Team GB continued its positive showing at the 2012 World Youth Climbing Championships in Singapore, as two climbers qualified for the final round. William Bosi took fourth place in the male Youth B category and Molly Thompson-Smith finished seventh in the female Youth B category.
In the qualifying rounds, in the Female Junior category, Charlotte Garden qualifed for the semis in 22nd place. Molly Thompson-Smith and Tara Hayes also qualified in joint second and 14th place respectively. In the male competition William Bosi qualified in 20th position.
In the male Youth A category Jonny White and Buster Martin finished the event in a credible 37th 38th respectively. (Juniors are males and females born in 1994 and 1993, Youth A are born in 1996 anad 1995, Youth B in 1998 and 1997.)
Singapore is the first country in Asia to host the championships, which started today and finish on Saturday. Only lead and speed climbing feature in Singapore. There is currently no world youth bouldering championships although there are plans for a European-wide event next year.
This year’s competition has attracted a record number of 540 competitors from a record 46 countries.The largest climbing wall ever built in Singapore – 24m by 16m – has been put up on Siloso Beach in Sentosa. The wall required special concrete counterweights to allow its construction on a beach.
The largest contingent of 52 participants will be from Russia, followed by 47 from the United States, 38 from Singapore, 29 from South Africa and 26 each from Canada, Indonesia and South Korea. Of the 540 participants, aged 14-19 years, 237 are female and 303 male.
Some of the notable names competing in these championships include Yaroslav Gantaryk, 19, from Ukraine. He is currently ninth in the 2012 world speed ranking. This is all the more remarkable as the eight climbers higher ranked than him are all senior climbers.
Similarly, Momoko Oda, 18, from Japan, is currently tenth in the 2012 world women lead ranking, with all the higher ranked climbers in the senior ranks.
Poland’s Aleksandra Rudzinska, 18, is currently seventh in the world women speed ranking, with the top six ahead of her being seniors.
Commenting on this championship, Mr Marco Scolaris, President, International Federation of Sport Climbing, said: “Only three weeks after the end of the inspiring Olympic Games, the IFSC Youth World Championship in Singapore will celebrate the young generation of climbers, who aspire in the depth of their hearts, to be part of the Games in 2020.
“After the inclusion by the IOC of our sport in the shortlist for the 2020 Olympic Games, Singapore is an important step in this hardest climb, the event to show to the world our constant growth and the fantastic atmosphere that reigns in our (vertical) world. Best wishes to the athletes from all the five continents, the local organizers and the volunteers!”
The Junior British Leading Team is supported by Sherpa Adventure Gear and NICAS.
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