In the penultimate lead climbing round of the 2025 Climbing World Cup, American climber Annie Sanders snatched the spotlight in a narrow victory.
IFSC World Cup: Dohyun Lee and Annie Sanders Triumph in Madrid
The IFSC Climbing World Cup made a triumphant return to Madrid, Spain, over the weekend, with Dohyun Lee and Annie Sanders securing victories in the men's and women's lead climbing competitions, respectively.
In the women's event, 17-year-old Annie Sanders demonstrated her prowess, climbing to the top of the wall to claim her first lead climbing victory. Her victory marked her as one of sport climbing's brightest young talents, displaying skill and composure beyond her years in the qualifying round.
Laura Rogora of Italy finished second in the women's competition, while Chaehyun Seo and Erin McNeice, who each have won two gold medals, failed to make the podium. This leaves the women's lead climbing table wide open, with the series victory to be decided at the final round in Koper, Slovenia, starting on September 5.
In the men's competition, Dohyun Lee secured his first lead competition victory, edging out Alberto Gines Lopez of Spain who finished second with 40 points. Japanese climber Sorato Anraku, who remains the favourite for the lead series victory, finished in fifth place in Madrid but has already won two lead competitions this season.
The IFSC World Cup series consists of multiple events held globally each year where elite climbers compete in three disciplines: lead climbing, speed climbing, and bouldering. Climbers accumulate points at each event towards an overall world ranking. The series is organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC).
Lead climbing is a test of endurance and technique, with climbers attempting to ascend a long, difficult route on a wall using rope protection. The competition usually has qualification rounds, semifinals, and finals spread over several days. The goal is to climb as high as possible without falling; ranking is based on the highest hold reached.
Speed climbing is a straightforward race on a standardized 15-meter wall with identical holds and routes. The fastest time wins; it includes qualification rounds and knockout-style finals. Speed competitions are shorter and intense, often held the same weekend as lead events but on separate occasions.
Bouldering is a test of power and problem-solving, with climbers solving a series of short, powerful climbing problems on a low wall without ropes. Scoring is based on the number of tops (successfully completed problems) and attempts.
The world's best sport climbers will take a month-long break before returning to the wall for the final round in Koper, Slovenia. The stakes are high, with the lead series victory up for grabs and the opportunity for new talent to rise to the top.
References:
- IFSC World Cup
- Madrid IFSC World Cup
- Chamonix IFSC World Cup
- IFSC YouTube Channel
- Olympic Channel
- In light of the IFSC World Cup's return to Madrid, sports enthusiasts were treated to exciting lead climbing competitions, with Dohyun Lee and Annie Sanders securing victories in the men's and women's events, respectively.
- The women's lead climbing table is now wide open, with the series victory to be decided at the final round in Koper, Slovenia, as some of the top competitors, such as Laura Rogora and Chaehyun Seo, failed to make the podium.
