From today to 10. September, the gaze of the sport climbing world turns to the brand new climbing center in Innsbruck. Over the twelve days in Austria, 1000 will compete against the world's best junior sports climber at the Youth and Junior World Championships. In the race for the world title in bouldering, lead, speed and the combination are 17 Swiss athletes.
It is a major event of superlatives. A total of 120 bouldering problems and 42 lead routes are being built for the Youth and Junior World Championships in Innsbruck. With over 1000 participants from all over the world, it is the biggest climbing event this season. 12 days of competition are required for the three junior categories in the three disciplines of bouldering, lead and speed as well as the final combination. These dimensions clearly show that systems of this size will also be required in the future to handle such a mammoth program.
Starting position for the Swiss team
For the Swiss, who start in all three disciplines, it is a matter of asserting themselves as well as possible both in their own parade discipline and in the combination and, if necessary, qualifying for the combination in the Olympic format on the second competition weekend. The greatest chances are awarded to Zoé Egli (Hünibach BE), youth B and the three strong juniors Alina Ring (Zurich ZH), Sofya Yokoyama (role VD) and Michelle Hulliger (Ramsei BE). The last three already have the necessary experience on events of this importance.
Sascha Lehmann with us
In the juniors Sascha Lehmann (Burgdorf BE) returns after a long injury break. He only denies the lead competition. Baptiste Ometz (Fully VS) sees his chances mainly in the bouldering discipline and will gain important experience by participating in the combination. Tim Bucher (Heiligkreuz SG), Youth B, focuses initially on the disciplines Bouldering and Lead.
Ticket allocation for the Youth Olympic Games 2018
After the positive Olympic decision last August, the Olympic format will be used in combination for the first time in Innsbruck. The 2017 World Cup is considered a major qualifying event for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Out of 20 athletes in the age category Youth A (16-17 years), the 13 most successful sport climbers in the Innsbruck combined ranking can qualify directly for Buenos Aires. In the youth B and juniors categories, six athletes each can take part in the combined finals.
These Swiss athletes are at the start
The following 2017 Swiss athletes are selected for the Youth and Junior World Championships 17:
Juniors
Baptiste Ometz (Fully VS): B, S, L, K
Sascha Lehmann (Burgdorf BE): L
Juniorinnen
Sofya Yokoyama (Role VD): B, S, L, K
Joanne Brinkmann (Boll BE): L
Alina Ring (Zurich ZH): B, S, L, K
Michelle Hulliger (Ramsey BE): B, S, L, K
Youth A ladies
Sara Werthmüller (Rothenfluh BL): B, S, L, K
Hannah Hermann (Lucerne LU): B, S, L, K
Annalisa Tognon (Langnau am Albis ZH): B, S, L, K
Youth A gentlemen
Julien Clémence (Gisikon LU): B, S, L, K
Philipp Geisenhoff (Dornach SO): B, S, L, K
Louis Bétrisey (Grimisuat VS): B
Dylan Chuat (Vessey GE): L
Youth B ladies
Zoé Egli (Hünibach BE): B, S, L, K
Joëlle Niederberger (Oberhofen BE): L
Liv Egli (Hünibach BE): L
Youth B men
Tim Bucher (Heiligkreuz SG): B, L
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Credits: Text: Media release SAC, Picture: Heiko Wilhelm