WOMEN BEGIN BERN MEDAL QUEST WITH LEAD QUALIFICATION
The women started their hunt for IFSC Climbing World Championships 2023 medals in Bern, Switzerland, on day two when they took to the wall for Lead qualification.
Out of the 100 climbers that began the day, only one topped the two routes they attempted, and that was the Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret. With only two other climbers topping a route, Garnbret has already laid down a marker she means business in pursuit of world titles and an Olympic place for Paris 2024.
With the climbers split into two groups, Garnbret led the way in A, with Mori Ai of Japan the best in group B.
Although Mori progressed in joint first, the Japanese climber wasn’t one of the two to take a top. Those went to Seo Chaehyun of South Korea and Laura Rogora of Italy. The two through to the semi-finals in joint third alongside USA’s Brooke Raboutou from group A.
One of four French climbers through, Oriane Bertone progressed in 11th and said: “It went pretty well. I wasn’t expecting a lot as I haven’t really been training enough I don’t think to be one of the top ones in Lead.
“I was hopeful. I really wanted to do well because it is the World Championships and I’ve trained a lot, but I just climbed and it went very well as I happened to be above the bar of 40. I was 40+, and that was a big achievement for me. It’s the first time I think I have done it in a comp. It was not too pumpy, there were some boulder moves, and it was a lot of fun.”
“I class myself as mainly a boulderer as I train much more in that,” said Bertone, “but I’m starting to feel much more like a Lead climber now because I’m training a lot. I would say I’m a combined athlete.”
Italy’s Camilla Moroni also favours Boulder, but felt the routes played to her strengths: “Qualification for me went quite well. I felt good really good. The route was quite pumpy. I prefer Boulder so Lead is sometimes difficult for me, but I’m happy with my climbing, especially in the first route. If the routes are harder I feel much more confident on the movements because I am strong, and that’s why I prefer the harder routes.”
Moroni made it through to the semi-finals in 17th.
The final climber through is Lucija Tarkus in 26th position – one of five Slovenians through to semi-finals.
Full women’s Lead qualification results can be found here
Oriane Bertone (FRA) in women's Lead qualification action
Photo: Jan Virt/IFSC
