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CLIMBING - Int News 13 Jun, 2022

IFSC World Cup: YANNICK FLOHÉ BAGS FIRST PLACE IN BRIXEN

Sports Bulletin Report Brixen (Itlay):-The fifth edition of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup Series 2022 drew to a close this evening in Brixen, Italy. Germany’s Yannick Flohé was crowned champion in the men’s Boulder final, leaving Team Germany overjoyed after also seeing silver-medal-success from team member Hannah Meul in the women’s event yesterday. Despite being the reigning Combined World Champion and having also taken home a bronze medal in Boulder at the IFSC Climbing World Championships Hachioji 2019, Flohé has never stood atop an IFSC World Cup podium – until tonight. Taking first place in this evening’s final with two tops and four zones, Flohé secured the first IFSC World Cup medal of his career, and a gold one at that. When asked how long he has worked for this moment, Flohé said: “I don’t know, maybe my whole life! Since I started climbing I guess, but I never thought that I would make it on top of the podium someday. This year has been a good year so far. I was already quite strong last year but somehow my head didn’t work that well, so I’m super happy that it worked out today.” In second place was another newcomer to the IFSC World Cup podium – Great Britain’s Maximillian Milne. The Brit achieved two tops and three zones and thus, achieved a silver medal in Brixen. Moreover, Milne accomplished the only flash of the night, completing the first bloc of the final in only one attempt. Completing the men’s podium was Tokyo 2020 Olympian Narasaki Tomoa, of Japan, who took bronze with one top and four zones. No stranger to the podium, Narasaki now holds a total of 26 IFSC World Cup medals, and a further six IFSC Climbing World Championship medals. In fourth place was Lee Dohyun of South Korea, achieving one top and four zones in his first ever World Cup final. Japan’s Ogata Yoshiyuki placed fifth with another score of one top and four zones, ranking lower than Narasaki and Lee due to using a higher number of attempts during the competition. In sixth place was Narasaki Meichi of Japan – the younger brother of Narasaki Tomoa – with a score of one top and three zones.

CLIMBING - Int News 12 Jun, 2022

HEAD-TO-HEAD BATTLE IN BRIXEN SEES GROSSMAN TRIUMPH IN BOULDER FINAL

Sports Bulletin Report Brixen (Itlay):-This evening saw the conclusion of the women’s event at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Boulder World Cup Brixen 2022, where in an intense head-to-head battle against Germany’s Hannah Meul, Natalia Grossman of the USA triumphed. With four tops and four zones, Grossman achieved her sixth IFSC World Cup gold medal to date – four of which she has obtained during the 2022 season so far. The American put on a spectacular performance by flashing three out of four boulders in tonight’s final, after having flashed every single bloc in the previous two rounds. As such, Grossman deservedly earned her fourth consecutive first place finish. “I’m really grateful and excited for more. I feel like at least during the qualification and semi-final rounds, I had the most fun I’ve had in a really long time. It felt really good to compete without pressure again, because in Salt Lake I had a lot of pressure. Hannah definitely kept me on my toes the whole final round so that was kind of fun dealing with the pressure, but I’m glad I was able to keep it together,” said Grossman following her win. “I’ve been focusing mainly on boulders this year, but I’m very excited to get the opportunity to compete in Lead because I love Lead climbing. We’ll see how it goes!” she added when questioned about the upcoming IFSC Lead World Cup season. Matching Grossman’s score of four tops and four zones, Meul of Germany placed second due to using just one more attempt than the American. Flashing two of the final blocs, Meul climbed atop her first ever IFSC World Cup podium and walked away with a silver medal around her neck. Completing the podium was China’s Luo Zhilu, impressively bagging a bronze medal in her debut IFSC World Cup with two tops and four zones. After a stellar first appearance on the international Sport Climbing circuit, the 16-year-old climber is pinned as one to watch moving forward. Olympic silver-medallist Nonaka Miho, of Japan, just missed out on a podium position in fourth place, with one top and four zones. Her teammates Matsufuji Anon and Okawachi Serika ranked fifth and sixth respectively, with Matsufuji achieving one top and three zones, and Serika securing zero tops but three zones.

