25.07.2023
The IFSC Climbing World Championships take place every two years and are the highlight of the competition season – therefore, it is no wonder that climbing fans around the world are eagerly waiting for this mega event to begin. In exactly one week, the World Championships 2023 will start in Bern and we will provide you with everything you need to know about the event.
On 1 August, the IFSC Climbing & Paraclimbing World Championships 2023 will begin in the capital of Switzerland, Bern. A total of 631 athletes from 56 nations will compete in the PostFinance Arena and the Curlinghalle Bern until 12 August. They will be competing for the coveted medals in four disciplines: Boulder, Lead, Speed and Boulder & Lead. At the World Championships in Paraclimbing, climbing for people with disabilities, the athletes compete in the Lead discipline.
The inclusion of sport climbing in the Olympic Games has further spread the climbing fever not only in Switzerland but worldwide. After Tokyo 2020, sport climbing is now also on the programme of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and for the IFSC Climbing World Championships 2023 this means an additional sporting highlight: the qualification for the Olympic Games next year. On the last three days (10–12 August), the first quota places for Paris will be awarded and one thing is certain: the athletes will give everything to be part of the Olympic Games as it would be a dream come true.
As part of the programme for the World Championships 2023, spectators can expect not only a very special opening ceremony on 1 August on the Federal Square in Bern, but also numerous attractions in the freely accessible “Village of Experiences” in front of the arena.
“We are incredibly proud to welcome the world’s elite of climbing to Bern. After a long and intensive preparation period, we can hardly wait for the start in a week’s time. This unique backdrop and atmosphere in the PostFinance Arena is something no climbing fan should miss,” says a delighted Daniel Marbacher, CEO of the association “WM Sportklettern 2023” (the organisers of the IFSC Climbing & Paraclimbing World Championships Bern 2023) and Managing Director of the Swiss Alpine Club SAC.
Facts and figures
In November 2020, the Swiss Alpine Club SAC won the bid to host the IFSC Climbing & Paraclimbing World Championships 2023 in Bern, beating out the federations from the Republic of Korea and PR of China.
During 12 days, a total of 631 athletes from 56 nations will compete. Of these, 428 athletes from 54 nations will compete in sport climbing, while 203 athletes from 25 nations will compete in paraclimbing. The World Paraclimbing Championships will take place from 8 to 10 August, with the Finals being held right before the Speed Finals.
There are 10 starting places, which will be awarded for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. For each gender, the top two speed athletes and the top three in the Olympic Boulder & Lead format will be able to book their ticket for Paris 2024. The Speed Finals will take place on 10 August, the Boulder & Lead Finals on 11 and 12 August.
Speaking of Speed: The current world record for men is 4.90 seconds and is held by Veddriq Leonardo from Indonesia. Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw holds the women’s world record (6.25 seconds). Both set their respective records on 28 April 2023 in the Republic of Korea.
Who are the favourites?
For the different disciplines, there are various names to keep in mind. But in Women’s Boulder and Lead, it is certainly Olympic champion Janja Garnbret who is the top favourite. After a long injury break at the beginning of the 2023 season, the Slovenian, known among climbing fans as “The Queen”, now seems invincible again. She will face competition from the USA, for example from defending Boulder champion Natalia Grossman, or from Japan, where several athletes can be regularly seen in the Finals – for example Miho Nonaka or Ai Mori. In the men’s competitions it is Adam Ondra from Czechia who can be expected to be in the lead in both disciplines. The athletes from Japan are among the favourites here as well, for example shooting star Anraku Sorato – who won gold in both Boulder and Lead this season – but also from the neighbouring countries of Switzerland, for example with Jakob Schubert from Austria or Germany’s Alexander Megos.
In Speed, the Asian nations can be considered favourites, especially Indonesia. In the women’s event, Aleksandra Miroslaw from Poland, the current world record holder, breaks into this circle.
Among the Swiss athletes, it is the names Sascha Lehmann and Petra Klingler that stand out. Lehmann recently won gold at the Lead World Cup in Innsbruck, his favourite discipline. For Petra Klingler, this will be her last World Championship – she has announced her retirement, but still wants to qualify for the Olympic Games 2024.
“First and foremost, I want to be able to enjoy the home World Championships to the fullest,” says Sascha Lehmann, looking ahead to the World Championships. “To be able to perceive and soak up the whole atmosphere and take the joy with me throughout the competition. Of course, I also want to climb well. In Boulder, for me it’s about taking some risks, challenging the favourites a bit and trying something. In Lead, I am one of the favourites. That’s where I want to perform well and be able to climb for medals in the final.”
Programme
The opening ceremony of the IFSC Climbing & Paraclimbing World Championships 2023 will take place on Switzerland’s bank holiday, 1 August, and will be celebrated accordingly. From 7 pm, there will be a colourful programme on the Federal Square in Bern, starting with the arrival of the athletes – accompanied by the “Berner Stadtmusik” and the annual lantern procession – and ending with a concert by the band “Sirens of Lesbos”. Various speeches and talks as well as further musical accompaniment by alphorn artist Enrico Lenzin round off the programme.
In addition to the sporting highlights, there will be a family-friendly “Village of Experiences” with activities for all ages and interests during the final days directly in front of the arena. Curious visitors can immerse themselves in the world of climbing and outdoor sports for free and treat themselves at one of the numerous food stands. Various climbing walls invite you to get active yourself. You can also test your skills on the slackline or in dry tooling climbing, experiment and explore – but also simply relax in a deck chair.
Where to watch the World Championships in Switzerland
SRG has secured the rights for the IFSC Climbing & Paraclimbing World Championships 2023 and, thus, SRF/RTS will broadcast the competitions throughout Switzerland. The qualifications will not be broadcast, though. Alternatively, the IFSC Climbing & Paraclimbing World Championships 2023 can also be streamed via Eurosport Player. However, this is not free of charge.
Photo: David Schweizer