10 Medals for Team USA from Paraclimbing World Cup

This article originally appeared on Climbing

Beginning Tuesday, May 24, the first Paraclimbing World Cup of the year took place in Salt Lake City, Utah. 90 athletes from 19 countries and territories competed, including 50 athletes from Team USA. Across male and female categories, athletes competed in 13 classifications:

• Limited Range and Power (RP1, RP2, RP3)

• Visual Impairment (B1, B2, B3)

• Upper Extremity Amputee (AU1/Arm amputee, AU2/Forearm amputee)

• Lower Extremity Amputee (AL1/seated, AL2)

Numbers associated with each classification (1-3) denote functionality, so that one is lowest functionality (most impaired) and three is highest functionality (least impaired). Where the field of competitors was small, similar categories were combined.

In the visual impairment categories, Tanja Glusic, from Slovenia, won her first gold medal in a combined B1 and B2 final. Also in the category, Raveena Alli made her debut in the international circuit to place third. In men's B1, Spanish climber Francisco Javier Aguilar Amoedo took first, adding to four other World Cup Champion titles. In men's B2, also from Spain, Raul Simon Franco took first place, matching his 2021 World Cup victory in Innsbruck. In men's B3, Cosmin Florin Candoi, from Romania, climbed precisely and at an exceptionally quick pace. He continued his own winning streak, earning his fourth gold medal in four competitions. Also in that category, Connor Geary, from the U.S., took bronze.

In the men's Lower Extremity Amputee seated (AL1) category, crowd favorite Angelino Zeller placed first--his fifth time doing so. In men's AL2, in a tight final, Spain's Alberto Guardia Ferrer and Ethan Zilz, a first-time World Cup competitor from the U.S., both topped the route. Ferrer took first based on qualification results. For the women, in AL2, Australia's Sarah Larcombe placed first in her first ever World Cup.

In a combined men’s RP1 and AU1 final, Germany's Korbinian Franck was the sole competitor to secure a top. U.S. athletes Sunny Yang and Elliot Nguyen placed second and third, respectively. In a combined men's RP2 and and AU2 final, Israel's Mor Michael Sapir earned his sixth gold medal. In that category, Americans Brian Zarzuela and Trevor Smith placed third and fourth, respectively. In men's RP3, Jamie Barendrecht of the Netherlands won his first gold medal, ahead of Jared Lenahan (USA). For the women, in combined RP1 and AL1 final, Austria's Jasmin Plank placed first. Also in that category, from the U.S., Emily Seelenfreund placed second. In a combined RP2 and RP3 final, Marina Dias secured Brazil's first Paraclimbing gold medal.

In women's AU2, veteran climber Lucia Capovilla, from Italy, placed first ahead of Maureen Beck and Eleanor Rubin, both from the U.S.

Results, the video from finals, and pictures of gold medalists are below. The next Paraclimbing World Cup will take place June 21-22, in Innsbruck, Austria.

Results

Women’s B1 and B2

Men’s B1

Men’s B2

Men’s B3

Men’s AL2

Women’s AL2

Men’s RP3

Women’s AU2

Women’s RP2 and RP3

Women’s RP1 and AL1

Men’s RP2 and AU2

Men’s RP1 and AU1

Men’s AL1

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