CLIMBING - National 06 Jun, 2022

ACP athletes learn from French Climbers at NUST

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-The athletes from Alpine Club if Pakistan (ACP) along with students from National University of Science & Technology (NUST) attended a 2-day Workshop on sport climbing held at NUST Sports Complex. Islamabad. According to an official of ACP, the introductory lectures were delivered and safe use of climbing gear was taught through demonstration. The videos and documentaries were also screened. The practical sessions were held at NUST climbing arena. The purpose was to attract the youth towards this challenging sport and equip them with basic sport climbing skills and knowledge. The participants took great interest in the learning. At the end of the workshop the participants were awarded certificated. Air Vice Marshal (R) Dr. Rizwan Riaz, Pro Rector RIC,Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Baig, Director Field Administration Air Comodor (R) Shahid Nadeem, Ali Hasnain Syed, Director Student Affairs, Col (R) Qaiser Mustafa, Fy. Fire Tor ( Sports) Brig R Ikram, AFPm, Aftabur Rehman Rana, MD, PTDC, Abu Zafr Sadiq, President Alpine Club of Pakistan and Saad Tariq Siddique VP, Adventure Foundation Pakistan were also present at this occasion.

CLIMBING - Int News 30 May, 2022

GROSSMAN TAKES THIRD CONSECUTIVE GOLD: OGATA WINS ANOTHER ONE FOR JAPAN

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The fourth part of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup Series 2022 closed in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, where a loud and warm crowd fought the adverse weather and enjoyed the women’s and men’s Boulder finals. Entering the round with an unusual fourth seed, Natalia Grossman was the only athlete able to solve all four boulders in the women’s event, including a decisive flash on the fourth and most challenging one. The 20-year-old from Boulder won the third consecutive gold medal of her stellar season, also strengthening her position at the top of the current Boulder World Cup ranking. Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Nonaka Miho of Japan finished second, winning silver with three tops and four zones. Grossman close friend and teammate Brooke Raboutou completed the podium in third position, taking bronze with three tops, four zones, and only one attempt-to-top more than Nonaka. “I had no idea what to expect coming into this weekend, I wanted to make another back-to-back happen, but I wasn’t sure,” said Grossman after the final. “There were so many points I wanted to give up in this round, I thought it was over after the first boulder, and it was hard to stay positive, but I made it.” Team Japan secured the third Boulder World Cup gold medal out of four events in 2022, with the third different climber: after Narasaki Tomoa and Fujii Kokoro respectively won gold in Meiringen, Switzerland, and Seoul, South Korea, Ogata Yoshiyuki jumped on the highest step of the podium in Salt Lake City, claiming his third career World Cup gold. “This year I placed second in the first World Cup, then again third in Seoul, and second here last week, I was dreaming of taking the top of the podium and I’m very happy it finally happened!” commented Ogata. Fujii completed the podium in third position, taking bronze with four tops, four zones, and a highest number of attempts to top than Ogata and Peharc. Just outside of the medal positions, South Korean Olympian Chon Jongwon placed fourth with three tops and four zones, while Kawamata Rei, also representing Japan, took fifth place with three and three. Competing in his first-ever World Cup final round, Ross Fulkerson of the United States of America closed in sixth place with two tops and four zones.

CLIMBING - Int News 28 May, 2022

LEONARDO TAKES SECOND GOLD OF HIS SEASON

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The highly anticipated men’s and women’s Speed finals of the International Federation of Sport climbing (IFSC) World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, lived up to the expectations. Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia secured the second World Cup gold medal of the 2022 season, winning the gold medal race against Tobias Plangger of Austria, who fell halfway through the route and allowed Leonardo to finish with an easy 6.33. After placing fourth at the two previous Speed World Cup events, 2019 world champion Ludovico Fossali of Italy finally won the first medal of his season, prevailing over Marcin Dzienski of Poland in the bronze medal race: 5.49 against 5.56. In the women’s event, the Polish team took three of the top four positions: Tokyo 2020 Olympian Aleksandra Miroslaw once again proved to be unbeatable, winning the third consecutive gold of her season with the extraordinary time of 6.54. Home favourite Emma Hunt of the United States of America placed second, falling in the race for gold. Aleksandra Kalucka, also of Poland, bested her twin sister Natalia in the race for the third place, securing the bronze medal with 7.96 seconds. Earlier, in the qualification rounds, Leonardo’s teammate Kiromal Katibin set a new men’s Speed world record with 5.10 seconds; while Miroslaw bested her own world record and set the mark at 6.53. “I felt great today,” said Leonardo after the medal ceremony. “To pair this gold medal with the world record set by my teammate is awesome. We made history once again!” “Luckily for me, the feeling to have a world record set in qualification in not new, as I did the same in Seoul,” commented Miroslaw. “I simply focus on my precision, and try not to make mistakes, and it works!”

