Americans Shine at Vail World Cup

Author:: Dougald MacDonald
Publish date:: Jun 8, 2009

Last year's Vail winner, Alex Johnson, swings into the silver medal spot this year. Photo by John Evans / JohnEvansPhoto.com — Last year

Alex Puccio takes the gold at the 2009 Vail World Cup. Photo by John Evans / JohnEvansPhoto.com

American boulderers dominated the second annual Vail World Cup at the Teva Mountain Games on June 5-6. Alex Puccio and Alex Johnson took gold and silver in the women’s competition, and three U.S. men finished in the top five, including Daniel Woods in second. Paul Robinson was fourth among the men, and Californian Kyle Owen was fifth.

Although some European and Asian competitors did not make the trip to Colorado, more than 20 countries were represented and the top boulderers all were there, chasing points for the 2009 World Cup standings. The top four men in the World Cup ranking made the finals in Vail, including gold medalist Jonas Baumann from Germany. Five of the top six women boulderers also competed in Vail, with World Cup leader Akiyo Noguchi having to settle for a bronze medal.

Daniel Woods secured a second place finish this year. Photo by John Evans / JohnEvansPhoto.com

Kilian Fischhuber, last year's Vail winner, grabs third place. Photo by John Evans / JohnEvansPhoto.com — Kilian Fischhuber, last year

This was the fourth World Cup out of five on the 2009 calendar. Few North American boulderers are competing in Europe or Asia this year, but Canadian Sean McColl, who did not climb in Vail, is in eighth place in the standings, thanks to a silver-medal performance in Vienna, Austria, last weekend. Daniel Woods, who placed 10th in a World Cup in Austria on May 1 and second in Vail, is in ninth position overall.

Vail World Cup — June 5-6, 2009

Women’s Results

1. Alex Puccio (USA)

2. Alex Johnson (USA)

3. Akiyo Noguchi (JAP)

4. Anna Stöhr (AUT)

5. Jain Kim (KOR)

6. Natalija Gros (SLO)

7. Maud Ansade (FRA)

8. Tiffany Hensley (USA)

9. Chloé Graftiaux (BEL)

10. Therese Johannesen (NOR)