After a gap spherical in Asia, the second cease on the 2025 UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour sees athletes head for the Swiss Alps. The resort of Saas-Price celebrates 25 years of hosing a UIAA-sanctioned competitors, a relationship which started within the 12 months 2000. The native organizers, supported by the Swiss Alpine Membership, all the time placed on a memorable occasion for athletes and most people alike.
Over 125 athletes from the next member federations will participate: Czechia (6), Finland (8), France (8), Germany (1), Iran (9), Eire (1), Japan (7), Liechtenstein (8), Mongolia (5), Netherlands (3), Poland (10), Slovenia (3), Slovakia (6) South Korea (11), Spain (5), Ukraine (1), United Kingdom (10), United States (10). Extremely aggressive host nation Switzerland brings a squad of 14 athletes. A full checklist of registered athletes is accessible right here.
Lead preview
All 4 gold medal winners, and consequently present World Tour leaders, from Spherical 1 in Cheongsong are in attendance. In lead, Lee Younggeon, South Korea, will hope to higher his two earlier visits to Saas-Price which noticed him twice take bronze. The Swiss staff are more likely to have an enormous say within the medal rely. Sina Goetz not solely proved dominant two weeks in the past however has a silver and a gold from her final two World Cups in Saas-Price.
Lead Semi-Finals, 25 January, 11:00 native time
Within the males’s occasion, the Ladevant brothers from France will search to construct on their return to competitors final outing; Iran’s Mohammadreza Safdarian, a medallist in lead and velocity in Cheongsong, will search to impress at a venue the place he has all the time carried out higher within the latter self-discipline; the Swiss staff could have excessive hopes for the more and more sturdy showings of Benjamin Bosshard and Jonathan Brown.
Lead Finals, 25 January, 19:00 native time
Goetz will face shut competitors from inside her staff within the girls’s occasion with Vivien Labarile enhancing 12 months on 12 months whereas sturdy challenges are anticipated from Eimir McSwiggan (Eire), Marianne van der Steen (Netherlands) and Catalina Shirley (United States). Having misplaced out on a medal place in her dwelling occasion, South Korea’s Woonseon Shin, present world champion and reigning World Tour winner, will search a return to type. She received in Saas-Price in 2024.
The lead wall has been prolonged throughout the low season. It now reaches the highest of the competitors venue, including additional vertical challenges to the all the time demanding technical routes.
Pace preview
The velocity occasion, on a 15m wall, returns to athlete versus the clock format. In Cheongsong, European athletes did not medal so the likes of world champion Aneta Loužecká (Czechia) and the Beck sisters, Lea and Lorena (Liechtenstein), will search to overturn that statistic and confront sturdy groups from Iran, Mongolia, South Korea and the USA. Gold medallists from Cheongsong – Safdarian and Shirley – will search to construct their benefit within the general standings.
Pace Finals, 24 January, 20:00 native time
Motion begins on Friday 24 January with the lead qualification and whole velocity competitors. Saturday 25 January, when a sizeable spectator crowd is predicted, is reserved for the lead semi-finals and finals. The complete occasion programme is accessible right here.
The UIAA will present livestream of each the velocity finals (20:00 native time – 24 January) and the lead semi-finals (11:00 native time – 25 January) and lead finals (19:00 native time – 25 January). For a time zone convertor please use the next hyperlink. Embed codes for the livestreams could be discovered under. Please subscribe to the UIAA YouTube channel for reminders and updates.
Earlier than the lead finals, a minute’s silence shall be held in reminiscence of Dario Andenmatten who tragically handed away in October. Dario performed an instrumental position within the organisation of UIAA competitions in Saas-Price and this weekend presents a chance for all concerned to pay their respects and rejoice his legacy.
Saas-Price is just not the one UIAA competitors on the horizon with a Continental Open happening in Ouray, United States from 24-26 January. Over 50 athletes from Canada and the USA have registered. Additional particulars right here.
Belongings for Media and Followers
Quick-form content material, highlights, podium posts and updates can be found on the UIAA social media channels, notably Fb and Instagram.
Occasion pictures can be found on the UIAA Flickr channel.
Stay outcomes are obtainable from the UIAA Ice Climbing web site.
A number of ‘better of’ pictures for media, ready for the 2024-2025 season, could be discovered right here.
Press releases shall be obtainable for all World Cup occasions, each previews (-3 days earlier than) and evaluations (day +1). Please subscribe to obtain press releases on to your inbox.
Please go to iceclimbing.sport for all occasion data, particulars on occasion programmes and timings, athlete registrations, stay outcomes and extra.
UIAA ICE CLIMBING WORLD TOUR PARTNER
Primary photograph: UIAA/Kaspar Kellerhals