CLIMBING - Int News 28 May, 2022

KATIBIN AND MIROSLAW SET TWO NEW SPEED WORLD RECORDS

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The second, consecutive International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, kicked off in great style, as in the men’s Speed qualification, Kiromal Katibin of Indonesia broke the world record for the second time in three weeks, hitting the finish pad at 5.10 seconds. Katibin bested the 5.17 he set at the IFSC World Cup in Seoul, South Korea, on 6 May, also taking the top position in the men’s Speed qualification ranking. His teammate Veddriq Leonardo placed second with 5.28; John Brosler of the United States of America placed third with 5.57 One year ago, also in Salt Lake City, Katibin was the first climber to break the historical 5.47-record set by Reza Alipour of Iran in Nanjing, China, on 30 April 2017. Shortly after Indonesia’s Kiromal Katibin signed a new men’s Speed world record 5.10, another historical moment took place at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. In the second race of her qualification round, after she previously closed with 6.68, the second fastest time ever – Aleksandra Miroslaw of Poland climbed the Speed route in 6.53 seconds and set her third consecutive world record. Miroslaw first broke the 6.99 set by Russian specialist Iulia Kapliina at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where she stopped the clock at 6.84. Then, in the opening Speed event of the 2022 season – the IFSC World Cup in Seoul, South Korea – the Polish climber bested her own time and set the bar at 6.64. The 6.53 marked in Salt Lake City also placed her at the top of the women’s table, followed by her teammate Aleksandra Kalucka, second with 7.04, and home favourite Emma Hunt of the United States of America, third with 7.05.

CLIMBING - National 25 May, 2022

BARD Foundation to sponsor Pakistani female mountaineer Naila Kiani to conquer K-2

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation decided to sponsor female mountaineer, Naila Kiani for her upcoming mountain climbing expedition, who will be attempting to reach on the top of second highest peak in the world K-2 in June 2022. According to an official of BARD, Naila will be the first female Pakistani mountain climber to summit the world’s 2nd highest peak. Naila Kiani has successfully climbed Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), which is the world’s 13th highest mountain. BARD Foundation carries a deep vision to promote and facilitate local athletes and sportspersons in order to highlight their talent and true potential across the world. BARD Foundation is a human-development initiative, founded by the renowned industrialist & technocrat - Abdul Razak Dawood and his philanthropist wife - Bilquis Dawood. Naila Kiani is a Dubai-based Pakistani banker and an amateur boxer, whose love for the mountainous regions inspired her to carry out her wedding ceremony right at the K2 base camp in 2018. She boldly summited an 8,000+m peak, the Gasherbrum II, right after giving birth to her child. She is a true symbol of empowered, strong, and resilient female athletes in the country, and was presented with an award in December 2021 by the President of Pakistan, to acknowledge her great achievements and contributions towards mountaineering. Naila Kiani said: “I am indebted to my nation, especially the mountain climbing community, for always honoring my humble efforts. I would like to thank the BARD Foundation for their support towards my endeavors – their enthusiastic approach towards my goal to summit the mighty K2 is testament to their noble vision to enable Pakistani talent and sports. This pursuit will act as a beacon for other Pakistani female adventurers and encourage them to explore the mesmerizing beauty of the world’s highest peaks in Pakistan.” Faisal Dawood said: “It is a matter of great pride for us to sponsor the unmatched courage of another Pakistani star – Naila Kiani. Through her many dangerous treks, this female dare-devil is living her dream and building a softer image of Pakistan, globally, as a progressive destination for adventure tourism. Her K2 expedition will engage mountaineers from numerous countries, to promote global peace and harmony and attract more foreign and local female climbers to visit Pakistan.”

