Climbing World Cup 2002 Bolzano

Alexandre Chabot and Muriel Sarkany win the first stage of the Climbing World Cup 2002 at Bolzano

April 2002

Climbing World Cup: the season started at Bolzano, gateway to the Italian Dolomites and, for the first time ever, host to an international World Cup event. 2001 finished with the victories of Alexandre Chabot and Muriel Sarkany, and yesterday these two continued where they had left off. On a motley-coloured wall the young Frenchman and the Belgian won (and dominated) the debut to 2002.

Women’s Semifinal and Final
In the women’s semi-final Muriel Sarkany climbed slightly higher than Sandrine Levet, while young Natalija Gros placed provisional third. The other five to qualify for the Final were: Katrin Sedlmayer, Martina Cufar, Marietta Uhden, Katja Vidmar and Barbara Bacher. First excluded from the Final, together with Pouget, was the highly experienced Luisa Iovane, once again (and still) capable of placing high. The Final held no surprises though and reflected the semi-final result: Sarkany easily reached the top, Levet finished significantly lower and Natalja Gros pulled out all the stops to place a fantastic third - no doubt we’ll be seeing more of her in the future. Sedlmayer placed fourth, Uhden fifth, Vidmar and Bacher sixth equal, while Cufar placed eighth.

Men’s Final
Notable absentees from this first World Cup event were Hirayama, Legrand and Ovtchinnichov. This takes nothing away from the younger generation though, and the constancy with which Alexandre Chabot tops out is devastating. The Frenchman started second to last on the Final route which was by no means a walkover: only Marazek has succeeeded in climbing through the difficult overhanging section, the traverse through the roof and the barn-door swing onto the tufa, before slipping off at about half-height. Chabot made swift progress through these and, after an energy-saving heelhook, started off once more and powered to the top. His third in three rounds. Last out, the World Champion Pouvreau, who climbed quickly and with great determination in an attempt to force a superfinal. But his dyno to reach the tufa signalled the inevitable and, after an intelligent rest, he quickened the tempo only to fall high on the slab.
Mrazek place third, Auclair fourth, C. Bindhammer fifth, A. Bindhammer sixth Millet seventh and Petit eighth.

Results men

1	Chabot Alexandre	FRA
2	Pouvreau Jerome	FRA
3	Mrazek Thomas	CZE
4	Auclair Francois	FRA
5	Bindhammer Christian	GER
6	Bindhammer Andreas	GER
7	Millet Sylvain	FRA
8	Petit Francois	FRA
9	Crespi Fabio	ITA
10	Pdetrenko Maxim	UKR
11	Brenna Christian	ITA
12	Lagni Bernardino	ITA
13	Lachat Cedric	SUI
14	Kazbekov Serik	UKR
15	Goussak Igor	UKR
15	Vinokur Vadim	USA
17	Bosma Peter	SWE
18	Puiblanque Ramon Julia	ESP
19	Gnerro Alberto	ITA
19	Huber Christoph	AUT
21	Felix Martin	SUI
22	Krivotheisev Evghenji	UKR
23	Giupponi Luca	ITA
24	Ghidini Stefano	ITA
25	Dugit Sthephane	FRA
26	Sova Matej	SLO
27	Usobiaga Patxi	ESP
28	Zardini Luca	ITA

Results Women

1	Sarkany Muriel	BEL
2	Levet Sandrine	FRA
3	Gros Natalija	SLO
4	Sedlmayr Katrin	GER
5	Uhden Marietta	GER
6	Vidmar Katje	SLO
6	Bacher Barbara	AUT
8	Cufar Martina	SLO
9	Pouget Emilie	FRA
9	Iovane luisa	ITA
11	Schopf Bettina	AUT
11	Busheva Yeleny	UKR
12	Petrignet Carole	FRA
12	Raffetseder Gerda	AUT
12	Knorr Damaris	GER
15	Vidmar Maja	SLO
17	Schultz Annatina	SUI
18	Minoret ChloÃ¨	FRA
18	Martine Delphine	FRA
18	Benetti Lisa	ITA
22	Perlova Natalia	UKR
22	Eyer Alexandra	SUI
22	Ostapenko Alena	UKR
22	Seeger Sarah	GER
26	Eiter Angela	AUT
26	Franko Lucka	SLO