SPORT CLIMBING: Ondra and Seo triumph in Lead World Cup in Slovenia

Czech World Lead Champion Adam Ondra

Three-time World Champion Adam Ondra claimed his second Lead World Cup win of the season and Korea’s Chae-Hyun Seo claimed her third in Kranj (SLO).

This was the fourth Lead event of the season, with two more to come. Ondra had only competed in one of the first three events, but he was clearly on in Kranj and won by clearing all the way to the top, ahead of Japan’s Kai Harada, who earned 32 points.

Seo was already the World Cup leader entering the event, having won in Chamonix and Briancon, after finishing second in the season opener. She was just a little better than Austria’s Jessica Pilz at 34.5+ vs. 34.5. With 380 points in the season, Seo could potentially clinch the season title in the fifth stop on the tour next month.

World Champion Janja Garnbret fell in the semis and did not advance to the final, disappointing the home crowd. But there will be more chances; the next stop will be in Xiamen (CHN). Summaries:

IFSC World Cup
Kranj (SLO) ~ 28-29 September 2019
(Full results here)

Lead/Men: 1. Adam Ondra (CZE), Top; 2. Kai Harada (JPN), 32; 3. Alberto Gines Lopez (ESP), 31.5+; 4. Sean McColl (CAN), 30+; 5. Kokoro Fujii (JPN), 27+

Lead/Women: 1. Chae-Hyun Seo (KOR), 34.5+; 2. Jessica Pilz (AUT), 34.5; 3. Lucka Rakovec (SLO), 34+; 4. Anak Verhoeven (BEL), 34+; 5. Ai Mori (JPN), 20+.