Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-SirbazKhan has become the first Pakistani climber to climb 10 of the world’s highest 14 peaks above 8,000 meter after scaling Kanchenjunga 8,586m on Saturday 7th May 2022. According to an official of Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Karar Haideri, Khan stood at the top the summit (8,586 m) of the world’s third highest peak at 7 am on Saturday with other members of a team led by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa (Mingma G) of Imagine Nepal. Sirbaz Khan became the only Pakistani to summit 10x8000m peaks after he reached the summit of the world's 3rd highest peak this morning   Sirbaz, 32, hails from the Aliabad area of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan and began his climbing career in 2016. In 2019, he became the first Pakistani to summit Mount Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest mountain at 8,516m in Nepal, without the use of supplementary oxygen. Moreover, he summited the 8,125-metre-high Nanga Parbat in 2017, 8,611-metre-high K-2 in 2018 and Broad Peak, which has a height of 8,163 metres in 2019. Earlier this year, he climbed the 8,091-metre-high Anapurna mountain, 8,848-metre-high Everest and 8,035-metre-high Gasherbrum II. On four of these expeditions, he had been accompanied by late Mohammad Ali Sadpara. Sirbaz is aiming to become the first Pakistani to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks. He plans to climb Makalu this month and G1 this summer. However, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma are not decided yet.

Sports Bulletin Report SEOUL (Korea):-An eventful opening day at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup in Seoul, South Korea, closed with the Indonesian and Polish national anthems resounding in the wonderful Jungnang Sport Climbing Stadium. A trio of talented Indonesian climbers led by Veddriq Leonardo took the top three positions in the men’s Speed event, with Leonardo securing first place thanks to his teammate Kiromal Katibin’s false start in the race for the gold medal. “Obviously I’m super happy, and quite excited as well, because it is the first competition of the season,” commented Leonardo. “I felt very confident throughout the entire final, it feels incredible!” Despite the anticlimactic and disappointing finale, Katibin could console himself with the men’s Speed world record he set during the qualification round, when he stopped the clock at 5.17 seconds – three hundredths of a second quicker than the previous mark, set by Leonardo at last year’s World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The men’s podium was completed by a third Indonesian climber – Rahmad Adi – who bested Ludovico Fossali of Italy in the small final and won bronze. In the women’s Speed event, Polish Olympian Aleksandra Miroslaw secured the top of the podium at an IFSC World Cup for the sixth time in her career. Miroslaw, a multi-decorated Speed specialist, prevailed over Emma Hunt of the United States of America in the final race, closing with the impressive time of 6.72 seconds. An even more impressive time was set by Miroslaw in the qualification round, where he crushed the world record she set at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – 6.84 – and hit the finish pad at 6.64 seconds. “I am very happy, of course, but it hasn’t been my best final,” Miroslaw said. “I made a lot of mistakes in the first couple of rounds, but the semi-final and the final were pretty good. The mindset was completely different from the qualification, where I set the world record, everyone knows you’re the fastest one and you have to deal with a lot of pressure.” Aleksandra Kalucka – also of Poland – placed third, beating Franziska Ritter of Germany in the race for bronze.

Sports Bulletin Report SEOUL (Korea):-International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup Series 2022 is about to commence in the Olympic city of Seoul, South Korea, where 210 athletes are going to climb their way to the top of the World Cup podium. A total of 74 climbers – 39 men and 35 women – will battle in the opening act of the competition: the men’s and women’s Speed medal events; while 127 are going to compete in Boulder – 62 men and 65 women. World record holders Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia and Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland will both be at the starting blocks, with a field of fierce antagonists that includes USA's John Brosler and Emma Hunt, 2019 IFSC world champion Ludovico Fossali of Italy, and 2021 world champion Natalia Kalucka of Poland. Following Janja Garnbret’s win in Meiringen, Switzerland, and the Slovenian consequent decision to skip the remainder of the Boulder season, USA's Natalia Grossman became the undisputed favourite for the women’s Boulder gold medal. In the men’s event, the Japanese representatives are going to be the ones to beat, once again, led by reigning Boulder world champion Fujii Kokoro, Meiringen 2022 gold medallist Narasaki Tomoa, and six-time World Cup medallist Ogata Yoshiyuki. Climbing in front of a sold-out crowd, the South Korean home team will be headlined by Tokyo 2020 Olympians Chon Jongwon and Seo Chaehyun. Schedule Friday, 6 May (UTC+9:00): 12:15 PM Speed qualifications 8:00 PM Speed finals Saturday, 7 May: 9:00 AM Women's Boulder qualification 3:30 PM Men's Boulder qualification Sunday, 8 May: 11:00 AM Boulder semifinals 5:00 PM Women's Boulder final Followed by Men's Boulder final

