Bay of Plenty arborist Steph Dryfhout claims second world tree climbing title

Arborist Steph Dryfhout won her second world tree climbing title, taking out the women's masters' challenge at the International Tree Climbing Championships. Photo / Pete Hunkin

Steph Dryfhout has a “passion” for trees – and now she’s a double world champion at climbing them.

The Bay of Plenty arborist has won her second consecutive International Tree Climbing Championships world title.

This time, she did it on home soil.

The competition took place in Christchurch on October 17-19, the first time it has been in New Zealand.

Dryfhout told the Bay of Plenty Times it was a “pretty surreal” and “crazy” experience.

“When they said it was going to be in New Zealand, I was like, wow, imagine going back-to-back there in front of a home crowd,” she said.

“I just sort of thought that, what will be will be, and I wanted to try and really enjoy the climb.”

Her wish came true as she climbed her way to a second world masters’ title.

The masters’ is the final event and involves climbing and ringing four bells.

Planning the route is part of the contest, and competitors are not allowed to watch others before they climb.

“To be able to climb at home and in front of my friends and family and have them experience it with me, it was pretty cool.”

There were 91 competitors from 28 countries competing this year.

Events included two speed climbs.

One is a throw line where climbers use a line to place a rope over a branch between 25m to 30m high.

There’s also the work climb – the equivalent to an arborist’s obstacle course up to the top of a tree, and an aerial rescue to secure a mannequin and administer first aid.

“They [events] simulate a few of the things we do at work,” Dryfhout said.

Her latest victory comes after she won the world championship in the United States last year.

The masters' challenge, which Dryfhout won, is the final event and involves climbing to and ringing four bells. Photo / Pete Hunkin

Dryfhout started the sport in 2017.

“I kept competing and training and, less than two years later, I qualified to go to the worlds.“

In 2019, at her first international competition, Dryfhout came second, and placed third in 2022.

“I definitely started with a bang.”

The world championship provides a competitive but educational opportunity for working arborists to demonstrate climbing techniques and safe work practices.

“It’s an individual sport but doesn’t quite feel like one because everyone, even your competitors, shares gear and their secrets – the sport is kind of a side thing,” Dryfhout said.

Dryfhout started training to be an arborist in 2017, and began competing in climbing as a sport the same year.

Steph Dryfhout is an arborist by trade and has been competing in tree climbing since 2019. Photo / Pete Hunkin

“When I left school, I started working in a tree nursery. It was meant to be for one year, but I ended up really enjoying it.”

During her studies, she said her classmates were in competitions and she had some tutors “strongly encouraging” her to give it a go.

“My first climbing competition went pretty good and I really enjoyed it.”

Dryfhout said she had a ”passion for the trees”.

“It was a lightbulb moment, and I figured all my passions could be done at once, sport, doing something physical, but also trees.”

Dryfhout said going for a three-peat was her next goal.

“I think going three times back-to-back-to-back would be pretty cool.”

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.