climbing community gathered in Nieuwegein for the 2026 Dutch National Lead Championships (NK Lead). For the NKBV (Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Association), this marked the dawn of a new era for the sport. For us at Climbing Network, it was the culmination of years of dedication. After an intensive journey of long-term planning and the monumental construction efforts of the past year, the moment had finally arrived. We could finally showcase our new flagship location—the National Climbing Center (NCC)—to the entire Dutch climbing community with immense pride!

A Celebration of the sport

While we are incredibly excited about our new home, the day was about something much larger than just the building itself. Together, we celebrated the climbing sport as a whole, rather than simply launching a new venue. The energy in the hall was electric, and the atmosphere was fantastic. We were overwhelmed by the incredibly positive feedback from the community, the competitors, and the spectators alike. Hearing athletes call this "the best National Championship to date" filled our entire team with immense pride and serves as the ultimate reward for all the hard work.

Flawless Execution Behind the Scenes

Hosting a competition of this caliber requires absolute precision. Behind the scenes, the tension built right up to the final moments—with the fire department literally giving the green light for our cafe and bouldering sections just the day before! Despite the tight timeline, everything ran like clockwork.

A standout detail that was highly appreciated by the competitors was our new climate control system, which performed flawlessly. By maintaining a steady temperature of 18°C, we provided the perfect conditions for the athletes to push their absolute limits on the competition wall.

Double the Excitement: Bouldering Halls Now Open!

To make the day even more memorable, we officially opened the bouldering section to the general public just moments before the competition kicked off. Many spectators took full advantage of this throughout the day, getting a firsthand look at the massive diversity the NCC has to offer.

The milestone event also caught the eye of both local and national media. The national broadcaster NOS was on-site to cover the event, producing a fantastic feature on the championship and the victory of "local hero" Lynn van der Meer. You can check out the item here.

Kijkend naar de toekomst

With a highly successful baptism of fire at the NK Lead behind us, we can confidently say the venue has passed its first major test with flying colors. The bouldering and climbing halls are now fully operational and officially open to all climbers!

While our core facilities are up and running, we aren’t quite at the finish line just yet. Over the coming weeks, we will continue working hard behind the scenes to add the final finishing touches and complete the remaining amenities. Interested in learning more about our opening hours, pricing, or the final phase of construction? Read the full update here.

We would like to extend a massive thank you to the NKBV, the route-setters from SET, our dedicated volunteers, the athletes, and the hundreds of spectators who made this an unforgettable day.

See you on the wall soon!