Contestants pushed to the limit at tree-climbing championships

Queenstown Gardens played host to the National Tree Climbing Championship last weekend, as arborists travelled to the resort from across the country.

Steph Dryfhout, of Tauranga, retained her title as New Zealand's best female tree climber and will compete in the world finals, in which she finished runner-up in 2019.

Dryfhout said it was awesome to hold the competition in such a public venue, as plenty of people stopped to watch and ask questions about the profession.

She had arrived a week before the national finals to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Queenstown, she said.

The experienced arborist first got involved after a gap year spent working at a tree nursery found her developing a passion for horticulture.

"While I was there, I saw somebody climbing a tree and had a lightbulb moment and went to study at Waikato Institute of Technology."

Masters Challenge finalist Sam Smith, of Auckland, scales a tree to reach set points markers at Queenstown Gardens. This was the final round of the NZArb National Tree Climbing Championship. Photo / Matthew Mckew

Dryfhout and men's winner Dom Ritter qualified for yesterday's Masters Challenge round after the preliminary competition the day before.

They had to complete various challenges ranging from speed climbing to rescue work and a total of 35 arborists took part, having progressed from earlier regional events.

The women's champion said the main difference was that the final combined all the skills and pushed contestants to the extreme.

"There's no ropes set up for you, so you have to install your own and complete the stations that are further out and more technical, all finishing within a time limit."

The masters round consisted of two women and four men.

Ritter was crowned the winner after all three of his rivals were disqualified, in the NZArb Association tournament final.

NZArb official Craig Webb said it had been a great weekend although some of the finalists had experienced a combination of bad luck and poor decision making.