Sports Bulletin Report MEIRINGEN:-Following Sport Climbing’s Olympic debut in the Japanese city of Tokyo last summer, this weekend saw the highly anticipated season-opener of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) 2022 World Cup Series in Meiringen, Switzerland. After Slovenian Olympian Janja Garnbret claimed the win in the women’s final of the IFSC Boulder World Cup Meiringen 2022 yesterday evening, today it was Japanese Olympian Narasaki Tomoa’s turn to climb atop the podium in the men’s final. It was a strong start to the final for Narasaki Tomoa of Japan, who flashed – used only one attempt – the first boulder problem in under 60 seconds. However, after failing to secure a top on the subsequent two blocs, the 25-year-old landed in sixth position ahead of the fourth boulder. Swinging through the sequence of the final bloc, the Olympian found himself another top and thus, jumped from the bottom to the top of the scoreboard. With two tops and three zones, two-time Boulder World Champion Narasaki earned the fifth IFSC World Cup gold medal of his career, throwing his arms into the air and cheering to the crowd of the Kletterhalle Haslital. “I feel that the energy of the audience generated my power and finally I could reach the top. That was an amazing moment for me!” said Narasaki. “The target for this season is quite obvious for me – to be a third time overall [Boulder] champion. I found today that the style of Boulder routesetting seems to be more dynamic, so maybe I need to make some adjustments for the coming competitions,” he added. Team Japan also claimed the second position on the podium in the Meiringen men’s final, with Narasaki’s teammate, Ogata Yoshiyuki, taking the silver medal. Clinging to the top of the wall after finding a solution on bloc number four, Ogata concluded the final with two tops and three zones, walking away with his sixth IFSC World Cup medal so far. The 24-year-old ranked second due to using more attempts than his compatriot in first place. Having made his debut on the senior Sport Climbing circuit last year, Mejdi Schalck of France earned his second IFSC World Cup medal this evening. With two tops and three zones, Schalck secured bronze, adding it to the silver medal that the 17-year-old won at the IFSC Boulder World Cup Salt Lake City 2021. The rising-star ranked third due to using more attempts than Narasaki and Ogata, though impressively, was the only athlete to find a top on bloc two – which involved a jump up to a crack formation, before a further dyno to the final overhanging, dual-textured top hold. Also of France, Paul Jenft placed fourth, with Olympian Colin Duffy, of the USA, and current Boulder World Champion Fujii Kokoro, of Japan, ranking fifth and sixth, respectively.

Sports Bulletin Report MEIRINGEN:-The first medals of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) season were awarded in Meiringen, Switzerland, this evening, with Olympic gold medallist Janja Garnbret, of Slovenia, claiming an emotional win in the women’s final of the IFSC Boulder World Cup Meiringen 2022. After flashing three out of four boulders, Slovenian Janja Garnbret bowed to the cheering crowd of the Kletterhalle Haslital, before embracing her fellow finalists. The 23-year-old achieved four tops in five attempts in the season-opener, and perhaps would have flashed all four had it not been for a false-start on the first bloc – of which she was the only athlete to secure a top, clinging to the dual-textured holds which defeated her competitors. Cruising through a burly final boulder, the Olympian earned an impressive 32nd gold World Cup medal of her career to date. “Today’s win was a privilege. It means a lot to me because it’s not obvious that you will win every competition – each competition is a story in itself. Just because you won everything last year doesn’t mean that you can next year, so every win means a lot to me. That’s why I was so emotional!” said Garnbret. “I’ve decided to skip the [rest of the] Boulder season this year. The Olympics last year were a pretty hard take on physical and mental preparation, so I feel that I need a little time off from comps and this year is the perfect year to do that. I already have [the Olympic Games in] Paris in mind!” she added. Having taken the 2021 World Cup season by storm with a remarkable eight podiums, reigning Boulder World Champion Natalia Grossman, of the USA, took the silver medal in Meiringen this evening. Hot on Garnbret’s heels, the 20-year-old American completed the competition with three tops and four zones, proving her prowess by flashing the final two boulder problems with a grin from ear to ear. Much to the delight of her home crowd, Switzerland’s Andrea Kümin climbed onto the podium in third position, beaming after bagging the first World Cup medal of her career. The 24-year-old concluded the opening competition of the season with one top and two zones. France’s Oriane Bertone – who claimed silver at the IFSC Boulder World Cup Meiringen 2021 – Japan’s Ito Futaba, and Serbia’s Stasa Gejo finished the women’s final in fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively. The evening also saw medals awarded to the top-ranked female athletes of the 2021 IFSC Boulder season. Natalia Grossman took the top ranking and thus, first place on the podium with 345 points, followed by Janja Garnbret with 280 points, and Oriane Bertone with 235 points. The full 2021 women’s Boulder World Cup ranking can be viewed here.

