Chamonix (France), 9-13 July, 2003
Climbing World Championship

Chamonix and Mont Blanc represent the exceptional stage for the most important event of the year: the Climbing World Championship, the top of the competition season. Athletes and interested people have been waiting for it, and most of the climbers have finalized their preparation for that date, in order to reach important and different objectives, depending on their ambition. Many aspire to the victory, others aim at a good placement, and all hope to express their real potential. It is all about an important sports celebration, but also a healthy competition moment, where dreams and hopes of many young athletes with the same passion for climbing come together. You can feel a strong emotive tension among the competitors. And this favors the show, because all is hazardous and less foreseeable.
The event comprises difficulty, bouldering and speed climbing competitions, the three officially recognized disciplines of sport climbing, and has been prepared with special attention by the French Federation, exactly in the town that is symbol of world mountaineering: Chamonix. For a reason of image, almost to symbolize, ideally, the union of the mountain world with the one of climbing. But also to celebrate with dignity the sport that in France has become the second one practiced in school, after soccer. Not bad for an activity that started only in 1985, with the first climbing competition, the mythical “Sport Roccia” in Bardonecchia. Impressive as never before, the presence of the media. To notice the presence of Jean-François Lamour, the French Minister of Sport, with the never missing following crowd of different televisions and journalists.

Bouldering World Championship
On Wednesday, July 9, starts the qualification of bouldering. Participating are the best world’s specialists, except a few strong climbers like Chris Sharma and Pedro Pons. From the beginning a strong performance of the reigning World Champion Mauro Calibani, who closes at the third provisional place on the first competition day. A day dominated by the evergreen Russian specialist Salavat Rakhmetov, followed by his Ukrainian friend Serik Kazbekov. In a less brilliant way, also Christian Core, reigning European Champion qualifies, while it is also positive the performance of young Geo Progulakis, who conquers a well deserved final with a performance that confirms him definitely among the world elite.
In the women’s field Stella Marchisio closes in the ninth position of the provisional ranking. Giulia Giammarco of Turin barely misses the final.
On the next day it’s time for the finals. The women begin, and the French Sandrine Levet conquers a well-deserved gold medal. Second place for Russian Natalia Perlova, while the bronze medal goes to the other French Fanny Rogeaux. Italian Stella Marchisio finishes eleventh.
But the true show begins with the men’s category. Big uncertainty and real tension for all until the last boulder, where an extraordinary Christian Core achieves the wonder and conquers the highest step of the podium in front of Jerome Meyer and Pole Tomaz Olesky. Optimum performance also for the exiting Champion Mauro Calibani, who fights strong until the end, to finish in a “meager” fourth position. Not so bad. This is the good side of the competition. In the positive and in the negative situations, it’s the uncertainty of the results one of the main ingredients for the success of a sports event, otherwise it would become boring.

Difficulty World Championship
On Saturday morning it’s time for the Difficulty event. Hundreds of athletes start in the quarterfinals. Good performance of the competing Italians. To remark the absence of Christian Brenna, who hadn’t been convocated because of some not officially communicated problems with the Italian technical manager Giovanni Cantamessa. On Sunday morning the half finals, with men and women climbing at the same time on the Entreprise artificial wall. Big debacle of the Italians, none of which manages to reach the final, while is Jenny Lavarda who has to save the honor of the mother country, reaching easily the final in her category.
Usual good performance of Alexandre Chabot, also if his climb is less brilliant than normal. The French is closely followed by a group of climbers led by David Caude and Sylvain Millet. Among the girls Muriel Sarkany and Sandrine Levet top out, demonstrating a better shape, particularly the Belgian, than the other competitors.
A few hours rest and the finals begin. The girls start and Muriel Sarkany’s dream for the last ten years comes true: she conquers the World Champion title, the only one still missing in her prestigious palmares. Awesome performance of the Champion of Bruxelles, who manages to climb higher on a not properly selective route, with a boulder move at 3/4 height where three climbers fell with the same hold. These athletes will be later
split on the base of the results achieved during the preceding rounds, but this isn’t a good thing for a world championship. Jenny Lavarda barely misses the triumph, as she only touches the hold that, if kept, would have given her the bronze medal. Emilie Pouget instead holds the hold and gets the silver medal; Sandrine Levet, with the same performance as Jenny, finishes third because of the better semifinal results.
Completely different development in the men’s field. The competition route has been set more carefully, with difficulty distributed in a homogeneous and complex way. Practically almost an old time route, like the extreme routes in the crags, where various tricks and different motoric solutions can be more or less effective. Logically the big surprise arrives. The best participating sport climber Tomas Mrazek wins, and by large, followed by Spanish Patxi Usobiaga. Third place for David Caude. The super champion Chabot instead is troubled by the pressure and mental insecurity, and doesn’t show his usual efficacy. For him a “modest“ fifth place, even behind Christian Bindhammer. Incredible the public looking at the final, around 30,000 people, that filled the huge place around the wall.
Right afterwards the prize giving ceremony, kisses, hugs, a few tears and lots of fun for everybody, with the fireworks realized in occasion of the 14th July, the French National Holiday.

Speed World Championship
At the end of this report of the event, just a short notice about the speed contest, a speciality loved by the public but not by the climbers. It has practically been reserved since ever to the athletes from the Eastern countries. Also this time the winners were both from Ukraina, Olena Ryepko and Maxim Stankovo. Second place for Russian Tatiana Rouiga and Pole Tomasz Olesky, while the bronze medals went to Russian Valentina Yurina and Alexandre Pechekhonov.
Oscar Durbiano

Bouldering World Championship, women’s results
1° Sandrine Levet (Fra)
2° Natalia Perlova (Ukr)
3° Fanny Rogeaux (Fra)
4° Olga Bibik (Rus)
5° Juliette Danion (Fra)

Bouldering World Championship, men’s results
1° Christian Core (Ita)
2° Jerome Meyer (Fra)
3° Tomasz Olesky (Pol)
4° Mauro Calibani (Ita)
5° Kilian Fischhuber (Aut)

Difficulty World Championship, women’s results
1° Muriel Sarkany (Bel)
2° Emilie Pouget (Fra)
3° Sandrine Levet (Fra)
4° Jenny Lavarda (Ita)
5° Alexandra Eyer (Sui)

Difficulty World Championship, men’s results
1° Tomas Mrazek (Cze)
2° Patxi Usobiaga (Spa)
3° David Caude (Fra)
4° Christian Bindhammer (Ger)
5° Alexandre Chabot (Fra)