Moscow Combined Favorites

The Moscow Combined Euro Champions starts on Saturday with the Speed qualifications. Based on the Starting List here are the favorites to grab the two Olympic tickets.

1. Sasha Lehmann SUI
2. Jernej Kruder SLO
3. Jakob Konecny CZE
4. Alexsei Rubtsov RUS
5. Hannes Puman SWE
6. William Bosi GBR
7. Fedir Samoliv UKR
8. Nicolas Collin BEL

It should be mentioned that due to the multiplication format, it is most likely that the winner will be one of the guys winning either in Bouldering or Lead. Why Lehmann is ranked above Kruder is that there are more high class boulderers participating and that coincidence play a bigger role i Boulder. In Lead, Lehmann is the big favorite and on paper, only challenged by Konecny, Puman and Fakirianov.

Among the female, Petra Klingler and Vita Luka are big favorites but as Klingler has already qualified to Tokyo and that Slovenia has filled their country quota, Molly Thompson-Smith should have the best chances of making it to Tokyo. Noteworthy, is that also Alexandra Miroslav and Iuliana Kaplina have qualified to Tokyo. Further more, Krasovskaia is the best Speed climber among the non-specialists. If let us say, the Olympians Alexandra Miroslaw and Iulia Kaplina make it to the final, they just might let Elena Krasovskaia win Speed, as this theoretically would increase their chances getting a bronze in Tokyo. Krasovskaia is not a specialist in any discipline meaning that she with the multiplication format is not a threat in Tokyo. There are already four female specialists that have qualified to Tokyo and with Krasovskaia in the starting list, the chances for a female speed medal increases a lot.

0. Petra Klingler SUI*
0. Vita Lukan SLO*
- Covid-19 positive did not go.
1. Molly Smith-Thompson GBR
0. Alexandra Miroslaw* POL
2. Stasa Gejo SER
3. Elena Krasovskaia RUS
4. Chloe Caulier BEL
5. Eliska Adamovska RUS
6. Alma Bestvater GER
0. Iuliia Kaplina* RUS


Today, the registration takes place and it is quite likely that some of the listed athletes will show up changing the conditions. Then, with a competition running for eigth days, it is also about not getting any Covid-19 symptoms. The athletes will have to bring and use their own ropes and they are put into hotel quarantine beside transportation to the arena and competing. At the venue, there are many new IFSC regulations how to act in order to reduce the risk for getting Covid-19. Here are some examples;

"In order to guarantee the same stay in warm up area to all athletes, the first athletes to climb will be allowed, 45 minutes before their supposed climbing time, to move to the warm up area and next athletes will be allowed every 5 minutes. The isolation/holding and warm up area shall be monitored by the IFSC officials.

Athletes shall wear mask in isolation, holding area and generally when social distancing measures cannot be applied. During observation time all athletes and officials shall wear their mask.

Competition Doctor shall test all the registered Athletes and Team Members before they are allowed to enter isolation / holding area: in case of body temperature (checked with a contactless thermometer) > 37.5 C° or in case of symptoms (i.e. cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of taste/odour, sore throat, cold, aching limbs) Team Members shall not be allowed in.

No handshakes, no hugs, no kissing from athletes or prizegivers shall be allowed."