Sports Bulletin Report TORINO:-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and USA Climbing have agreed to add Speed events to the schedule of the IFSC World Cup taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, from 20 to 22 May. Along with the IFSC Boulder World Cup in Brixen, Italy, the additional Speed events added in Salt Lake City now fully compensate for the cancellation of the IFSC World Cup in Moscow, Russia. The programme for the first weekend of World Cup competition in Salt Lake City will now replicate the one for the second World Cup – taking place from 27 to 29 May – with both men’s and women’s Speed events being contested on Friday, and the two Boulder events spread across the weekend. Speed finals Saturday, 21 May: 9:00 AM Women’s Boulder qualification 3:30 PM Men’s Boulder qualification Sunday, 22 May: 11:00 AM Boulder semi-finals 6:00 PM Boulder finals

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has agreed extensions to its partnerships with French companies Entre-Prises (EP) and Luxov for another three-year period until the end of 2024. EP Climbing, which produces tailor-made climbing walls, is one of the longest-serving partners of the IFSC, having first joined forces in 2010. One of the most significant milestones in the partnership saw Entre-Prises becoming the Official Wall Supplier of Sport Climbing’s debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. With the extension of the partnership, the company has also been designated by the IFSC as Official Wall Supplier for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. EP Managing Director Benoit Beylier said: “EP is very pleased to extend its partnership with IFSC for three more years. Obviously, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was the highlight of our 10-years’ cooperation and we are excited to be side-by-side with IFSC all the way to Paris 2024. Climbing competition has stepped up in the past few years to become a recognised worldwide sport, and EP is proud to be part of this evolution. We will continue to propose new products and solutions to enhance training and improve athletes’ performance.” Luxov, which offers a wide range of immersive experiences for climbers through technology and interactivity, has been working closely with the IFSC since 2017. The partnership has resulted in several innovations for the sport, including the Speed Touch Hold that was successfully implemented at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “We are delighted to continue our excellent relationships with Entre-Prises and Luxov. Both companies play leading roles in our sport and continue to push Sport Climbing forward with their innovative and industry-leading products. We are confident that these partnerships will continue to bring great benefits to our global Climbing family on the road to and including Paris 2024.”

Sports Bulletin Report TORINO:-Sport Climbing will be brought to millions of people across Europe after the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and Discovery Sports announced a new three-year partnership to broadcast all IFSC World Cup and World Championship events. Trojan Paillot, VP Sports Rights Acquisition and Syndication at Discovery Sports, said: “Sport Climbing proved incredibly popular with audiences watching across our platforms during the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year, proving attractive to new and different audiences than some of those who already enjoy watching the sport and demonstrating its potential for engagement and growth. "We are delighted to be able to showcase the best of the sport for the next three years on discovery+ and Eurosport’s channels and platforms. Discovery has built an enviable reputation for helping to grow sports and events and taking them to wider audiences and we look forward to taking this sport to more people across Europe in the lead-up to Paris 2024." The 2022 IFSC World Cup Series starts with the IFSC Boulder World Cup in Meiringen, Switzerland, scheduled from 8 to 10 April in the eastern Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The IFSC will continue its delayed free streaming of events via The Olympic Channel, to be shown 24 hours after the end of each live round within each event. Schedule for the 2022 IFSC World Cup Series: 8-10 April-Meiringen (SUI) – Boulder 6-8 May-Seoul (KOR) – Boulder, Speed 20-22 May – Salt Lake City (USA) – Boulder 27-29 May – Salt Lake City (USA) – Boulder, Speed 10-12 June – Brixen (ITA) – Boulder 22-25 June – Innsbruck (AUT) – Boulder, Lead 30 June-2 July – Villars (SUI) – Lead, Speed 8-10 July – Chamonix (FRA) – Lead, Speed 22-23 July – Briançon (FRA) – Lead 2-3 September – Koper (SLO) – Lead 24-26 September – Jakarta (INA) – Lead, Speed 30 September-2 October – Wujiang (CHN) – Lead, Speed 6-9 October – Chongqing (CHN) – Boulder & Lead

