The season opener of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup Series 2022 will commence today in Meiringen, Switzerland, where 199 athletes are about to compete in the men’s and women’s Boulder events. Thirty-six countries and territories are represented in Meiringen, and for only the second time in IFSC history, registrations include athletes from all five continents.
Picking up from an eventful 2021, the 2022 season will see different generations of climbers collide. Tokyo 2020 gold medalists Alberto Ginés López of Spain and Janja Garnbret of Slovenia will be joined by reigning Boulder world champions Fujii Kokoro of Japan, and Natalia Grossman of the USA.
Olympian Seo Chaehyun of South Korea will start in the first Boulder World Cup event of her career, trying to build upon the Lead world title she won in Moscow, Russia, last September. Coming from one of the most successful seasons of his multi-decorated career, Austrian climber Jakob Schubert – bronze medalist at Tokyo 2020, and winner of the men’s Lead title at Moscow 2021 – will headline a group of experienced athletes starting off their season in the Bernese Oberland.
Others notable participants are reigning Junior World Champion Hamish McArthur of Great Britain; France’s Oriane Bertone and Japan’s Takata Tomoaki, who both won their first-ever World Cup medal in Meiringen in 2021; and Olympian Oceania Mackenzie of Australia, who is back on the World Cup circuit after a 17-month break caused by the traveling restrictions connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The schedule of the event is as follows:
Friday, 8 April (UTC+1:00):
9:00 AM Women’s Boulder qualification
4:30 PM Men’s Boulder qualification
Saturday, 9 April:
11:00 AM Women’s Boulder semi-final
6:00 PM Women’s Boulder final
Sunday, 10 April:
11:00 AM Men’s Boulder semi-final
4:00 PM Men’s Boulder final
For information about broadcasting and live streaming of the IFSC Boulder World Cup in Meiringen click here. News and updates about the event will also be available on the IFSC website, and on the Federation’s social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
