Chongqing World Cup Results and Recap
The Chongqing World Cup has come to a close. Those watching were witness to a new world record in Women’s Speed, a first-time winner for Men’s Bouldering and a third consecutive win in Women’s Bouldering.
SPEED
Fresh off her win in Moscow, YiLing Song from China clocked a new world record, 7.101 seconds, in her quarter final race in Chongqing. Quite deservedly, Song went on to win the gold medal again. Poland’s Aleksandra Rudzinska came second and Russia’s Luliia Kaplina returned to the podium in third place. For the men, Alfian Muhammad from Indonesia won the gold with a time of 5.97 seconds. Kostiantyn Pavlenko from Ukraine took the silver and the bronze went to Russia’s Sergey Rukin.
Chongqing WC Speed Results Women / Men
1. YiLing Song (CHN) / Alfian Muhammad (INA)
2. Aleksandra Rudzinska (POL) / Kostiantyn Pavlenko (UKR)
3. Luliia Kaplina (RUS) / Sergey Rukin (RUS)
4. Anouck Jaubert (FRA) / QiXin Zhong (CHN)
5. Aries Susanti Rahayu (INA) / Reza Alipourshena
6. Elena Timofeeva (RUS) / Nikolai Iarilovets (RUS)
Canadian Results
37. Sean McColl (7.111 secs)
53. Alannah Yip (11.152 secs)
BOULDERING
Both the semi-final and final rounds of bouldering were a treat for spectators to watch. Sean McColl and Alannah Yip were the only Canadians to make it past Qualifiers and both had a tough set of boulders to climb in Semi-Finals. McColl, who finished 14th, wrote on social media: “After a nails hard semi finals, I managed 3 zones but needed at least a top to have a hope of advancing.”
A highlight from Men’s Semis was Sascha Lehmann’s send of M1 (See 32:53 of the Semis Replay). The Swiss climber hiked the very tricky problem that had shut down some very strong climbers. He was the first competitor to send it it and, in the end, was one of only four men to do so.
Yip climbed particularly strong in Semis again and, as it was in Moscow, it became more and more evident how well she had climbed as the other competitors came out and struggled. Yip ended up with a very impressive 8th place thanks to her quick top of W4 and 3 zones.
Bouldering Finals for the men has been very hard to predict so far this World Cup season. Without Adam Ondra, who didn’t compete due to illness, the door was left open for a very long list of potential finalists. In the end, first-time bouldering finalist, Sascha Lehmann was accompanied by a group of very seasoned competitors.
France’s Manuel Cornu was on fire. Cornu is no stranger to the podium, nor to gold medals, but this was his first win at a World Cup bouldering event and he certainly looked pleased. In second place was Tomoa Narasaki, who came up behind Cornu because of one attempt to zones. More heart-breaking is that Narasaki’s extra attempt was due to a false start on M3 and if they had tied, he would have won due to count backs to Semis. Narasaki also came second in Meiringen, after Ondra.
The highlight of the men’s final round, though, was Anze Peharc on M4 (See 1:52:00 of the Finals Replay). Peharc was the last climber out and no one had topped the boulder yet. The climbers with the most tops were unable to do it, so it was beginning to feel un-toppable. Peharc’s first attempt gave the viewers a bit of hope. Then he flailed on the first move on his second attempt. But then, almost as if it was scripted, Peharc got up to the boulder’s high-point, matched it, and finished it off to the rise of the crowd. With that, Peharc moved himself up three spots to win the bronze medal.
For the women finalists, the names do not seem to shuffle as much. Shauna Coxsey and Miho Nonaka opted out of competing and Fanny Gibert just missed out this time around, despite being the only other woman to top two boulders in Semis. Otherwise, the final running order looked familiar, as did the person standing on top of the podium at the end of it all. It’s fair to say at this point that Janja Garnbret is on another level. It is mind-boggling to watch the way she climbs the boulders that other top women struggle on, and do so with ease. Garnbret definitely had competition with the very strong-looking Akiyo Noguchi and Jessica Pilz, but they would end up in second and third, respectively, behind the Slovenian.
Chongqing WC Bouldering Results Women / Men
1. Janja Ganbret (SLO) / Manuel Cornu (FRA)
2. Akiyo Noguchi (JPN) / Tomoa Narasaki (JPN)
3. Jessica Pilz (AUT) / Anze Peharc (SLO)
4. Petra Klingler (SUI) / Sascha Lehmann (SUI)
5. Futaba Ito (JPN) / Aleksey Rubtsov (RUS)
6. Katja Kadic (SLO) / Kokoro Fujii (JPN)
Canadian Results
Alannah Yip – 8th
Paige Boklaschuk – 43rd
Beatrix Evans – 45th
Allison Vest – 63rd
Madison Fischer – 69th
Sean McColl – 14th
Lucas Uchida – 41st
Jason Holowach – 49th
Nathan Smith – 55th
Zach Richardson – 69th
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