Janja Garnbret doubled up by also winning in Lead in Innsbruck, six holds above Ai Mori and another eight holds higher than Jessica Pilz. This was the 24th Lead World Cup gold for Janja. Complete female results

Garnbret commented to IFSC; “I loved the route. It was incredible. Even during the observation I knew it was hard, but this is what we like. We like to show how we fight and what we train for, so this is exactly what we got and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I’m incredibly grateful to win both the Boulder and Lead, even more grateful because I’m coming back from injury. I’ve never had an injury before so I had no experience or expectations and it’s even more amazing coming back because there were a lot of doubts, crying and just a lot of negative thoughts, so coming back on top I’m incredibly grateful.”

Among the men, Alex Megos was first out and was #1 until the last man out, Sascha Lehmann tied his results and overtook the #1 position, by countback. Sasha has previously won one World Cup in 2019 and he also won the World Games in 2022. Jakob Schubert got the bronze also on countback and in total, six men reached that same hold. Complete male results (c) Lena Drapella/IFSC

Sascha said to the IFSC; “ I knew I could climb well and I am a strong climber, but it’s a packed field, we saw that in Boulder with so many young athletes coming in. My Boulder season didn’t go that well so I hoped I could do better in Lead. I worked hard at Lead, but I wasn’t sure where I was at. I know I can perform on the big stage, and I did, so it feels amazing.

You always do a move and think it feels good in the warm-up, and the atmosphere here is great, but in the end when you go out to the route it’s not thinking anymore, it’s just climbing. Do your thing, stay calm, do the moves and perform well.”

Anna Wild, who did her second 8b+ last month, has sent True North (8c) at Kilnsey. (c) Marsha Balaeva

Can you tell us more about doing your first 8c?
I had a session on True North after doing Full Tilt (8b) and Full On Action (8b+) last year (which share the first section of climbing) and was really psyched by it as it’s steep and powerful but also sustained, so a style that I really enjoy. But I got injured and then didn’t try it again until May. The past month I’ve been trying it a couple of times a week. I got pretty close quite quickly as the redpoint crux is right at the top, and I had a few sessions falling on the last hard move which was pretty frustrating. On Tuesday I thought it would be too hot but I think this took the pressure off and I stuck the final hard move!

It was an ideal project for me because it took me long enough that I started to worry it was too hard and I’d keep falling in the same place - with other routes I’ve always done them when I feel close, so it was a new challenge mentally to keep falling on that same move. But it made me realise that I am good enough to climb that grade which was quite rewarding as 8c had always seemed too ambitious to me!

What is your climbing background?
I’ve been climbing for 10 years. When I was younger I only climbed inside due to not living near any outdoor crags and I used to do a lot of youth comps. A few years ago I moved to Manchester for uni and have since only really climbed outside which I definitely prefer. I have especially enjoyed the Yorkshire limestone.

IFSC reports: "The Executive Board of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has approved to start a process for the reinstatement of athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports as neutral athletes starting from 2024."

As it stands, this means that the Russians are ruled out of the Paris 2024 Olympics as you have to do IFSC competitions in 2023, in order to qualify. The Olympic series qualifications take place in 2024 based on the Top-48 in the Combined World Cup 2023.

Japan has dominated the boulder scene for the last ten years and in 2023, they had six athletes among the Top-15. Mejdi Schalck skipped three events and was just 660 points behind Sorato Anraku. Had he participated and placed #10 or higher in two of the three comps, he would have won overall. Mejdi instead opted to climb outside and focus on the World Championships, "I just want to focus on Bern and put all my energy into this goal. I’m doing Innsbruck and Chamonix Lead World Cups."

Sorato Anraku began the final with a flash and put pressure on all five following finalists. Being the only climber to top out the second boulder, which no one else made the zone on, the 16-year-old carved out a big lead. Mathematically, it was clear that he would win the overall if he was to place second or better, but as he did not even make the zone on the third boulder, the competition opened up once more.

On the final boulder, he struggled with the intro dyno but on his seventh try, he stuck it and cruised to the top, which secured him a podium position.

When later Sam Avezou did not make the dyno, Sorato secured the overall title. Then Meichi Narasaki, in fifth position, had just two attempts to send it in order to win but as he needed seven tries he was runner-up. Complete results

Sorato said in the IFSC interview; “When my climbing had finished after the final boulder I still wasn’t sure if I would win. Maybe a 50-50 chance, but I had done all I could and I couldn’t worry about the others and what they were going to do.” (c) Jan Virt/IFSC

Hannes Puman, #25 in Innsbruck, told 8a the great story of when he ran into the 16-year-old in a Tokyo gym this spring. They started to boulder and it did not take long until Puman realised he was on another level, especially on holding dyno swings.

