Starting with 129 climbers from 20 nations, the finalists came through qualification the day before finals to stay in with a shot of the first IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup podiums of the year.

Men’s B1

The men’s B1 had three finalists, so the climbing was a fight for medal colour, and it was Japan’s Aita Sho who had the shiniest of them all with gold on hold 45. Spain’s Francisco Javier Aguilar Amoedo took silver on hold 41 and Romania’s Razvan Nedu had the bronze on hold 32.

Men’s B3

Japan’s Hamanoue Fumiya came out with gold from the men’s B3 final reaching hold 41. Spain’s Guillermo Pelegrin Gomez took silver on hold 32+ ahead of bronze medallist Andrew Martinez of the USA on hold 30+. Canada’s Chaz Misuraca was fourth on hold 23+.

Women’s B3

Phoebe Barkan took gold ahead of teammate Seneida Biendarra for a home nation one-two in the women’s B3. The four final competitors were all close with just one hold separating first and fourth. Barkan took gold on hold 38+, Biendarra was silver with hold 38 and Germany’s Ivon Lawerenz took bronze also on hold 38. Romania’s Ionela Dragan missed out on the podium on hold 37+.

Men’s AL1

Austria took two medals in the men’s AL1 with Angelino Zeller in first taking gold and teammate Markus Posendorfer in the bronze position. Zeller reached hold 55+ for his gold, one shy of a top, and Posendorfer reached hold 46+ for his bronze. Splitting the two on hold 48+ was USA’s Tanner Cislaw who took the silver in front of a home crowd. Hatakeyama Naohisa of Japan missed out on the podium in fourth.

Men’s AL2

Taking gold in the men’s AL2 was Italy’s David Kammerer who was one move ahead of both the silver and bronze medallists on hold 36+. Taking silver on hold 35+ was USA’s Ethan Zilz and taking bronze on the same hold was Japan’s Yuki Shuhei. USA’s Gavin Nix and Nathan Payne, and Germany’s Nicholas Perreth missed out on a podium spot.

Women’s AL2

The only climber to top a qualification route in the women’s AL2 was France’s Lucie Jarrige, and she was also the only climber to top the final route to secure the gold.

Jarrige said: “I’m proud of myself because I topped all the routes during this competition. The competition in general I really enjoyed because I love the wall, it’s really steep. The routesetting was a bit different to what I’m used – not good, not bad, just different. There was sections with like three moves which got progressive and a bit bouldery, but the long routes gave everyone a chance to show what they could do.”

Australia’s Sarah Larcombe took silver behind Jarrige on hold 38 with Morgan Loomis taking bronze on hold 28+ ahead of teammate Cail Soria on hold 24.

Men’s AU2

In the Germany vs USA men’s AU2 final it was Kevin Bartke of Germany who came out on top taking gold by reaching hold 42. The teammates of Brian Zarzuela and Trevor Smith had to settle for silver and bronze respectively with Zarzuela on hold 41and Smith on hold 25+.

Women’s AU2

Solenne Piret took another gold in the women’s AU2 by reaching hold 48 compared to second placed and silver medal winner Lucia Capovilla of Italy’s hold 43+. Two USA climbers were also in the final and both reached 24, but it was Eleanor Rubin who took bronze ahead of teammate Isabel Benvenuti on countback to the qualification positions.

Men’s AU3

The men’s AU3 took the prize for the closest competition in Salt Lake City with six seconds separating gold and silver. It was Switzerland’s Dominic Geisseler on the better side of the six seconds by reaching hold 44+ in 3:27 compared to Romania’s Liviu – Nicolae Matei in 3:33. Canada’s Shamus Boulianne reached hold 25+ for the bronze.

Men’s RP1

The men’s RP1 was a close contest with four joint first place climbers coming out of qualification, it was Germany’s Korbinian Franck though that eventually moved ahead and onto the top step of the podium with a hold 52 climb. France’s Alois Pottier took silver on hold 50 with Glen Todd from Australia taking bronze with hold 44+. Okada Takuya from Japan was the fourth placed finisher on hold 39.

Men’s RP2

Spain’s Ivan Munoz Escolar topped both qualification routes to go through to the final in first place in the men’s RP2, and he held that position with another top in the final for gold.

Munoz Escolar said: “I feel really good winning, but also I feel good because the routes were really good. The style was good for me, and I love the type of crimpy holds that were on the route, so thank you to the routesetters.”

USA’s Benjamin Mayforth took the silver medal behind the Spanish climber on hold 45 with Germany’s Phillip Hrozek taking bronze with hold 41+. India’s Manikandan Kumar was just off the podium in fourth on hold 39+.

Women’s RP2

Jasmin Plank wasn’t sure if she would be in Salt Lake City because of an injury around a month before competition, but the Austrian climber is glad she was taking gold in the women’s RP2.

Plank said: “I liked the climbing in this route, it was really fun for me. The last move where I fell I basically knocked out my finger. That move was the hardest part for me, it was a really long move and you had to put the feet the right way and it wasn’t easy for me. But I’m really happy.”

The gold medallist reached hold 50+ with the other three climbers in the final all reaching hold 33 and deciding the medals on countback. Norway’s Dina Eivik took the silver with USA’s Emily Seelenfreund taking bronze. Teammate Melissa Ruiz was the one to miss out in fourth spot with time coming into play and a slower climb than Seelenfreund.

Men’s RP3

Japan’s Takano Tadashi came through qualification in the top spot and continued that form in the final. Takano was the only climber to top the route and with it secured the gold medal in the men’s RP3. Luke Smith of Great Britain took the silver medal on hold 32 with Igor Jean Silva Mesquita of Brazil taking bronze on hold 28+. Frantisek Rys of the Czech Republic was fourth in his first ever appearance, and the first appearance of any athlete from his country at an IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup.

Women’s RP3

The first sport class to finish, Nat Vorel got the ball rolling for the home crowd by securing the first gold for the USA in the women’s RP3. Vorel went into the final in joint first with Brazil’s Marina Dias but outclimbed her opponent hold 45+ to 42, which meant Dias had the silver medal. Slovenia’s Manca Smrekar took the bronze medal and unfortunately USA’s Laura Heaton didn’t contest the final.

Full results can be found here

The next IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup will take place in Innsbruck, Austria, on 24 and 25 June before the third and final event of 2024 in Arco, Italy, on 27 and 28 September.

News and updates about all Climbing events will be available on the IFSC website, and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin and Weibo.