Pan Yufei of China claimed a dramatic gold medal in the men’s Boulder event at the IFSC Climbing World Cup Bern 2025, overtaking France’s Mejdi Schalck on the very last problem to finish with 84.2 points. It is the first World Cup medal of Pan’s career in Boulder and also his first-ever gold on the circuit, having previously won a bronze in Xiamen in 2017 and a silver in Villars in 2019 – both in Lead.

PAN STRIKES LATE TO WIN IT ALL

Pan’s road to victory came through tops on M1, M3, and finally M4 — the last of which he sent on his second attempt to overtake Schalck by just 0.1 points. His patient execution delivered one of the most thrilling finishes of the 2025 season. Pan said: “It feels unreal. My mind was so empty, I didn’t know how to express myself.

“The last few years have been really tough for myself, I struggled so much and I thought I was not good enough,” he continued, then thanking the crowd for the loud applause that followed. “I started to change my mind and not put too much pressure on myself. At the beginning of the season it was not so good, but this time I just wanted to enjoy myself.”

SCHALCK LEADS EARLY, ENDS UP TAKING SILVER

Mejdi Schalck of France was in control for much of the final, tallying tops on M1, M2, and M3. The French climber sat atop the leaderboard for most of the round, securing the zone on the fourth problem and closing with 84.1 points, then witnessing Pan’s successful ascent of M4 that edged him into second by the narrowest of margins.

Anraku Sorato of Japan claimed bronze with 83.7 points, pensalised by a high number of attempts — six each on M1 and M2. Anraku’s consistent presence in finals this season put him in a comfortable spot in the men’s Boulder World Cup Ranking presented by Euroholds.

LEE SLIPS, DUFFY AND AKHTAR STRUGGLE

Lee Dohyun of South Korea, who dominated the semi-final round, couldn’t replicate his earlier form and placed fourth with 54.5 points. Just behind him was Belgium’s Hannes Van Duysen in fifth with 54.4. Paul Jenft of France finished sixth with 29.4, while Colin Duffy of the USA and Dayan Akhtar of Great Britain took seventh and eighth with 19.8 and 19.4 points respectively.

For the men’s Boulder final complete results click here.

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