Sorato Anraku (JPN) started out last in the semi, as he had won the qualification, and sent all four boulders in great style. The 16-year-old seems to be on another level as he has done throughout the whole season. By doing so he kicked out his teammate Yoshiyuki Ogata from the final, who had just sent Adam Ondra (CZE) out of the final. Both of them including also Yannick Flohé (GER), in 9th position, were all very close to sending one more boulder creating a very exciting semifinal.

Olympian Mickael Mawem (FRA), who has not made any finals in the WC in 2023, was runner-up. “They weren’t hard boulders, not hard, not physical, not small holds. You just need to climb well and have good timing and that’s what I think I have, so that’s cool, that’s good.

My goal is qualification for the Olympics and now I am in final so that is good. First step was qualification, second was semi-finals and the third step is a medal.

I’m happy because I think I’m strong mentally for the finish, the hands, for the last move on the slab. I climb a lot on the slab and doing a lot of coordination the last month and I’m happy now, not just because of the result but the way I am climbing.”

Kokoro Fujii (JPN) was third followed by Mejdi Schalck (FRA), Lee Dohyun (KOR) and Nicolai Uznik (AUT). It should be mentioned that Shauna Coxsey did her debut as a commentator and did a very nice job explaining interesting details. Complete results

There were 100 women competing in the Bern Lead qualification today. Janja Garnbret (SLO) won one group by topping both routes in full control. Number one in the other group was Ai Mori (JPN). Three climbers were tied in third; Brooke Raboutou (USA), Laura Rogora (ITA) and Seo Chaehyun (KOR). In total, Slovenia got all their five girls to the semifinal and France four.

Natalia Grossman was #27 and just missed the semifinal. Oriane Bertone, who like Grossman, is one of the favourites to get a medal and an Olympic ticket in the Combined, was 11th. The french comments to IFSC. (c) Jan Virt

“It went pretty well. I wasn’t expecting a lot as I haven’t really been training enough I don’t think to be one of the top ones in Lead. I was hopeful. I really wanted to do well because it is the World Championships and I’ve trained a lot, but I just climbed and it went very well as I happened to be above the bar of 40. I was 40+, and that was a big achievement for me. It’s the first time I think I have done it in a comp. It was not too pumpy, there were some boulder moves, and it was a lot of fun.

I class myself as mainly a boulderer as I train much more in that, but I’m starting to feel much more like a Lead climber now because I’m training a lot. I would say I’m a combined athlete.”

Marine Thevenet, who has completed over 90 boulders 8A and harder, has done Steppenwolf (8B) in Magic Wood. The former lawyer has just started her own business as a sports manager to help climbers and outdoor athletes to find sponsors. (c) Clement Lechaptois

”I tried Steppenwolf 2 sessions 2 years ago. At that time, I did some promising attempts :) This year I was really psyched to come back to Magic Wood to finish it since we didn't have the chance to climb in MW last year. I was curious to see if I had made some progress or not!

The first session this year was disastrous! I had a finger injury in April and I was not able to crimp at 100% with my right hand, but I naively believed that maybe I could compensate with something else 🤷‍♀️ Magic Wood quickly reminded me how strong in crimps you should be to send boulders haha! But being less in shape allowed me to find an easier beta for the end than the one I did some years ago. So I came back home with frustration and motivation to come back stronger with a totally fixed finger 😈 We came back for a short trip of 4 days in mid-July and, this time, I was able to climb at my best :)”

Austin Hoyt, who previously has sent six 8B+, has done Monkey Wedding (8C) in Rocklands.

”All in all Monkey Wedding took me about eight days to piece together on this a little more than a month long trip. I tried it the second day I climbed in Rocklands for the first time, I quickly unlocked all but two moves in a short session. The second day on it was the same situation just working through moves again, finally on the third session I found a sequence that worked for me did all the moves! I ended up going with the original beta that Fred, Paul, and Daniel all do with a little extra small left hand to slide into. On session four and five I managed to fall on the last move four times! Slowly it became more of a mental battle. Come session eight, my last fresh day trying the boulder and I managed to send it! Couldn’t have done it without Bryce Viola!”

What is your climbing background?
I began climbing about 11 years ago at High Exposure Climbing in Northvale New Jersey, and I still climb there today! Ever since starting I’ve been obsessed and likely climb five days a week. Training mostly focuses on board climbing, weight lifting, and a lot of projecting! Luckily I’m here in Africa with long time friend and training partner Adam Shahar, he’s insanely strong and going to rack up an insane tick list himself! We’ve pushed each other since day one, without the very friendly competition I don’t know if either of us would ever be where we are now.

