Japan set some kind of record during the male qualification in the Vail Boulder World Cup. In Group A, where Yoshiyuki Ogata topped all in six tries, Sean Bailay #5 was the only non-Japanese in the Top-8. In Group B, Adam Ondra won ahead of last year World Champion Kai Harada and Keita Dohi, Youth Olympic Champion. The only one to miss the Top-20 semi was Rei Sugimoto who won the last year in Vail. (c) Eddie Fowke The biggest sensation was that last year overall winner Jernej Kruder, failed to make the semi again. The Slovenian has won one event in 2019 but in the remaining five his best result was #11 but he probably enjoyed it as always. Interesting is also that only 57 athletes participated in comparison with 91 in 2018. Speed Champion Bassa Mawem just might be the one increasing his chances the most for Tokyo ending #43. It should also be mentioned that USA, who have struggled in 2019, had four guys Top-15. Complete result The semi starts 17.30 European Time and the Final starts 23.00.

Five male topped all four boulders in the semi with Jongwon Chon on top only needing seven attempts. Both Tomoa Narasaki and Adam Ondra did make it needing 12 respectively 14 tries. All nine Japanese in the Top-16. Among the female, Fanny Gibert won ahead of Janja Garnbret who missed one boulder coming back from having done 41 straight WC boulders. In total three Japanese made it to the final. The biggest sensation was that 15-year-old Lucy Douady was #5 in her World Cup debut. Complete results

Sarah Kamf (born Seeger) has done her seventh 8c Intercooler in Frankenjura. The 38-year-old mother of two is having her best year with three 8c's the last year and this time she only needed five sessions to take it down. So what is the secret? How can you explain being stronger than ever? There is no secret. Climbing in general and particularly Frankenjura and the people I'm climbing with keep inspiring and motivating me, I'm a lucky girl enjoying what I do. I think I have reduced my weaknesses (finger strength) by specifically looking for routes or boulders that target them from time to time or by doing some hangboard training when time is short. In general, I have been climbing a lot for the past 10 years which sure had some improving effect. And maybe I am climbing a bit more strategically nowadays and approach projects more focused than in the past. 24 years of climbing experience might have left their marks. What about trying an 8c+? Sure I am psyched to try other hard routes, but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. There are some routes which I am curious to try but projecting is time and energy consuming so the whole setting needs to be compatible with family and work. If I find a route which fulfills these requirements .

For the first time ever, following the male, the Japanese female dominated the Boulder qualification. Also USA got their best result by having four in the Top-15 and further more Brooke Raboutou was #21 and Ashima Shiraishi #23. Complete results It should be mentioned that only four of the Top-10 ranked did participate and also that Janja Garnbret, who won one group, was the only Slovenian participating. In the last WC in Munich, Slovenia had five girls in the Top-8!

The sixth and last Boulder World Cup in 2019 starts on Friday in Vail with the qualification. Among the male, overall it is a battle in between Adam Ondra and Tomoa Narasaki although in theory also Kokoro Fujii could win. If Narasaki wins, Ondra will secure the overall victory being runner-up. Janja Garnbret has won all five events and she just might be the first in the IFSC history to have won all during one season. In 2018, she just participated in three events out of which she won the last two. Interesting is that only four out of the Top-10 in the female ranking participate. Among the male, Anze Peharc and Jakob Schubert, who in theory could have won, will not participate as well as Alexey Rubtsov, currently ranked as #3. The major reason for all these absents is probably that the athletes have given the Olympic qualification a higher priority. The season is very long and they need to rest and train Speed. Shauna Coxey is the one having taken this to the extreme having just participated in two events in 2019. The Combined overall ranking is based on the two best results in the three disciplines. The ones desperately needing a good result in Vail are; Miho Nonaka, Kyra Condie, Ashima Shiraishi, Brooke Raboutou, Margo Hayes, Alex Megos, Sean Bailay, Mickael Mawem and Sean McColl. Friday June 7: Women’s Qualifications - 10am ET Men’s Qualifications - 3:30pm ET Saturday June 8: Semifinals - 11:30am ET (LIVE) Women’s Finals - 5pm ET (LIVE) Men’s Finals - 6:45pm ET (LIVE)