Chamonix World Cup Lead, Flavio Crespi and Maja Vidmar win in France

Chamonix gold for Flavio Crespi and Maja Vidmar in the third stage of the World Cup Lead. Friday proved a day to be remembered for Flavio Crespi who finally returned to victory form after so long so close to the top. Italy's best athlete is without a doubt one of the best in the world, but his fantastic competition in the French climbing mecca is an important confirmation (and return) for the overall Trophy which he has already won once before, in 2005.

The top podium position is exactly what Maja Vidmar needed to strengthen her faith in her own abilities: the 21 year old can really be the athlete in 2007, and as long as she keeps believing in herself she'll continue to deliver. Immense Muriel Sarkany knows as thing or two about this, and her second place in Chamonix, coupled to second in Imst, confirms (though confirmation is not needed) here crystal class and return to competitions as one to watch out for. The biggest surprise of all however was the major slip to 18th  by "emperor" Angela Eiter: performances of this sort are completely uncommen for the Austrian World Champion.

Crespi's victory came about in an impressive final after slipping three holds from the top in the Semifinal. Puigblanque, Usubiaga and Verhoeven all topped out in this round, while Millet and Mrazek finished just below. Crespi started provisional 6th therefore, ahead of the remaining two finalists Caude and Romain.

"The final went well, really well: except for Puigblanque I managed to climb half the wall higher than the rest... I really missed winning, I really wanted victory!" is what an enthusiastic Crespi had to say after the comp. "I've never managed to compete like this in Chamonix before... but this time it went well. The final was difficult and technical" Crespi explained "the first section climbed a hard technical slab with a strange and intense move in a corner... yes, it was really nice to climb in front of all those people!"

Crespi climbed 4 holds higher than Puigblanque and more than 20 ahead of the rest: Verhoeven (3rd), Millet (4th), Dugit (5th), Usobiaga (6th), Romain (7th), Mrázek (8th) and Caude (9th). The provisional World Cup is led by Verhoeven, followed by Usobiaga, Puigblanque, Mrazek and Crespi. With 6 stages still left, all is yet to be decided.

All is still to be decided in the women's event, too. Muriel Sarkany made the most of Eiter's mistake and edged in just 18 points behind the Austrian. And Maja Vidmar, thanks to the only top in the French final, is now provisional 4th, just behind teammate Mina Markovic (89th here in Chamonix). 18 year old Yana Chereshneva from Russia placed third in Chamonix, Alexandra Eyer placed 4th, Caroline Ciavaldini and Sandrine Levet placed 5th equal while Jenny Lavarda placed 7th.

The next stage of the World Cup Lead will be held in Qinghai (China) on 11 August, while in September the best will compete in the XXI Rock Master in Arco. It promises to be a hot summer!


1 Flavio Crespi ITA
2 Ramón Julian Puigblanque ESP
3 Jorg Verhoeven NED
4 Sylvain Millet FRA
5 Fabien Dugit FRA
6 Patxi Usobiaga Lakunza ESP
7 Manuel Romain FRA
8 Tomás Mrázek CZE
9 David Caude FRA
10 Sang-Won Son KOR
11 Kilian Fischhuber AUT
12 Romain Pagnoux FRA
13 Sachi Anma JPN
14 Romain Desgranges FRA
15 Flavien Guerimand FRA
16 Fabien Comina FRA
16 Gauthier Supper FRA
16 Roman Vander Werf NED
16 Michaël Fuselier FRA
16 Daniel Winkler SUI
16 Mikhail Chernikov RUS
16 Magnus Midtboe NOR
complete results

1 Maja Vidmar SLO
2 Muriel Sarkany BEL
3 Yana Chereshneva RUS
4 Alexandra Eyer SUI
5 Caroline Ciavaldini FRA
5 Sandrine Levet FRA
7 Jenny Lavarda ITA
8 Mina Markovic SLO
9 Ja-In Kim KOR
10 Barbara Bacher AUT
11 Natalija Gros SLO
12 Charlotte Durif FRA
13 Olga Bibik RUS
13 Katharina Saurwein AUT
13 Bettina Schöpf AUT
16 Yuka Kobayashi JPN
17 Fanny Conan FRA
18 Angela Eiter AUT
19 Nina Caprez SUI
19 Christina Schmid SUI
complete results