About Us
Madison and Zach Richardson are professional Canadian climbers competing for Team Canada. Based in Montreal, the married duo are athlete ambassadors, content creators, and coaches redefining how high-performance climbing is shared and experienced.
Together, they run Richardsons Climbing YouTube channel, where they blend storytelling and education to give viewers an inside look at elite competition, training, and the culture of modern climbing.
Beyond competition and media, they helped develop the MacLachlan High Performance Climbing Program - the first of its kind in Canada - designed to bring world-class coaching to youth climbers in a school environment.
Madison Richardson
2025 IFSC Rank: 23
Current Canadian Rank: 1
National Podiums: 10
Years Climbing: 15
Madison Richardson (b. July 27, 2001, Kitchener, Ontario) is Canada’s top-ranked female bouldering athlete, known for her powerful climbing style and consistent performances on the international stage. Since joining Team Canada in 2016, she has become a fixture on the IFSC World Cup team.
Madison discovered climbing in 2011 at Grand River Rocks in Kitchener, Ontario, where an after-school hobby quickly grew into a deep competitive drive. She earned a spot on Team Canada in 2016 and soon after committed fully to bouldering, drawn to its power and problem-solving intensity. After breaking into her first Open National Championship final in 2018, she has since established herself as one of the country’s most consistent and decorated athletes nationally and internationally.
Competitive Highlights:
- 9 IFSC World Cup Semi-Final appearances
- 12 Top-25 IFSC World Cup finishes
- #1 Ranked Canadian Female Bouldering Athlete (2022–Present)
- 7th Place – IFSC Boulder World Cup, Keqiao, China (2024)
- 8th Place – IFSC Boulder World Cup, Salt Lake City, USA (2023)
- 9th Place – IFSC Boulder World Cup, Meiringen, Switzerland (2022)
- 1st Place – North American Cup Series, Montreal, Canada (2025)
- 27 World Cup starts
Beyond competition, Madison is passionate about athlete wellness and mental health in high-performance sport. Her 2019 article, “Why Ditching Instagram Earned Me the Podium,” explored how stepping away from social media improved her focus, confidence, and results - an experience that continues to shape her advocacy for athlete wellbeing today. She now channels that perspective into leadership as the Chair of Climbing Canada’s Athlete Commission and as a member of the Board of Directors, where she works to create a healthier, more sustainable environment for Canadian next-generation athletes.
Zach Richardson
2025 Canadian Rank: 3
National Titles: 8
National Podiums: 12
Years Climbing: 16
Zach Richardson (b. January 9, 2001, Denver, Colorado) is a Canadian sport climber known for his technical approach to competing and training. One of the longest-standing members of Team Canada, Zach won his first Youth National Title in 2013 and has remained a top competitor ever since, earning multiple National titles and international podiums, including the Pan American Champion title in 2018.
Raised across several U.S. states in a military family, Zach's family settled in Burlington, Ontario, in 2008 - just as his parents opened Climbers Rock, the gym where he first discovered climbing at age 7 and developed the foundation for his lifelong career in the sport.
Competitive Highlights:
- 8 Canadian National Champion titles (2013-2023)
- 1st place Pan American Championships Guayaquil, Ecuador (2018)
- #1 Ranked Canadian Female Bouldering Athlete (2022–Present)
- 1st Place – North American Cup Series, Alexandria, USA (2022)
- 1st Place – North American Cup Series, Kanata, Canada (2024)
- 2nd Place – North American Cup Series, Vail, USA (2024)
- 15 World Cup starts
Beyond competition, Zach has shifted his focus toward coaching, education, and mentorship within the climbing community. He currently coaches his wife, Madison Richardson, providing technical analysis and strategy support in her training and on the road during the World Cup season. On their shared YouTube channel, Richardsons Climbing, Zach leads the educational and technical breakdowns, offering insights on movement, training, and high-performance climbing to a global audience.
