Four climbers on the huge lead wall at Stone Summit Climbing and Fitness Center in Atlanta during the 2012 Lead World Cup in late September. Photo courtesy of Stone Summit

10/1/12 – The world’s best competition climbers battled it out in Atlanta over the weekend, as the U.S’s only Lead Climbing World Cup in 2012 went off at the massive new Stone Summit gym.

Making up for a disappointing World Championships in Paris, in which he failed to make the podium, Ramón Julian Puigblanque of Spain edged Austria’s Jakob Schubert for the top spot in Atlanta. Both men flashed the final route, with Ramonet winning on his stronger semifinal result. France’s Romain Desgranges was third.

Canadian Sean McColl, ranked fourth in the world in lead climbing, finished seventh in Atlanta. The top U.S. finishers were Brad Weaver (15th), Vasya Vorotnikov (16th), and Noah Ridge (19th).

For the women, Korean Kim Jain took gold over Mina Markovic of Slovenia, this year’s World Cup season leader. Both women grasped the 59th hold in the finals, but Kim earned the top spot in the podium with a very strong performance in semifinals. Slovenia’s Maja Vidmar took third. Top U.S. finishers were Delaney Miller (17th), Chelsea Rude (18th), and Francesca Metcalf (23rd).

Women’s final results:

1. Jain Kim (Korea)
2. Mina Markovic (Slovenia)
3. Maja Vidmar (Slovenia)
4. Johanna Ernst (Austria)
5. Katherina Posch (Austria)

Men’s final results:

1. Ramón Julian Puigblanque (Spain)
2. Jakob Schubert (Austria)
3. Romain Desgranges (France)
4. Sachi Amma (Japan)
5. Jorg Verhoeven (Netherlands)
6. Mario Lechner (Austria)

Source: Ifsc-climbing.org