At the 34th IFSC Youth World Championships in Helsinki, the world's young talent competed in lead, bouldering, and speed. There were quite a few names among them that already sound familiar. Some newcomers also showed at the largest international youth competition that we can count on them in the future.
For a week, the international junior competitors met for the Youth World Championships (YWCH) in Helsinki. Over seven days, competitions were held in Lead, bouldering and Speed discharged.
The Youth World Championships have long been considered the cradle of many successful professional climbers. Nearly 500 athletes from 56 nations competed in the U17 and U19 age groups at the Youth World Championships. We present the winners – and venture a prediction about which names we should keep an eye on for the future.
The YWCH have proven to be a springboard for future champions. Some of the biggest names in our sport have celebrated their earliest career highlights here.
IFSC
Well-known names and nations dominate finals
Already in Lead Parallels to current World Cup events emerged. Established climbing nations were similarly well represented in the youth category as they were in the World Cup. The Japanese team was the only one to participate in all four lead finals at the YWCH – with quite a few athletes. With the exception of the U17 men, France was also represented in every lead final. The USA, Italy, and South Korea also had several finalists.
Some of the medals went to names we already know. In the U19 women's category, the Spaniard Geila Macià Martín in the lead. Martín, who this year in Prague and Chamonix competed in her first World Cup finals, and also won silver in bouldering at the YWCH.
In the U17 women's category, the lead gold also went to a well-known name in the scene. 16-year-old Rafael Kazbekova was the only one to top the route in the semifinals, which ultimately secured her victory after a top finish in the final. Kazbekova is the younger sister of the Ukrainian Olympic athlete. Jenya Kazbekova.
In the U19 men's category, the podium was also decided by countback to the semifinals. Both Japan's Manato Kurashiki and Hareru Nagamori as well as the Czech Republic's Lukas Mokrulusky fell on the same move in the final route. Kurashiki ultimately won ahead of the Czech, who won the famous Action Directe (9a) in the Franconian Jura.
In the U17 men's lead final, Japan again accounted for two-thirds of the podium, with Jungbin Choi of South Korea taking bronze. Other well-known names in the four lead finals included Japan's Marin Nakamura and Natsumi Oda – and Austria's Flora Oblasser, who finished eighth in the U19 women's event.
Strong international bouldering talent
While Japan demonstrated its usual dominance in bouldering, winning three of its four gold medals, the nationality distribution in the finals was somewhat more diverse than in the lead. In the U17 women's event, European champion Paula Mayer-Vorfelder from Germany climbed to fourth place, and Romania was also represented in a bouldering final with Maya Ene (4th place).
I'm looking forward to the next level: international competitions for adults.
Paula Mayer-Vorfelder
Czech Republic's Lukas Mokrulusky demonstrated his versatility with a seventh-place finish in bouldering, becoming one of the few athletes to climb in both disciplines in the final. Canada, Israel, Austria, Thailand, the USA, and Hong Kong also each sent an athlete to the final bouldering round, which was overall heavily dominated by the Japanese, French, and British teams. Among those competing were reigning European Bouldering Champion Samuel Richard (FRA) and the 2023 YWCH winner Kaho Murakoshi (JPN).
German wins in the U19 men's speed
While some participants combined the disciplines of bouldering and lead, the speed climbing As usual, the Chinese team performed particularly well. Nations such as Kazakhstan, South Korea, the USA, Italy, and Ukraine also made it into the top 10 several times.
Aodhán Umlauf ultimately won the only YWCH medal for the German team in the U19 men's event. The 18-year-old from Swabia beat competitors from China, the USA, and Italy, winning with a time of 5.37 seconds.
Next stop: Arco
The World Federation and the Italian FASI have already announced the venue for the next YWCH. From July 18 to 25, 2026, the young athletes will once again compete in the largest international youth competition at the renovated Climbing Stadium in Arco.
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Credits cover photo: IFSC