The IFSC World Cup in Briançon (FRA) ended in front of a masked, yet electrified audience, who celebrated the impressive performance of 17 strong athletes at the first IFSC World Cup of the 2020 season.
Yesterday evening began with the women's final, in which 19-year-old Italian Laura Rogora once again demonstrated her incredible form. The young Italian climbed calmly and confidently to the top of the final route, where she reached the top 32 seconds before the time ran out. The gold medal in Briançon is also the first World Cup podium in her career.
The Slovenian Janja Garnbret also finished the competition with a top and finished 2nd due to a lower rank at the end of yesterday's semi-final.
Another very emotional performance was delivered by 27-year-old Fanny Gibert from France, who took part in the first lead final of her career. She secured the bronze medal in Briançon with 42 points and dedicated her podium to her late team-mate Luce Douady.
The Austrian Jessica Pilz took fourth place and thus missed the podium, followed by the Slovenians Vita Lukan and Tjasa Kalan.
Ondra with outstanding performance
Only one of the eight participants in the men's final reached the top: the Czech top climber Adam Ondra made up for his absence at last year's competition in Briançon by presenting a spectacular performance to the French audience. Adam Ondra won the 23rd world championship gold medal of his career in Briançon.
On the second step of the podium was the 26-year-old Slovene Domen Skofic with 41 points, while the Austrian Jakob Schubert (29) took bronze with 38 points.
Domen's team-mate Luka Potocar took 4th place, followed by Alexander Megos (5th), Mathias Posch (6th) and two French first-finalists, Mejdi Schalck and Nao Monchois (7th and 8th).
An emotional finale
At the end of the competition, IFSC President Marco Scolaris, FFME President Pierre You, Ambassador of Climbers Against Cancer (CAC) Sheila McCarron, the French athlete Nao Monchois and the family of Luce Douady commemorated the young climber Luce Douady, who on June 14th Died tragically in 2020.
Luce's family presented the CAC with a donation of 7 euros and addressed the audience with moving words, a quote from Luce Douady.
The final of the World Cup in Briançon in the repetition
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Credits: Image material Jan Virt / IFSC & AO Productions