09.08.2023
A historic first, the Paraclimbing Qualifiers took the center stage at the IFSC Climbing and Paraclimbing World Championships 2023 in Bern.
A record-breaking 203 climbers scaled the wall of the PostFinance Arena, fighting for the finals and inching closer to a world title across 17 different sport classes. This landmark event signifies an essential step towards inclusivity and recognition for the Paraclimbing community, paving the way for a thrilling and unprecedented competition.
Men’s B1
Francisco Javier Aguilar Amoedo of Spain and Japan’s Aita Sho were triumphant in men’s B1, but the Spanish climber pulled ahead on the second route to secure pole position. Razvan Nedu of Romania and Great Britain’s Jesse Dufton also advanced to the finals.
Men’s B2
Japan’s Hamanoue Fumiya secured first place in the men’s B2, with Spain’s Guillermo Pelegrín Gómez and Raul Simon Franco following closely behind. Great Britain’s Richard Slocock also made it through.
Men’s B3
Romania’s Cosmin Florin Candoi topped the qualification in men’s B3, with teammate Daniel-Bebe-Vasilica Andrei, Canada’s Chaz Misuraca, and Japan’s Minowada Kazuhiro all set to join him in the finals.
Women’s B2
Abigail Robinson of Great Britain led the way in women’s B2, qualifying alongside Austrian climbers Linda Le Bon and Edith Scheinecker and USA’s Seneida Biendarra.
Women’s B3
Japan’s Maeoka Mika secured first position in women’s B3, followed by India’s Sunita Dhondappanavar and teammate Ejiri Yumi.
Men’s AL1
Austria guaranteed two medals in men’s AL1, with Angelino Zeller, Markus Posendorfer, and Daniel Kontsch all advancing to the finals against the USA’s Tanner Cislaw.
Men’s AL2
France’s Thierry Delarue led a competitive group in men’s AL2, with climbers from Spain, Belgium, Japan, and the USA all progressing to the finals.
Women’s AL2
France’s Lucie Jarrige topped the women’s AL2 qualification and will battle Australia’s Sarah Larcombe, New Zealand’s Rachel Maia, and Great Britain’s Joanna Newton in the finals.
Men’s AU2
Germany’s Kevin Bartke, Brain Zarzuela of the USA, Isak Ripman of Norway, and Germany’s Sebastian Musson will all compete for the top spot in men’s AU2.
Women’s AU2
France’s Solenne Piret led both routes in the women’s AU2, progressing alongside Italy’s Lucia Capovilla and USA climbers Maureen Beck and Eleanor Rubin.
Men’s RP1
Alois Pottier of France and several USA climbers, along with Japan’s Okada Takuya and Germany’s Sebastian Depke, advanced in men’s RP1.
Men’s RP2
Spain’s Ivan Munoz Escolar, Germany’s Philipp Hrozek, USA’s Benjamin Mayforth, and India’s Manikandan Kumar qualified in men’s RP2.
Men’s RP3
Japan’s Takano Tadashi, Jamie Barendrecht of the Netherlands, Slovakia’s Andrej Haršány, and Switzerland’s Matthias Bärtschi made it through men’s RP3 qualification.
Women’s RP1
USA’s Melissa Ruiz will compete against Eva Mol of the Netherlands, Pavitra Vandenhoven of Belgium, and Marta Peche Salinero of Spain in the women’s RP1 final.
Women’s RP2
Jasmin Plank of the USA leads the way into the finals of the women’s RP2, followed by Norway’s Dina Eivik, Switzerland’s Sarah Longhi, and the USA’s Anna Devries.
Women’s RP3
Christiane Luttikhuizen of the Netherlands and Marina Dias of Brazil will be among the contenders in the women’s RP3, along with Martha Evans of Great Britain and Germany’s Rosalie Schaupert.
Men’s AU3
Swiss climber Dominic Geisseler will join Japan’s Yasuraoka Nobuhiro, Israel’s Mor Michael Sapir, and Chile’s Ignacio Martinez in the men’s AU3 final.
Paraclimbing finals are scheduled for 10 August at 13:00 where the world champions will be crowned. In an unprecedented arrangement, the Women’s and Men’s Paraclimbing Finals on Thursday will be nestled between the official Women’s and Men’s Speed Qualifications and Women’s and Men’s Speed Finals, creating a seamless and thrilling day of competition. The event is set to run from 13:00 to 18:30 and will be available for fans around the world to watch for free and without any geo-blocking restrictions on the IFSC YouTube Channel. Don’t miss the chance to witness this historic day of climbing, showcasing both the world’s fastest climbers and the incredible athletes of the Paraclimbing community.
Fotos: David Schweizer