Ice Climbing World Cup 2013: Park and Hrozová take gold in Busteni

Romania's snowy Busteni hosted the 4th of 5 stages of the Ice Climbing World Cup 2013 last weekend. Czech ice climber Lucie Hrozová climbed outstandingly and sprinted to the top in the final, producing not only her best result this season but also her first victory in the Ice Climbing World Cup. Maria Tolokonina topped out, too, although slightly slower Hrozová and therefore the Russian placed second, while third place went to her teammate Maryam Filippova. Current leader Angelika Rainer climbed well but was unlucky when her axe shot out beneath an undercut, meaning that she finished 7th overall. This hiccough does little to the provisional ranking and the Italian climber and Grivel member still maintains a 23 point lead over Tolokonina. The other Italian competing, Barbara Zwerger from Bolzano, finished 11th.

The second final, the men's, was won by Korea's Park Heeyong; he climbed superbly and is now firmly in the lead for the overall World Cup, ahead of closest rival Maxim Tomilov who placed second. Russia's Nikolay Kuzovlev - another Grivel athlete - placed third.

In the Speed event a new world record was set by Russia's Pavel Batushev in a mere 07:77 seconds. He beat his teammates Spitsyn and Gulyaev. The women's event was dominated, once again, by the Russians and the first three podium positions were taken by Filippova, Feoktistova and Glazunova.

The final stage of the Ice Climbing World Cup 2013 will take place in Kirov (Russia) from 8 to 10 March 2013.

BUSTENI 7 - 9/02/ 2013
Results Lead men
1 Park Heeyong KOR
2 Maxim Tomilov RUS
3 Nikolay Kuzovlev RUS

Results Lead women
1 Lucie Hrozová CZE
2 Maria Tolokonina RUS
3 Maryam Filippova RUS

Results Speed men
1 Batushev Pavel RUS
2 Spitsyn Ivan RUS
3 Gulyaev Pavel RUS
4 Kuzovlev Nikolay RUS

Results Speed men
1 Filippova Maryam RUS
2 Feoktistova Ekaterina RUS
3 Glazunova Ekaterina RUS
4 Petkova Radka BUL