CLIMBING - Int News 25 May, 2022

Japan to host IFSC Boulder & Lead World Cup

Sports Bulletin Report Torino (Itay):-The International Sport Climbing Federation (IFSC) announced that the IFSC Boulder World Cup originally scheduled in May 2022, has been rescheduled as the IFSC Boulder & Lead World Cup in Morioka-Iwate, Japan. In what will be the first international Sport Climbing event held in Japan since the sport’s successful Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 last summer, the World Cup in Morioka-Iwate will take place this from 20 to 22 October. The Morioka-Iwate competition will be the first IFSC World Cup held in Japan since the World Cup in Inzai in October 2019. It will also be loaded with Olympic flavours. Morioka-Iwate will be the first IFSC event to feature the Boulder & Lead discipline, which will be one of the two medal events at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and it will also be the final event of the 2022 IFSC season, pointing enticingly to the 2023 season when the qualification path to Paris 2024 officially begins. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the local government of Morioka-Iwate for their desire to welcome this event and our athletes from around the world. It will be a pleasure for all of us to return to Japan after making history in Tokyo last summer. It will also be an opportunity to look with excitement toward the future with the new Boulder & Lead format, which will provide a great test for our athletes ahead of the start of our qualifying campaign for Paris 2024 the following season.”

CLIMBING - Int News 23 May, 2022

GROSSMAN-RABOUTOU SIGN A GOLD-SILVER COMBO

Sports Bulletin Repot Salt Lake City (USA):-The first of three International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) events scheduled in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, came to an end tonight, at Pioneer Park, in front of a roaring crowd. The opening act of the night saw France’s young talent Mejdi Schalck finally to climb on the highest step of an IFSC World Cup podium. The 18-year-old from Chambery crushed the competition with a fantastic performance, solving a full range of four, challenging and diverse problems. Schalck is also the first non-Japanese climber to win a men’s Boulder World Cup since Sean Bailey of the United States of America took gold in Salt Lake City in May 2021. Ogata Yoshiyuki of Japan also finished with four tops and four zones, but placed second behind Schalck because of a higher number of attempts to top. Ogata won silver and placed on the Boulder World Cup podium for the third time in 2022. A second Japanese climber, Kawamata Rei, completed the podium in third place, winning bronze with three tops and four zones. Austria’s Nicolai Uznik, Germany’s Yannick Flohé, and Austria’s Jakob Schubert respectively finished in fourth, fifth, and sixth position. In the women’s event, home favourite Natalia Grossman secured her second consecutive Boulder World Cup gold with another fantastic round. On her way to the podium, Grossman flashed two of the four boulders she had to face, and eventually closed the round being the only finalists with four tops and as many zones. Team USA also won silver with Brooke Raboutou, who finished in second place with three tops and four zones. Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist Nonaka Miho also placed on the podium, winning bronze with 3 tops and four zones. Two Austrian athletes placed just outside of the podium: Jessica Pilz finished in fourth position, while Franziska Sterrer placed fifth after closing the semi-final round tied at the top of the ranking with Raboutou. Camilla Moroni of Italy closed sixth, at the bottom of the table.

CLIMBING - Int News 21 May, 2022

POLAND AND INDONESIA CONTINUE THEIR SPEED DOMINATION

Sports Bulletin Report Salt Lake City (USA):-The Polish and Indonesian climbing teams, respectively dominated the women’s and men’s Speed events in Salt Lake City: Aleksandra Miroslaw led an all-Polish podium that also included twin sisters Aleksandra and Natalia Kalucka; while Kiromal Katibin and Veddriq Leonardo jumped on a World Cup podium together, once again. Miroslaw took gold for the second consecutive World Cup event – the seventh of her career – marking the best time of her final in the race for the gold medal: 6.93 seconds. Aleksandra Kalucka won Silver, finishing almost one seconds behind her teammate with 7.83. The current women’s Speed world champion, Natalia Kalucka, competed the podium in third place, besting Emma Hunt of the United States of America in one of the closest races of the night: 7.52 for the Polish climber, 7.58 for Hunt. A faulty finale characterised the men’s Speed final, which was eventually won by the current men’s Speed world record holder Kiromal Katibin of Indonesia. Katibin claimed gold with 5.64 seconds in the final, with Noah Bratschi of the United States of America falling midway through his ascent. Previosuly, both Katibin and Bratschi had qualified for the gold medal race thanks to two falls: from Ludovico Fossali of Italy and Veddriq Leonardo, respectively. In the small final, Leonardo stopped the clock at 5.59 seconds, placing third. Fossali fell for the second time in his round and finished in fourth position.