Talking to Sorato in Brixen he says he mainly trains alone or with some locals from Chiba, 1.5 hours from Tokyo. Most of his training consists of bouldering or doing circuits and sometimes also some hangboarding. He does not follow any strict training plan. A couple times a month he travels to Tokyo to train with guys from the national team.

Karolina Ośka has done Batalion skała (8c) at Dolina Prądnika

”Batalion Skała is a route on Pochylec - a crag near Krakow where I live. I started trying it last spring. It starts with a difficult and precise boulder, which I managed to do only a few times at that time. In June, the season and sports form ended and the trip to Yosemite was coming, so I had to change my climbing focus. This year, when I returned to Pochylec, I felt much better on the route. Winter training paid off, even despite the injury that happened to me in the meantime. Boulder was no longer a problem and I almost always was able to pass through it. However, it took me 6 more days of tries this season to finally pass the fingery and endurance section above the boulder.

The day I sent the route I had absolutely no expectations, because I felt pretty bad in the morning. However, I climbed exceptionally well and kept falling on literally the last move before the good rest. I had already done my standard 3 attempts and was about to go home, but suddenly I spontaneously decided that I would climb again - this time expecting absolutely nothing from this try. The lack of expectations worked like magic and after a while, a little disbelieving, I finished the route, not even very tired. :)”

What is your climbing background?
I have been climbing for 13 years now. Batalion is my second 8c - 5 years after the first one. That one was way harder and I am sure that 5 years ago it would be too hard for me. For most of the time I try to combine sport climbing with a bit more adventurous stuff (multipich routes, trad and big wall). I love climbing in Yosemite. With my friend as a team we’ve done 3 classic routes on the El Cap. As I am not entirely focused only on sport I am never bored by climbing. For the last 4 years I have been trying to raise my level of sport climbing and I started training seriously under the guidance of two best climbing coaches in Poland - Maciek Oczko and Magda Terlecka.

Sara Gearhart, who the last 18 months has done a dozen 8A’s and five 8A+’, has sent No More Greener Grasses (8A+) at Mt Evans.

”So cool to come back to a boulder after a few seasons and feel how much you've changed as a climber. Dry fired and hit the rock the go before the send. More proud of myself for getting up and trying again than anything else. As far as grade, seems to fit the girls better but we take those! Happy to have done such a beautiful classic.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I tried the boulder in Fall of 2021 and thought it was hard, I wasn't able to do the crux move. Coming back this year it felt really different and much easier. I think this boulder fits my size well and the beta I used did not feel too difficult in the end. Felt very lucky to get a good weather window after the past few weeks in the alpine (it's been so rainy/snowy!) Projecting this boulder is very special because there are always other women working on it :)

What are your summer plans?
I'll be here in Colorado for a few weeks if the weather improves! I'd love to spend time working on evil backwards and some new projects! If it stays really rainy I'll go back to salt lake city to train for the summer :) it's been hard in Colorado since I work full time and the evenings have been very wet/rainy. Fingers crossed!

You manage to crush boulders whilst working full-time?
I work as a federal consultant for health care improvement and quality measurement! It's very interesting and I enjoy it but it is very time consuming. I wish I had mornings free at least!! That would be amazing :) but it's a pretty good balance overall.

Natalia Grossman, who started the season being #8 and #11 due to having suffered stomach problems for months due to food poisoning, won her third consecutive Boulder World Cup overall. Grossman skipped one event as actually all the Top-6 did but Oriane Bertone, who skipped the last two. Overall, team USA was superior having three girls in the Top-10. Complete results

Janja Garnbret, who missed the three first WC events due to a broken toe, and then got the silver in her comeback in Prague, flashed all four final boulders in Innsbruck in a superior style. Runner-up was Natalia Grossman who flashed the two first and was one second late to top the third boulder. Miho Nonaka got the bronze and she also flashed the two first boulders. Complete results (c) Jan Virt/IFSC

Garnbret commented to IFSC, ” I'm grateful, grateful for my team, because they were always with me in the past few months, a lot of tears, a lot of crying, a lot of tough moments, doubts, negative thoughts, they were always there. So I'm really grateful for them.

I received many messages from people supporting me, and it warmed my heart. Today I was just happy, I enjoyed climbing so much, and I cried when I topped the fourth boulder. I did feel relieved, because I thought I almost forgot how to compete, but I guess I didn't. And I flashed the slab as well!

I don't really pay attention to the other competitors. I always try to be the best version of myself, and to be stronger every year than the year before, but I do feel that the field is getting stronger. That is why we compete. You want to win when everybody has their best day.

With a stronger field there is more fun, and more challenges. Sometimes the boulders in finals are a bit too easy, but I think that tonight we had the perfect round."