Men’s Lead Final Concludes with Thrilling Performances

The men’s final of the climbing event delivered an exhilarating display of athleticism, particularly highlighted by Anraku’s exceptional performance, which secured him another gold medal in Lead climbing. This event witnessed a dramatic reshuffling of medal standings due to an interesting re-climb situation.

Anraku’s Stellar Season Continues

Anraku has proven himself a dominant force in the World Cup since entering the senior circuit, where he clinched both the Lead and Boulder Series titles in his debut season. With gold medals in both Boulder and Lead from two events this year, he is on a strong path to potentially repeat his success across all competitions in 2023.

Reflecting on his ambition for the season, Anraku stated, “I went back to Japan after Keqiao and only trained once in Lead, so I wasn’t expecting to win this event. I’m not aiming for the overall World Cup Series, but I’m aiming to win every event. Then I guess the overall will take care of itself. But I go one event at a time.”

Remarkable Performances from Competitors

As the last climber of the event, Anraku had a unique vantage point, watching teammate Suzuki Neo transition back into isolation after his initial climb. An appeal regarding the belaying during Suzuki’s first ascent was upheld, necessitating a second climb for him to match his previous score that had placed him in medal contention.

On his second attempt, Suzuki achieved a notable high point of 40+, securing a silver medal in his first-ever World Cup final. This impressive feat set him apart from Spain’s Alberto Ginés López, who clinched the bronze with a score of 39+, marking his return to the World Cup podium for the first time since 2023.

Final Standings

• Gold: Anraku
• Silver: Suzuki Neo (40+)
• Bronze: Alberto Ginés López (39+)
• Fourth: Yoshida Satone (33)
• Fifth: Pan Yufei (32+)
• Sixth: Luka Potocar (32)
• Seventh: Filip Schenk (28+)
• Eighth: Yannick Flohe (28)

In addition to the fierce competition between the leading climbers, the finale featured another strong Japanese competitor, Yoshida Satone, who finished fourth with a score of 33. Meanwhile, China’s Pan Yufei and Slovenia’s Luka Potocar rounded out the top six with scores of 32+ and 32, respectively. Italy’s Filip Schenk and Germany’s Yannick Flohe concluded the event in seventh and eighth places, both scoring 28+.

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