The World Championships in Bern started today with the men’s boulder qualification. Yoshiyuki Ogata and the 16-year-old wonderkid Sorato Anraku, both from Japan, won their respectively groups, doing all five boulders. Runner-ups were Yannick Flohe (GER) and Sam Avezou (FRA) followed by another three from team Japan. It can be mentioned that also France did get five males to the semifinal. (c) Jan Virt/IFSC

Adam Ondra just barely made it to the semi by being #19 with two tops. Overall, 130 males participated and basically there were no big sensational results.

Yannick commented to IFSC, ”It was pretty good. I did all five boulders. I did the two slabs, and this year I haven’t done any slabs in the World Cups so I’m happy. I tried to have a little break after the last World Cups and have a good training block to refocus, I think that helps a lot, because there was a lot of competitions and after Villars I was pretty ‘comp burned out’ so some structured training helped me to get back to feeling good, and I am feeling good right now.”

Here is the schedule for the World Championships in Bern where the medalists in the Combined Lead/Boulder will get a ticket to the Paris Olympics. In total, there will be just over 250 participants in both Boulder and Lead. IFSC has published the stats; A total of 428 athletes are registered to compete at Bern 2023 – 236 male and 192 female – setting a record for the highest number of climbers participating at a World Championships."


SCHEDULE AUGUST 1 - 12
1st 09:00 - MEN'S BOULDER QUALIFICATION
2nd 11:00 - WOMEN'S LEAD QUALIFICATION
3rd 09:00 - MEN'S LEAD QUALIFICATION & 16:00 WOMEN'S BOULDER QUALIFICATION
4th 10:00 - MEN'S BOULDER SEMI & 18:30 MEN'S BOULDER FINAL
5th 10:00 - WOMEN'S BOULDER SEMI & 18:30 WOMEN'S BOULDER FINAL
6th 10:00 - WOMEN'S/MEN'S LEAD SEMI & 18:30 LEAD FINAL

9th 09:00 WOMEN'S COMBINED SEMI BOULDER & 13.00 MEN'S COMBINED SEMI BOULDER & 20:30 SEMI LEAD
11th 19:00 WOMEN'S BOULDER & LEAD FINAL
12th 16:00 MEN'S BOULDER & LEAD FINAL

Florian Wientjes sent Off the Wagon Sit (8C+) in Valle Bavona in February. Here is the 8a report

Minyoung Lee, who last year did his first 9a+, has repeated Adam Ondra's Jungle Boogie (9a+) in Céüse. In 2021, Lee was #12 in a Boulder WC but now his focus is rock climbing. (c) Marco Bergonzi

Can you tell us more about Jungle Boogie?
To explain my story. In 2019 when I first visited Céüse, I could have opted for Biographie but as a kid, I watched videos of my idol Sachi Amma doing Jungle Boogie and I fell in love the first time I tried the route. On that first trip, I fell in the last crux section, below the two-finger pocket. The second trip was last year in April. I was finally able to come back after the covid was over and I was full of confidence to send it. I could feel my growth compared to the first visit. However, past the crux, going for the jug, my foot slipped and I fell. It was very disappointing, but I was happy to think that I’d make it through the remaining climbing days. But the weather didn’t help, it rained, and then it snowed. In the end, it failed and it was mentally very difficult.

I finally came back this year feeling stronger physically. What I felt at the beginning was amazing I was shaking my hands as I climbed and chalked it up. Because it was so intense I had to push it. My fitness was more prepared than ever when I challenged this route. Even so, the situation of failure made my mind hard and made me extremely sensitive. I couldn’t help but think of the short schedule of time and money to come here from Korea. By the time halfway through the schedule, I was tired, so I took a break for two days to recover and remind myself of my skin and finally made it. It was a really tough fight and made me grow up in every way. I will do more fun and wonderful things in the future. Thank you Dad for being with me on this journey and thank you again for your attention to my success🙌

How long have you been climbing?
I'm 23years old. I started climbing in 2008. When I was a young kid I started climbing with my dad. I participated in competitions and later in international competitions until recently. Lately, I‘ve been wanting to focus more on rock climbing.

Robert De Lafondue, the poet well known for his hilarious verses in french, left as comments, on his scorecard ascents, has done Autoengaño (9a) in . (Google translate)"I climb by passion but it is in rap that I excel because I am the spark. I grew up with the authors and like with big brothers, they became my tutors. So, finished the Baudelaires and Verlaine, place to Nakamura and wejdene, who by dint of singing, murdered the alphabet. You will have understood, between Robert and Buddha, here are two ways to reach nirvana!! Little thought to bebou, I'll put a wind to you tah the mistral, the punch is masterful. Thanks to the fanatic team and special mention to my gold charm. 9 sessions, 8c+?"