Five Stories to Follow at This Weekend’s Olympic Qualifier Series

The final Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) is currently underway in Budapest, Hungary. The stakes couldn’t be higher, with Paris Olympic tickets on the line. To learn more about the OQS format, competitors, and points system, read our in-depth explainer here. All the details on how and when to watch the comps tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday are found here.

It’s not often that the outcomes of an individual comp are so important. Other than the Olympics, this is arguably the most consequential event of the year. There are many interesting angles to this Budapest OQS, but here are the top five stories we’ll be following this weekend.

1. The race between Miho Nonaka and Futaba Ito

There is a two athletes per gender per country rule for the Boulder & Lead combined discipline at the Olympics. Japan has already filled both spots in its male quota (Tomoa Narasaki and Sorato Anraku) and one spot in its female quota (Ai Mori). This leaves one spot up for grabs in the women’s comp at the OQS.

The clear favourites are Miho Nonaka and Futaba Ito. Nonaka, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, performed very well at the Shanghai OQS last month, placing fourth and earning 38 points. Ito also had a great performance, placing one place behind Nonaka in fifth, earning 36 points. With the points this close leading into Budapest, this final OQS event is currently neck and neck between the two top Japanese athletes.

2. Will rock climbing’s biggest stars qualify?

One interesting thing about comp climbing is that some of rock climbing’s biggest names compete in the events. This is particularly true in this OQS men’s event. Adam Ondra, Alex Megos, and Stefano Ghisolfi – three of the best outdoor sport climbers in the world – are vying for their Paris tickets. So are top boulderers Simon Lorenzi and Yannick Flohé.

In Shanghai, Ondra set himself up well, placing third and earning 41 points. Megos had a decent showing, placing 12th, which earned him 29 points. A similar performance or better in Budapest should earn him his Olympic qualifying spot. Ghisolfi didn’t have the performance he wanted to in Shanghai, placing 19th, earning 22 points. With that score, he’s definitely not out of the race yet, but he’ll need a better finish in Budapest for his Olympic dreams to be realized.

3. Tight competition on Team France

The competition for Olympic tickets is arguably highest on Team France. No French men have earned a spot to compete in the Olympics yet, leaving two spots up for grabs. It’s a tight race between Paul Jenft, Sam Avezou, and Mejdi Schalck. Jenft placed fourth in Shanghai, earning 38 points. Avezou placed eighth with 33 points and Schalck 10th with 31 points. It’s going to be a tight race in Budapest between the three teammates.

In women’s, the competition is close, but not as close as the men’s. However, there is only one qualifying spot up for grabs as Team France member Oriane Bertone already earned her Olympic ticket at the European Qualifer. At the Shanghai OQS, Avezou’s sister Zelia also placed eighth earning her 33 points. Based on her past year on the World Cup circuit, she’s arguably the French favourite in Budapest. She’s trailed closely by Manon Hily who placed 15th with 26 points in Shanghai and Fanny Gibert who placed 19th with 22 points.

4. One spot left for a Team USA woman

Team USA member Natalia Grossman earned her Olympic ticket at the Pan American Games last year. That leaves one possible ticket left for a Team USA woman. In Shanghai, Brooke Raboutou was dominant, placing first and earning herself a perfect 50 points. Her closest teammate competitor was Annie Sanders who placed 14th in Shanghai, earning 27 points.

For Raboutou to miss out on that Olympic ticket, she would have to place much lower than she typically does in international competition and Sanders would have to have a breakthrough performance, which I’d say is highly unlikely. Raboutou is one of the best comp (and rock) climbers on the planet. This comp is hers to lose.

5. How will Canadian athletes fare?

Three Canadian athletes are performing at the Budapest OQS: Sean McColl, Oscar Baudrand, and Alannah Yip. In Shanghai, McColl placed 32nd, earning only nine points. Baudrand placed behind him in 37th, with four points. Yip placed 40th, earning just one point. Based on these scores, all three will need spectacular performances in order to qualify for the Olympics. McColl and Yip in particular have a ton of international comp experience – they even both competed at the Tokyo Olympics. Will this experience help them pull off a much-needed comeback?