Japanese Climbers at IFSC World Cup Canada Include Main Threat to Anna Stohr

We’ve looked at some of the incredible Canadian, Austrian and American athletes coming to the IFSC World Cup on June 1 and 2 in Hamilton. Continuing with our coverage leading up to the event, today we introduce two athletes from Japan, Rei Sugimoto and Akiyo Noguchi.

24-year-old Noguchi was born on a cattle farm. “I was a tomboy,” she says, and was known for running around with the cows and climbing trees and barns. This year,

Noguchi is second only to Austria’s Anna Stohr. Previously, she has been overall World Cup Champion twice and she won the last Canadian World Cup in Canmore in 2011. With a long string of wins in 2011 and 2012, so far this year she has come fourth in Drogomer Slovenia in May, second to current 2013 leader Anna Stogr at Kizbuhel, third in Millau, France in April, and fourth in Chongqing China in March. She is a powerful contender to watch in Hamilton. Noguchi will be looking to break her own duck at Hamilton and snap Stohr’s win streak thus far this season.

Last year at the Japan Cup, he took American Daniel Woods to a Super Final at the North Face Cup, before being edged out for victory. He is currently ranked ninth overall in the 2013 standings.