The Paraclimbing World Cup Ends in Innsbruck

In Competitive Climbing, this last week has centred itself around Innsbruck, Austria. Although many spectators will have glued their eyes to the recent Lead World Cup that concluded this evening, the Paraclimbing World Cup featured equally aesthetic routes across the different categories.

June 24 saw the end of 2021’s first Paraclimbing World Cup. The event broke itself across four larger categories, further specified by subcategories. The four larger categories each ran similar events on ropes. For details regarding impairment Sport Classes, click here.

In the Men’s B1 and B2 Sport Classes for visual impairment, Spain dominated the competition soliciting first in both categories. The podium results, reproduced below, resulted from the competitor listening to beta from their support. They climb toward the top.

Final Result Men’s B1

1. Francisco Javier Aguilar Amoedo (ESP)
2. Razvan Nedu (ROU)
3. Angelo Sebastian Simionescu (ROU)

Final Result Men’s B2

1. Raul Simon Franco (ESP)
2. Simone Salvagnin (ITA)
3. Guillermo Pelegrín Gómez (ESP)

In the RP sport classes, impairment is described via difficulties ranges of movement. This can relate to strength, stability or mobility. In the Men’s Division, Team France appeared on form taking Bastien Thomas and Mathieu Besnard to Gold in RP! And RP3. The RP2 Sport Class saw Israel’s Mor Michael Sapir take first.

Final Result Men’s RP1

1. Bastien Thomas (FRA)
2. Angelino Zeller (AUT)
3. Korbinian Franck (GER)

Final Result Men’s RP2

1. Mor Michael Sapir (ISR)
2. Kevin Bartke (GER)
3. Isak Ripman (NOR)

Final Result Men’s RP3

1. Mathieu Besnard (FRA)
2. Jamie Barendrecht (NED)
3. Gregor Selak (SLO)

The smallest subcategory in the Men’s Division was that of the AL/AU athletes. In this World Cup, one gold medal was award to the Men’s AL2 field. AL impairment is described by leg amputation. Representing France, Thierry Delarue earned Gold. Delarue was pinned as ‘one to watch’ after winning gold in the 2019 Paraclimbing World Championships in Briançon. He lived up to that reputation with a score of 44.

Final Result Men’s AL2

1. Thierry Delarue (FRA)
2. Albert Guardia Ferrer (ESP)
3. Frederik Leys (BEL)

For the Women, four gold medals were awarded across four categories. The B3 Sport Class featured Austria’s Edith Scheinecker who would win in front of her home crowd. Scheinecker had previously taken Bronze at the Paraclimbing World Championships in Briançon.

Final Result Women’s B3

1. Edith Scheinecker (AUT)
2. Iben Kongsvik Paulsen (NOR)
3. Nadia Bredice (ITA)

According to an IFSC press release: “Team France took the win in both the women’s AU2 and RP3 physical impairment classes, with Solenne Piret and Lucie Jarrige achieving a respective top and score of 52+. Piret closed the final as the only woman to secure a top in the round. The duo each earned gold medals at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, and Jarrige’s collection additionally boasts a gold medal from the 2016 championships.

“Belgium’s Pavitra Vandenhoven was victorious in Sport Class RP1, obtaining a score of 36+ after putting on a stellar display of strength, stamina, and skill by campusing – e.g. using upper body only – her way up the route.”

Au impairment is described by the full or partial amputation of the arm.

Final Result Women’s AU2

1. Solenne Piret (FRA)
2. Melinda Vigh (HUN)
3. Lucia Capovilla (ITA)

Final Result Women’s RP1

1. Pavitra Vandenhoven (BEL)
2. Eva Mol (NED)
3. Marta Peche Salinero (ESP)

Final Result Women’s RP3

1. Lucie Jarrige (FRA)
2. Christiane Luttikhuizen (NED)
3. Katharina Ritt (AUT)

The second Paraclimbing World Cup of 2021 will take place in Briançon, France on July 15.

Featured Image by Lena Drapella