Emma Hunt (Photo World Climbing)
Fresh off her a new world record, USA’s Emma Hunt was once again the one to beat as the fastest climber in qualification with a 6.10s run at the World Climbing Series Chamonix. Even her second run of 6.25s would have been enough to take top spot with second placed Aleksandra Kalucka posting a 6.33s.
The Polish climber is used to climbing with her twin sister Natalia in finals, but this time around she will have to go it alone as Natalia missed out down in 19th position. Her time of 6.85s wasn’t enough for the first 16 places. In 16th was Milana Melnichenko with a time of 6.72s.
There will be home interest in the final with Capucine Viglione progressing in fifth position with a time of 6.46s. The French climber said: “I’m happy to be here in Chamonix and in front of the French crowd, and my family and friends.”
Reflecting on her qualification round Viglione said: “My first run was fast, close to my personal best, but the second, I wanted to go faster and that’s probably why I slipped. But I gave it my all and I’m happy with that.” (*Viglione’s personal best time is 6.43s)
With a final now to look forward to, Viglione said: “I’m going to take it one round at a time. My main goal is to go fast and enjoy every single minute of this competition.”
China has the most representatives in the final with four climbers progressing. Yafei Zhou was the highest placed climber from the nation in eighth and a time of 6.54s.
Last week’s winner, Desak Made Rita had a slow time of 8.92s in her first run so was up against it in her second, but the Indonesian didn’t panic and posted a time of 6.48s to progress in sixth.
Breaking barriers in Chamonix
The top of the men’s Speed qualification had a familiar look to it with Jianguo Long, Yicheng Zhao and Sam Watson the three fastest climbers all in the 4.7s.
Ukraine’s Hryhorii Ilchyshyn made a new European record of 4.85s to progress in fifth as once again sub-5 was the time you needed to make the Speed final – and for some even that wasn’t enough.
USA’s Michael Hom and Germany’s Leander Carmanns clocked a 4.96 which was the cut off time for the Chamonix final.
Such is the standard of Speed now; personal bests and milestone times can still be found throughout the field as New Zealand’s Julian David and Argentina’s Valentin Sternik proved.
David set a new Oceania record of 4.99s which was actually the first time he had ever clocked a sub-5 run: “First time in a comp, first time in training. First one under five for an Oceania record. It’s incredible.”
Reflecting on joining the sub-5 club David said: “I feel really good on the wall and I’m looking forward to what I can do in the future. I feel like this time has opened the floodgates and I will start seeing 4.8’s soon. It’s been a long time coming and I feel it will drop real quick now.”
David’s Oceania record and 4.99s gave him 19th place, and unfortunately missed finals so will have to wait a little longer to see if he can drop into the 4.8s.
For Sternik, he finished in 59th, but his barrier was a sub-6, and he lowered that figure twice: “First time under six in a comp. First time 5.8. First time 5.7 ever in my life. I’m speechless.”
Sternik’s reflection was: “It’s a lot of effort. I worked so hard every day. I have different goals from others here. It’s a lot of work like all the other athletes know. I’m just really happy and really thankful. I’ll always remember Chamonix, it’s amazing.”
Both David and Sternik will have to watch the finals from the crowd tomorrow, but both can leave knowing they have broken a time that had previously been elusive for them and can take that forward into the future to see just how low they can go.
MEN’S SPEED FINALISTS
1 Jianguo LONG (CHN) 4.71
2 Yicheng ZHAO (CHN) 4.74
3 Samuel WATSON (USA) 4.76
4 Ryo OMASA (JPN) 4.84
5 Hryhorii ILCHYSHYN (UKR) 4.85 (ER)
6 Veddriq LEONARDO (INA) 4.86(0)
7 Aditya TRI SYAHRIA (INA) 4.86(3)
8 Jie YANG (CHN) 4.87
9 Antasyafi ROBBY AL HILMI (INA) 4.89
10 Aphiwit LIMPANICHPAKDEE (THA) 4.91
11 Yongzhi LING (CHN) 4.92
12 Jérôme MOREL (FRA) 4.94(5)
13 Damir TOKTAROV (KAZ) 4.94(9)
14 Rishat KHAIBULLIN (KAZ) 4.95
15 Leander CARMANNS (GER) 4.96(5)
16 Michael HOM (USA) 4.96(6)
WOMEN’S SPEED FINALISTS
1 Emma HUNT (USA) 6.10
2 Aleksandra KALUCKA (POL) 6.33
3 Polina KHALKEVYCH (UKR) 6.40
4 Leslie Adriana ROMERO PÉREZ (ESP) 6.43
5 Capucine VIGLIONE (FRA) 6.46
6 Desak MADE RITA KUSUMA DEWI (INA) 6.48
7 Isis ROTHFORK (USA) 6.50
8 Yafei ZHOU (CHN) 6.54
9 Giulia RANDI (ITA) 6.63
10 Yuju MOU (CHN) 6.64
11 Adi Asih KADEK (INA) 6.65
12 Shaoqin ZHANG (CHN) 6.66(4)
13 Carla MARTÍNEZ VIDAL (ESP) 6.66(5)
14 Lijuan DENG (CHN) 6.69
15 Jimin JEONG (KOR) 6.71
16 Milana MELNICHENKO (AIN) 6.72
