In contrast to the previous setting in the Boulder Championship, we did see many Tops but just the Top-6 topped all four boulders. Adam Ondra did only make two and was down at #17 place. The finalists are: Kokoro Fujii, Jongwon Chon, Gregor Vezonik, Kai Harada, Keita Watabe and Nathan Philips. Complete results (c) Vladek Zumr It was super dramatic in the very end when Jernej Kruder could not get a top although getting one hand on the top. In fact, 15 out of 19 did it out of which first go. Nathan Philips is the big sensation and he more or less did all the three last boulders with just seconds left on the clock. Twice he actually crimped a screw hold to move upwards. He has been competing actively in the World Cup for four years and his best ever result is #16.

For the 10th edition, the International Mountain Summit (IMS) in Bressanone/South Tyrol gathers mountain lovers from all over the world. “Meet.Mountain.People.Soul” will be the central theme for this unique festival. In the 2018 edition the stage will be dedicated to a lot of fascinating people and their touching stories. Among the more than 15 speakers, we look forward to welcome the exceptional climbing talent Alex Megos, the world-famous mountaineer Stefan Glowacz or the two stars of the mountains, Tamara Lunger and Beat Kammerlander. The tickets for the six evenings are more than popular. So, grab your friends together and get your tickets for the IMS Nights. It will be worth it and we will give you a warm Welcome at the IMS 2018 from the 8th to the 14th October 2018 in Brixen (I).

Kai Harada, who was #3 in the Youth World Championship last month, showed to the best both on the tricky slab as well as the powerful and technical cordination boulders. It was a touching moment when he fell on his knee after he flashed the last boulder and once he looked up on the cheering crowd, we could all see him crying and then covering and wiping his eyes with the T-shirt. Runner-ups, and equally happy, was the crowd pleasers Jongwon Chon and Gregor Vezonik. It seems there are no rivalry among the best, instead they are all a big happy family and that includes also the coaches. 1. Kai Harada JPN 44 - Also qually Combined winner 2. Jongwon Chon KOR 34 9:10 3. Gregor Vezonik SLO 34 9:17 4. Keita Watabe JPN 24 5. Kokoro Fujii JPN 22 6. Nathan Philips GBR 12 Complete results (c) Vladek Zumr

Lorenzo Puri has done the fourth ascent of Martin Keller's Highlander in Sustenpass confirming the down gradings suggestions by Christof Rauch and Gabri Moroni. "Great day and funny moves, basically an endurance problem. About the grade i think 8c is another level!"

Bassa Mawem was #2 in Speed but ranked #1 among the Combined participants. Although he was among the 20 % last in both Lead and Boulder he was #13 overall. In other words, you do not have to perform on a high standard in all three discipline. What counts is to be good in one. Another example of this is Marcin Dzienski who was second last, out of 87, in both Lead and Boulder but as he was #2 in Speed he was #22 overall. If he instead would have won in Speed who would have replaced Bassa as #13 overall. The example from the female showing that multiplication creates unfair and strange results is Alexandra Rudzinskis #10 overall after 65 * 58 * 1, out of 68. As it stands, she can actually move up to #8 position with bad results in bouldering for her opponents. Interim results

The Female Boulder Semifinal started with another standing on a banner sign situation but luckily it did not happen for any of the 19 to come. Instead, the semi will be remembered by the Japanese favorites saving their show on the last boulder. Miho Nonaka had failed eight times to do the first move, (c) Vladek Zumr, and with 40 seconds left she asked for support from the crowd and then she executed and actually skipped the second last hold and did go double dyno to the Top. On the first boulder, Miho squeezed in a crucial zone on her fifteenth attempt. Akiyo Noguchi had also failed to do boulder #1 and put on her ice face and did the last boulder on her second go. Noteworthy is that on boulder #3, we did only see one zone carried out by Alex Puccio. Further more, Miho Nonaka will start first in the final taking the advantages of lower pressure and fresher holds. Out of the last ten World Championships, 50 % of the golds have been taken by the #6 in the semi. Her biggest opponents is Janja Garnbret who won the semi by three flashes. Stasa Gejo is currently #7 in Combined but if she takes the silver in the final, she will kick out Sol Sa from the Combined final. If Miho would have failed to do the last boulder she could have missed the Combined final. Complete results

The route setters job to find the right level is super difficult, especially for the female as there are no official IFSC female route setters. However, quite often in Bouldering, the problems are too hard meanwhile almost never too easy. In other words, in general the boulders should be easier and it is not a problem if several tops all boulders. On the contrary, this is in general more fun both for the spectators as well as for the climbers. Further more, once they set parkour style starts, the route setters must make sure that they are not too hard. It would be better for everyone if IFSC increased to two zones. This would mean that everyone would get some score and then you could make the cruxes gradually harder. Imagine all the non-climbers watching the female boulder final on Eurosport. IFSC need to give the route setters guidelines so we can guarantee that the broad audience in Tokyo would not just leave the screen and the journalist writing critical reports. I would opt for telling the route setters that in a final, you get the highest credit if 3 or 4 guys topping each individual boulder. This would probably mean the winner would do three or four tops. Possibly, the number of tries will be used to separate two climbers with four tops. If we just see five tops and another six zones, the route setters should fail. With the same thinking, if we get more than 20 tops, they fail.

After the two first boulder, Janja Garnbret had 11 points (one top and one zone) and Stasa Gejo had one point. All the rest had scored zero although Petra Klingler seemed to have done the crux on the second boulder but the zone was further up. On the third boulder Stasa, with tape on four finger tips, was lucky and skillful using the palm on the sideway crux doing a very impressive top. Then also Akiyo Noguchi started to move doing the last two boulders but as Janja also did the third, she had secured the world champion title before she begun her not so focused last tries. Unfortunately, Miho Nonaka's shoulder injury did get worse and it will be very hard for her doing the Combined final on Sunday. 1. Janja Garnbret SLO 23 (Two Tops and three zones) 2. Akiyo Noguchi JPN 22 3. Stasa Gejo SRB 12 4. Jessica Pilz AUT 02 on 4 attempts 5. Miho Nonaka JPN 02 on 6 attempts 6. Petra Klingler SUI 00 Complete results (c) Vladek Zumr Janja is now the first female that has won the World Championship in both Lead and Boulder. During the last 19 World Cups in both Lead and Boulder, her worst result is #3.

Updated Speed results for the Speed qualifications starting at 10.00 for the female and 14.00 for the male. Para Climbing finals are live-streamed 12.30-16.15 and 18.00-20.00 followed by the Speed Finals 20.00-21.00