AOIFE O’Connor is feeling nervous but excited ahead of her participation in the 2026 UK and Ireland Tree Climbing Competition in England.
Aoife, 31, is a tree surgeon from Newcastle who took up competitive tree climbing a year ago. In that time, she has gone from being a complete novice to reaching the finals of the All-Irelands in Wicklow in July.
On Thursday, she and two colleagues will travel to Cheltenham to take part in the UK and Ireland event, with hopes of doing well in this very niche endeavour.
Aoife said: “I am excited but I am a bit nervous as well. “I think I am nervous because I did well in the Irish one and I didn’t expect to do well, and I feel like there is a bit of pressure on me now. “It is just me putting it on myself. But I am excited.”
Tree climbing competitions aim to simulate working conditions of arborists in the field. Male and female competitors complete five different events during preliminary rounds. Each event tests a competitor’s ability to professionally and safely manoeuvre in a tree while performing work-related tree care tasks in a timely manner.
Aoife’s journey in competitive tree climbing started last September when she attended an event in Coventry, after being encouraged to do so by her colleagues. “I thought it was really weird but really cool.”
She said that as she was unfamiliar with the events she didn’t do very well, but she was intrigued by the challenge. “I only did well in one of the events, the work climb, I was good at getting round the tree fast, that was the most fun for me.”
Tree climbing competitions test five areas that are connected to the job of arborists and tree surgeons. Aerial rescue is where you attempt to rescue a dummy from a tree in under five minutes.
The work climb is where you have five minutes to climb to five stations throughout a large tree.
The speed climb sees a competitor start from the ground and then get up the tree as fast as possible using their own strength to climb up the branches.
Then there is the ascent where the participant uses climbing devices and ascenders to get into the canopy as fast as possible.
The fifth test is the throw line. This event sees the competitor throw a line into the tree which they then use to attach a rope to the branch and create what is called a canopy anchor. So, it is a way of getting a rope into the tree without ladders.
Aoife said: “There is stuff that you don’t get to do at work. “These things take a bit of time to become skilled at, so the competition is a way of getting you out of your comfort zone.”