Sports Bulletin Report TORINO:-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the Federazione Arrampicata Sportiva Italiana (FASI) are pleased to announce that the Boulder World Cup event that was originally scheduled to take place in Moscow, Russia has now been rescheduled to take place in Brixen, Italy from 10 to 12 June 2022. The IFSC Boulder World Cup Brixen 2022 will be the first IFSC event taking place in Italy since the 2019 IFSC Youth World Championships were staged in Arco; and the first IFSC World Cup since 2018. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “We are very happy that we have been able to find a replacement host for the Boulder World Cup event. I have no doubt that this event will be a great success and I want to thank our National Federation in Italy for stepping in at short notice.” FASI Vice President Ernesto Scarperi said: “The Italian Climbing welcomed with great enthusiasm the announcement of the IFSC Boulder World Cup taking place in Brixen. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the local organisers, who made the application happen in a very short time. With the state of the art Climbing Center in Brixen, and the international experience gained in the past few years, I am confident that the event will be a great success. My sincere appreciation also goes to FASI President Davide Battistella, who supported this initiative from the very beginning, and helped us in bringing the IFSC World Cup back in Italy after many years.”

Sports Bulletin Report SALT LAKE CITY:-The XVIII IFSC (International Federation of Sports Climbing) General Assembly met in the Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, as fifty-four delegates from 40 countries and territories participated in the Assembly, which combined physical presence and online attendance. The 2-day meeting opened on 18 March with a video message from the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach. “You have every reason to be proud,” he said. “Because this General Assembly is truly special for the Climbing community. It is your first General Assembly since Sport Climbing made its Olympic debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, so please accept my heartfelt congratulations on this milestone.” “What an entrance your sport has made on the Olympic stage! The performance of your athletes in Tokyo celebrated your sport and your community at its best. A real display of excellence in sport, a youthful energy, but also inspiring moments of respect and sportsmanship that touched the hearts of so many people around the globe,” added Bach. Messages from the President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), Francesco Ricci Bitti, and the CEO of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Sarah Hirshland, opened the second and final session, on 19 March. MEMBER FEDERATIONS OF RUSSIA AND BELARUS SUSPENDED The General Assembly discussed the ongoing issue of the war in Ukraine and the status of the National Federations of Belarus and Russia. It was decided to increase the current restrictions already placed on the two National Federations and to move to a suspension of their membership. The Executive Board was subsequently mandated to continually assess the situation and consider the removal of the suspension when the circumstances allow. JAPAN AND USA WIN 2021 NATIONAL TEAM AWARDS IFSC Vice President Kobinata Toru presented the Japan Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Association (JMSCA) with the first-place award in the 2021 National Teams’ Ranking; IFSC Secretary General Debra Gawrych also presented USA Climbing with the second-place award. IFSC AWARDS AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, AND UNITED STATES WITH SUSTAINABILITY AWARD IFSC President Marco Scolaris presented delegates of Austria Climbing, the Swiss Alpine Club, and USA Climbing with the 2021 IFSC Sustainability Award, for their sustainable event strategy following the IFSC Sustainability Guidelines. IFSC ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO ETHICS COMMISSION TO ENSURE CONTINUED INTEGRITY The IFSC Executive Board has responded to a dispute raised by the Chair of its Ethics Commission by unanimously adopting resolutions aimed at ensuring ongoing adherence to the IFSC statutes, rules and regulations. The Executive Board charged the Ethics Commission with overstepping its remit and interfering in the Federation’s governance and ordinary course of business. The Ethics Commission has been ruled to be in violation of the statutes by directly communicating to National Federations with information that is considered false and unfounded on the eve of the General Assembly. As a result, the current Ethics Commission and all its members will be suspended, there will be a complete reform of the Commission, including its regulations and composition, and a new Commission will be appointed as soon as circumstances allow. The reform process will be conducted by independent experts and experienced members of National Federations. IFSC CELEBRATES OLYMPIC DEBUT WITH PHOTO BOOK To commemorate the debut of Sport Climbing at last summer’s Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the IFSC has produced a photo book that will be presented to all those who helped make the event such a success. The book opens with a message from IFSC President Marco Scolaris and is then divided into three parts: the lead-up to Tokyo 2020, the four days of Olympic competition, and quotes and remarks from Climbing stakeholders, including representatives of the IFSC Member Federations. In total, 500 numbered copies of the book have been produced. Delegates attending the General Assembly in Salt Lake City have each received a copy. All athletes and team officials who were present at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will also be presented with the book. IFSC PRESENTS 2021 ANNUAL REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY The IFSC Annual Report 2021 Annual Report was also officially unveiled at the XVIII IFSC General Assembly. The report, designed and sustainably produced with the help of British communications agency Touchline, opens with messages from IFSC President Marco Scolaris and IFSC Secretary General Debra Gawrych. The Annual Report recaps all the milestones of what will be remembered as a historic year for Sport Climbing, one that included the sport’s highly successful Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. Other sections include highlights of the 2021 IFSC season, the IFSC Financial Reports, and the work of Sport Climbing stakeholders and IFSC staff.