Sports Bulletin Report
Torino (Italy):-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the Korea Alpine Federation (KAF) announced that the 32nd edition of the IFSC Climbing Youth World Championships would be held in South Korea from 19 to 27 August 2023.
Hundreds of young climbers from all over the world will compete across three age groups “Juniors, Youth A and Youth B” and in the three Climbing disciplines of Boulder, Lead, and Speed.
The 2023 edition will be the first time the East Asian country has hosted the prestigious youth event since its inception in 1992. South Korea has a history of hosting Climbing events with multiple IFSC World Cups and Asian Championships held in Mokpo, Chuncheon, and most recently Seoul.
Seen as a rite of passage for climbers, previous participants and winners of the Youth World Championships include Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallists Janja Garnbret of Slovenia and Alberto Ginés López of Spain. South Korea also boasts the current Lead world champion Seo Chaehyun.
IFSC President Marco Scolaris said:
“The first climbing Youth World Championship was held in 1992, in Basel, Switzerland. Since then, the YWCH has become the reference event for our young athletes. All future champions have competed at it, while for many others it has been one of the best climbing memories of their lives.
“Next year, South Korea will host this event for the first time. A warm thank to our friends of the Korea Alpine Federation for their commitment and support: now, young climbers of the world have a place where their dreams can come true in 2023”
KAF President Son Joong-Ho said:
“With COVID-19 outbreak making it difficult to compete in various international competitions, Seoul, the capital of Korea, will proudly host an IFSC World Cup, the Asian Championships, and the Youth World Championships and it will be a good opportunity for club members and domestic fans to see Sport Climbing in person, which is gaining sensational popularity in the MZ generation.
“Thanks to these events, Seoul will keep establishing itself as an international sports city, both in Asia and overseas, with plenty of locations, such as the Bukhansan National Park, which offers a lot of opportunities to climb outdoor, and try other sports.”