Ramonet and Zhong earned second World title in Arco

Spaniard Ramon Julian Puigblanque is the new Lead World Champion. Last night Ramonet once again charmed the entire climbing world after an outstanding performance in the 2011 World Championship final.

Jakob Schubert, Ramon Julian Puigblanque und Adam Ondra He was the only one to hold and clip the top, making the crowd screaming loud meters below him. Over 8,000 people gathered in Arco (Italy) and cheered the new World Champion in the last day of the 2011 IFSC Climbing World Championship.

After the semi-final stage in the afternoon, eight climbers showed up in the final, namely Puigblanque, Ondra (CZE), Schubert (AUT), Midtboe (NOR), Romain (FRA), Min (KOR) and Russians Ovchinnikov and Zazulin.

The first on the wall was the legendary 40-year old Ovchinnikov who only reached the end of the first half of the route. So did countryman Zazulin, immediately afterwards. Midtboe and Romain looked very confident from the very beginning, but both had a foot slip just before the roof section. The route was surely of the highest level and not easy to face whatsoever. Korean Min ran out of energies too soon and fell to place him in sixth position.

The crowd roared as soon as Adam Ondra stepped onto the wall. He looked very relaxed all the way up, but eventually only touched the top and came in third. Jakob Schubert appeared extremely resolute as he had topped the semifinal route. In the final, however, the Austrian climber could not grab the top, after a dynamic move to the last hold. Then, it was Ramonet's turn, and when he seized that last handhold, the climbing world bowed down before the new World Champion. “It's been such a fantastic night. Winning the second world title here is simply amazing”, said Puigblanque at the end of the competition.

Two new world champions were crowned yesterday, the Chinese Qixin Zhong and the Russian Maria Krasavina. Zhong won his second Speed world title, after the 2009 gold he got in China. The fastest man in vertical set an astonishing 6.26 seconds new World record. He beat Russian Stanislav Kokorin in the final, while Ukraine's Danylo Boldyrev earned an unexpected bronze, getting rid of Czech Hroza and Russians Vaitsekhovsky, Abdrakhmanov and Novikov.

Among women, the new champ comes from Russia, it's the 21-year old Maria Krasavina, who got rid of younger countywoman Anna Tsyganova in the final. Tamara Kuznetzova of Kazakhstan came in third, after defeating former world champion and women Speed world record holder Cuilian He of China.

The official closing ceremony of the IFSC World Championship 2011 will take place today at 5.30pm at the Climbing Stadium, preceded by the traditional Duel (at 2.30pm), featuring the best Lead athletes who will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rock Master event.

Results:

LEAD MEN FINAL
1) Julian Puigblanque Ramón (ESP)
2) Schubert Jakob (AUT)
3) Ondra Adam (CZE)
4) Midtboe Magnus (NOR)
5) Romain Manuel (FRA)
6) Min Hyunbin (KOR)
7) Ovchinnikov Evgeny (RUS)
8) Zazulin Evgeny (RUS)

SPEED MEN FINAL

Zhong Qixin (CHN)
2) Kokorin Stanislav (RUS)
3) Boldyrev Danylo (UKR)
4) Novikov Ivan (RUS)
5) Hroza Libor (CZE)
6) Swirk Lukasz (POL)
7) Noya Erik (VEN)
8) Abdrakhmanov Sergey (RUS)

SPEED WOMEN FINAL
1) Krasavina Maria (RUS)
2) Tsyganova Anna (RUS)
3) Kuznetsova Tamara (KAZ)
4) He Cuilian (CHN)
5) Ropek Edyta (POL)
6) Alekseeva Kseniia (RUS)
7) Titova Natalia (RUS)
8) Levochkina Yuliya (RUS)

überwww.ifsc-climbing.org
QuelleMario Facchini, Foto: NewsPower.it