ACS 2025 SPEAKERS
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
With inspiring stories, valuable insights, and a unique perspective on the future of the sport, our speaker will bring a compelling and thought-provoking discussion you won’t want to miss.
Patrick Andrey
Managing Director Stretchmarks Asia
Patrick Andrey is a business developer of Camp5 Climbing Gym and Managing Director of SMA, representing Walltopia in the Asia Pacific Region.​ For over 4 decades he has been involved in the climbing industry as an athlete, route developer, coach, instructor, designer and wall builder.
In 2000 he moved to Kuala Lumpur where he opened a factory for his Swiss company BLOCX. In 2005 he co-founded Camp5 as a gym franchise catered for the specific characteristics of the Asian market.
Niklas Wiechmann spent most of his childhood in the woods or his parents´climbing gym, where he started setting when he was a teenager. His passion for climbing led him to quit university and took him out of Germany to London, Singapore and even Australia, where he lived from 2017 – 2019. Before that he co-founded two bouldering gyms in Germany, set training camps & comps on an international level and discovered a new love for filming. He returned to Germany in August 2019 and still travels around the world. As part of Beta Routesetting he sets, hosts workshops, records & edits videos, and published behind-the-scenes Climbing World Cup reports – always with a cup of tea in hand.
Routesetter & Founder of Beta Routesetting
Niklas Wiechmann
Patrice is a co-owner and Director at Boulder Planet Southeast Asia, a lifestyle climbing gym brand with locations in Singapore, Bangkok, and Jakarta. Having worked in the climbing industry since 2013, Patrice has risen through various roles—from entry-level to management—at gyms that were pioneers in their fields, such as Onsight Climbing Gym, Singapore's first indoor climbing gym with top-rope and lead climbing, and Boulder Movement, one of the first bouldering gyms in Singapore designed for urban professionals.
Patrice Verosil
Co-owner and Director at Boulder Planet
Senior Rock Climbing Coach Head Of China Team
LuYuan Cai
LuYuan Cai Senior Rock Climbing Coach Head of the coaching team of the National Rock Climbing Team during the Tokyo Olympic cycle Former head coach of the national team and the national youth team IFSC Level 3 International Route Setter Lecturer of the Chinese Route Setter Training Courses Lecturer of Rock Climbing with National Vocational Qualifications Lecturer of Rock Climbing Coaches of the Chinese Mountaineering Association GRST Lecturer / GCS Lecture.
Wafiy Razak is a skilled routesetter and climbing movement specialist, dedicated to crafting routes that challenge and inspire. Since 2019, he has built his career around the idea that routesetting is more than just creating problems—it’s a way to guide climbers toward better technique, problem-solving, and adaptability.
As the Head Routesetter at Batuu Climbing Gym, Malaysia, Wafiy is responsible for designing a diverse range of climbs that cater to different skill levels, ensuring that every route offers both aesthetic appeal and meaningful progression. His setting philosophy prioritizes creativity, engagement, and the balance between fun and difficulty, making climbing accessible while still pushing limits.
With a strong belief in routesetting as a tool for learning and growth, Wafiy continues to evolve his craft, bringing fresh ideas to the climbing scene and contributing to the development of a more dynamic climbing culture in Malaysia.
WAFIY RAZAK
Batuu Climbing Gym Route Setter
Founder of Lighthouse Climbing
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Tan Shi Hui is a pioneering route setter and gym owner shaping the future of climbing in Asia. As an IFSC competition route setter, she has set for high-level events, balancing creativity and difficulty to challenge elite athletes. However, her impact extends beyond competitions—she is also a leading voice in commercial route setting, helping gyms create engaging and accessible experiences for climbers of all levels.
As the founder of Lighthouse Climbing, Shi Hui has firsthand experience in designing routes that keep climbers coming back. She understands the importance of commercial route setting trends, from movement-based problems that encourage creativity to set designs that cater to diverse abilities and demographics. Her approach blends modern training principles with the business needs of climbing gyms, ensuring routes are not just fun but also support retention, progression, and community building.
Shi Hui
IFSC Competition Route Setter & Founder, Lighthouse Climbing
Founder and General Manager of The Edge
Makki Alkurdi
Makki is the Founder and General Manager of The Edge, home to Saudi Arabia’s first indoor climbing wall. What began as a humble endeavor has grown into a mission to develop and promote climbing across the Kingdom, introducing the countless benefits of this exciting and rewarding sport. Despite facing numerous challenges, Makki and The Edge remain steadfast in their commitment to growing the climbing community locally. Recently, the organization has adopted a more strategic approach to overcome the barriers hindering the sport's development, paving the way for a brighter future for climbing in Saudi Arabia.
Head of Sales - Climbing WALLTOPIA
Vasil Sharlanov
Vasil Sharlanov has one of the fastest career paths in the company. He joined Walltopia right after he completed his Master in Architecture as a junior architect. He knew little of climbing but after spending an academic year in the States, he was positive about the potential indoor climbing has. His passion for design & architecture along with his inner motivation to exceed expectations and always go a step further in his work - on internal projects and with clients, resulted in his promotion to Head of the Design & Architecture Department in 2013, a year after he joined the team. In 2018 Vasil went a step further - becoming Walltopia Global Sales Director for Climbing.
Banana Shanghai Regional manager
KK
With over five years of experience managing climbing gyms across Zhuhai and Shanghai KK has played a key role in achieving top local rankings and growing daily check-ins to 300 at a 500m² facility. His expertise spans operations, route setting, and marketing, successfully overseeing three gyms and leading a team of 20+ staff across two cities. As an advanced climber (5.14b/V10+), he brings both professional management skills and firsthand climbing experience to the industry.
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Scotty Pritchard
Scotty has spent over 20 years climbing on rock and plastic across the globe, proudly representing Australia at the World Youth Championships. Transitioning into open competitions, he soon discovered his true passion - route setting. Dedicated to pushing the sport forward, Scotty has worked alongside top setters worldwide, refining his craft to deliver world-class experiences for athletes and gym members alike. Now an IFSC Level 2 Route Setter, Australian National Head Setter and Assessor, and Head Setter at Urban Climbing Blackburn Lead Facility, he also leads national team workshops and continues to shape the international climbing scene through his expertise.
Australian National Head Routesetter
NIU Gang
NIU Gang, a seasoned climber with 15 years of experience, spent years thriving in the tech industry. In 2017, he boldly followed his passion, pivoting to the world of climbing to establish AGHOLDS, a climbing hold brand, and ROCKPLUS, a chain of climbing gyms. Committed to nurturing young competitive climbers, he channels his expertise and boundless enthusiasm into advancing the sport, inspiring more people to discover the joy of climbing
