4 Japanese climbers make podium at Climbing World Cup, Hachioji

Japanese climbers showed off their strength over the weekend at the IFSC Climbing World Cup Bouldering event held at the Esforta Arena Hachioji in Tokyo.

Five Japanese climbers made it to the finals of the competition; on the men’s side, Tomoa Narasaki (智亜楢崎) and Keita Watabe (桂太渡部) climbed their way to 2nd and 3rd place respectively, with Akiyo Noguchi (啓代野口) and Miho Nonake (生萌野中) taking out the same positions on the women’s side. Top place on the podium in Hachioji went to Russia’s Aleksei Rubtsov (men) and Slovakia's Janja Garnbret (women).

In the men’s event, Japan’s Watabe entered the final round as the only climber to top all four problems in the semis, however it was Narasaki who started strongly, the only climber to top problems 1 and 2. Rubtsov and Watabe responded with completions of both problems 2 and 3. However, it was Rubtsov who was the only climber to top the final problem and in doing so take out the event win.

On the women’s side, all finalists made light work of the first problem. At the second stage, Noguchi was able the clear the problem with a flash, eventual champion Garnbret clearing it on her second try. Both Noguchi and Nonake were among four climbers to take out the 3rd problem, and the pair were also successful in taking out the 4th. Garnbret did likewise, flashing the final problem and ultimately claiming the victory due to her superior attempt difference.

The Hachioji event, No. 4 of the IFSC Climbing World Cup, marked a strong showing in bouldering from the Japanese climbers, with five athletes making the finals.

(Left to right: Tomoa Narasaki, Aleksei Rubtsov, Keita Watabe)

(Left to right: Akiyo Noguchi, Janja Garnbret, Miho Nonake)

June 9 and 10 will see the next IFSC Climbing World Cup take place in Vail, Colorado, in the U.S. Watabe will head into the event as leader of the bouldering rankings with Rubtsov and Narasaki 2nd and 3rd respectively. On the women’s rankings, Nonaka and Noguchi stand 3rd and 4th respectively, behind Garnbret (2nd) and Great Britain’s Shauna Coxsey who placed 4th at Hachioji but remains at No.1 in the rankings.