Graeme Alderson, Managing Director of The Climbing Works, will retire after the final edition of The Rab Climbing Works International Festival 2026 this weekend.
Alderson formed part of the trio who founded the centre in 2006.
Elite boulders from around the world will take to the ropes for the final climb at The Climbing Works, one of the largest bouldering gyms in the world.
Sarah Moran, General Manager at The Climbing Works, hopes this last edition will leave positive memories for both Graeme and the legacy of the event.
Ms Moran said: “It’s going to be our last one this year because we feel like we want to finish on a high.
“The atmosphere is really good even if you’re not climbing, a lot of people come down. Usually it’s nice weather so people are just standing outside having a drink. It’s a really fun day. Long day, but fun.”
In a statement on Facebook, the organisers said that the decision to end the festival came other companies replicating formats of the climbing walls.
They said they want to “experiment with many more events in the future”.
The two day event sees athletes take on a route crafted by world-renowned boulder Percy Bishton in front of a sold out crowd.
Bishton, who co-owns The Climbing Works, was the chief route-setter for bouldering in the 2020 Olympics. Since 1994, international climbing competitions have been commissioning him to set their routes.
His experience attracts athletes from all over the world to the festival, with participants this year from Japan, GB and across Europe.
The competition opens with qualifiers on Saturday where competitors face 30 different walls. The top 20 men and women progress to the semi-finals on Sunday, before narrowing down to 6 highest scorers participating in the finals later that day.
The Climbing Works opened in 2006 as the World’s largest bouldering centre. It remains one of the largest and is spread over three buildings.
It offers climbers of all ages and abilities access to world-class facilities for educational, competitive and recreational purposes.
The Rab Climbing Works International Festival 2026 is happening from Saturday 21 March – Sunday 22 March.