The first medals of the IFSC Youth World Championships Helsinki 2025 were awarded in the Boulder disciplines for both the U17 and U19 men and women with Japan dominating the podiums.
Out of 12 medals won, Japan claimed three of the four gold medals on offer and added a further three to take a total of six that included a podium lock-out at the Helsingin Kiipeilykeskus venue.
In the men’s U17 Hamada Ryusei was the standout performer topping all four finals boulders and leading a Japanese 1-2-3 with 99.5pts. Saiki Taketo won silver topping three boulders after putting out a no zone first boulder out of his mind. Koyama Soran was the third Japanese climber on the podium taking bronze.
The other finalists for the U17 men were: Chan Hugo Zhi Tao (HKG), Landers Gaydosh (USA), Park Taesung (KOR), Adrian Kathan (AUT) and Mu Zerun (CHN).
Winning for the second successive year in Boulder, China’s Li Meini won a hard fought battle with the USA’s Lucy Duncan. Li and Duncan both topped thre boulders but Li made fewer attempts taking gold with 85.5pts to Duncan’s silver medal total of 84.1pts. France’s Lou Auclair won bronze with a topping two boulders – one of them a flash.
The other finalists for the U17 women were: Paula Mayer-Vorfelder (GER), Matsuura Akane (JPN), Kim Gyurin (KOR), Nakamura Marin (JPN) and Maya Ene (ROU).
The U19 categories were both won by Japanese climbers as Yamada Kodai won the men’s and Murakoshi Kaho won the women’s.
All three medallists in the women’s U19 topped three boulders, but gold and silver also made a zone. Murakoshi scored 84.6pts and took gold ahead of Spain’s Geila Macià Martín who scored 83.8pts for silver. Yama Manami won bronze with a score of 74.9pts.
The other finalists for the U19 women were: Isabella Bridgens (GBR), Fae MacDougall (GBR), Louise Puech Yazid (FRA), Tamar Cohen (ISR) and Anna Kelley (CAN).
Yamada scored 99.5pts in the men’s U19 final and was the only climber to top all four boulders. France’s Samuel Richard and Thailand’s Auswin Aueareechit both scored 84.7pts but were separated by their semi-final results, it meant Richard won silver and Aueareechit won bronze.
The other finalists for the U19 men were: Lee Jihoo (KOR), Fujita Kaede (JPN), Lillian Bonniot (FRA), Lukas Mokrolusky (CZE) and Manuel Antonio Pastor Sánchez (ESP).
The IFSC Youth World Championships continues in Helsinki, Finland with the Lead and Speed disciplines.
AloJapan.com