Speedy U.S. Girls Sweep World Championship

More than 300 climbers from 36 countries, including a large U.S. contingent, competed at the 16th Youth World Championship in Sydney, Australia, at the end of August. In lead climbing, Austria, Japan, and the Czech Republic led the medal count at the Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym, while Russia dominated speed climbing.

Taylor Clarkin from Arizona is a new world champion in speed climbing, part of an American sweep of the female youth B age group (1993 and 1994 birth dates). Francesca Metcalf took silver, and Cicada Jenerik won the bronze. Nic Sutton won a bronze in speed climbing in male youth A (1991 and ’92 births), and Josh Levin took the bronze in male youth B.

In lead climbing, the best American result was Julian Bautista’s bronze medal in the male youth B category. Three American women made the finals in the female youth A category—Sasha Digiulian, Tiffany Hensley, and Marah Bragdon—but none stepped onto the podium.

The next annual Youth World Championship will be in Valence, France.

Below are results from each of the lead-climbing categories, including Americans who made the top 10. For full results, including all of the speed contests, visit Ifsc-climbing.org.

Dates of Competition: August 28-31, 2008

Source: Ifsc-climbing.org

Female Juniors

1. Akiyo Noguchi (JAP)
2. Juliane Wurm (GER)
3. Charlotte Durif (FRA)

Male Juniors

1. Jakob Schubert (AUT)
2. Hyunbin Min (KOR)
3. Martin Stranik (CZE)
4. Gabor Szekely (HUN, lives in USA)
10. Ryan Sewell (USA)

Female Youth A

1. Johanna Ernst (AUT)
2. Katherine Choong (SWI)
3. Alexandra Ladurner (ITA)
4. Sasha Digiulian (USA)
6. Tiffany Hensley (USA)
8. Marah Bragdon (USA)

Male Youth A

1. Mario Lechner (AUT)
2. Thomas Tauporn (GER)
3. Eric Lopez Mateos (SPA)
9. Michael Bautista (USA)

Female Youth B

1. Momoka Oda (JAP)
2. Berit Schwaiger (AUT)
3. Hélène Janicot (FRA)
5. Michaela Kiersch (USA)

Male Youth B

1. Adam Ondra
2. Max Rudigier (AUT)
3. Julian Bautista (USA)
7. Josh Levin (USA)

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