WOMEN'S BERN BOULDER FINAL SHOWDOWN SET
On day five of the IFSC Climbing World Championships, the focus is on the women’s Boulder with anticipation growing for another exciting final in Bern following last night’s men’s competition.
From Mickael Mawem taking his first world title, to someone looking for a third, and it will take something special to stop Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret achieving that goal.
The Olympic champion flashed every boulder in semi-finals and is undoubtably in the mood for more silverware.
Trying to stop her in tonight’s final will be two Americans, two French and a Japanese climber.
Brook Raboutou has been showing great form in 2023, a season in which she has taken a first World Cup gold medal, and once again put on a good show for the excited crowd. Raboutou also topped all four boulders but took six attempts to top problem three. She did however flash the others.
Raboutou’s teammate and friend Natalia Grossman also flashed a couple of boulders but only made the zone on the second problem.
After finishing her climbing Grossman said: “The crowd here is insane so it was fun to channel their energy. I really shocked myself on the last boulder, it’s something I have been working on lately and so to do it first try means so much. I just wanted to make the finals honestly, this year is just so stacked. To be able to compete in front of a crowd and have the opportunity to climb with the best women in the sport of climbing, I’m just really excited.”
With the French men taking a one-two last night, Oriane Bertone and Zelia Avezou will hope there is more podium places for their nation as they make the evening finals. Just like Grossman, the two French climbers came unstuck on problem two, with Bertone progressing to finals in third and Avezou in sixth.
Japan’s Mori Ai was the only climber to join Raboutou and Garnbret in figuring out the tricky second boulder, that helped her through to the finals in fifth position. The fourth and final semi-finals boulder was where Mori slipped up on making a perfect record.
Although missing out on a dream final in her home country, Petra Klinger soaked in every cheer and scream to say goodbye to World Championships climbing as she has expressed this will be her last.
Klinger said: “I have mixed feelings. Super happy, the crowd was maybe the best ever. The crowd here, people screaming my name and cheering me on, it’s just really, really nice. Of course, my climbing could have been better The boulders were amazing but I think I was almost too excited and overdid it a little bit. But they were tricky boulders. I have no clue where I stand, but I’m happy to finish my World Championships like this.”
Are there any second thoughts at all, well not after the send-off Klinger received: “You can’t top this here. It’s amazing having all my family and friends here, so many people came to watch me, and I think I would probably regret coming back. I know I will watch comps and be psyched for it, but there’s still local competitions, it’s just the big IFSC ones I’ll stop doing.”
You can find the full women’s Boulder results here
USA's Natalia Grossman in women's Boulder semi-finals action
Photo: Lean Drapella/IFSC
