It was an exciting weekend: On June 5th and 6th, the German Speed and Bouldering Championships took place. In the speed discipline, Franziska Ritter set a new German record. In bouldering, Yannick Flohé and Afra Hönig won the title.
This year not only the pairings in the KO rounds of the speed discipline were exciting, but also the weather conditions. The view of the sky was part of the standard for those responsible at the German Alpine Club: Dark clouds kept gathering and even a short drizzle caused discomfort.
The speed wall was in Vonovia Ruhr Stadium in Bochum set up - in the open air and where VfL Bochum normally plays. A very special location for such a competition, which is part of this year's Ruhr Games allowed to guest in Bochum. At the same time, the German championship was held in the course of the multi-sport event "The finals 2021“Broadcast by ARD and ZDF.
Franziska Ritter sets a new German speed record
One lady knew how to use the large media public particularly well: The 18-year-old Franziska Ritter kept his nerve until the end and even beat the previous German record twice. At 8,162 seconds is now the new record. As in the last two years, her opponent was in the final Sandra Hopfensitz from DAV Augsburg. But this time, too, Ritter was the first to hit the top. Bronze went on Julia Koch (DAV Rhineland-Cologne).
There was a changing of the guard for the men: Defending champion Sebastian Lucke (DAV Konstanz) did not reach the semifinals Linus Bader passed and ended up in third place. Silver went on Thorben Perry Bloem from DAV Braunschweig.
Podium women:
- Franziska Ritter (DAV Wuppertal)
- Sandra Hopfensitz (DAV Augsburg)
- Julia Koch (DAV Rhineland-Cologne)
Podium men:
- Linus Bader (DAV Augsburg)
- Thorben Perry Bloem (DAV Braunschweig)
- Sebastian Lucke (DAV Constance)
Bouldering: First place for Hönig and Flhé
It promised to be an incredibly exciting German bouldering championship: All in all we were 84 starters registered for the competition in Bochum. Perhaps the great interest was due to the previous long break in competition or the announced media presence: excerpts from the semi-finals were shown in the ARD and the final in the live stream of the ZDF transfer.
In the final of Women Everything stayed open and that until the very end - more precisely, everything was only decided in the last boulder. The reigning German champion to date Hannah Meul (DAV Rhineland-Cologne) took the lead early in the first two boulders with two flashes, but it shouldn’t stay that way for long.
In the end it was Afra Hoenig (DAV Landshut)that gave the leader no time to breathe deeply: She made short work of the third boulder and then advanced the last boulder with number four. Meul only separated the zone from victory - but she left it behind, which ultimately brought her to second place.
It was a top event as part of the finals and the Ruhr Games. Of course I'm really happy that I became German champion today, especially with such a strong field and starters.
Afra honey
Auch Roxana Wienand (DAV Aschaffenburg) could have won the race, she would have had to climb the top of the last boulder in under two attempts. The young athlete did not succeed, however, and she ended up behind a surprisingly strong one Anna Lechner (DAV Munich Oberland) in 4th place.
Yannick Flohé confidently to victory
In the Men's Final the situation was a little different: Yannick Flohé (DAV Aachen) put in an incredibly sovereign run and flashed the first two tours that nobody but him could climb. After boulder number three he was already certain as the winner.
Today the boulders suited me really well because it was finally steep and screwed on my biceps.
Yannick Flohe
That was of course particularly annoying for the runner-up and Olympic participant Jan Hojer (DAV Frankfurt / Main). The 29-year-old already convinced with a strong form in the semifinals, but the first two final boulders were not tailor-made for him. With his flash on the last route, however, he pulled away Max Kleesattel (DAV Schwäbisch Gmünd) ab – who failed to reach the same top and thus went home with the bronze medal.
Podium Ladies
- Afra Hoenig (DAV Landshut)
- Hanna Meul (DAV Rhineland-Cologne)
- Anna Lechner (DAV Munich-Oberland)
Podium gentlemen
- Yannick Flohé (DAV Aachen)
- Jan Hojer (Frankfurt / Main)
- Max Kleesattel (DAV Schwäbisch Gmünd)
That might interest you
- Core training with athlete Hannah Meul
- Jan Hojer and Yannick Flohé devalue Bock-Route Working Class
- Video: Alexander Megos and Yannick Flohé successful in Ticino
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Images: DAV/Vertical Axis, Text DAV