Natalia Grossman bags Brixen for second year running

Brixen is evidently in Natalia Grossmann's blood. Last night in front of more than 2,000 enthusiastic spectators the 21-year-old American was the only finalist to send all four problems, two of which she flashed calmly, to take home the fifth stage of the Boulder World Cup 2023. This is Grossman's second victory this season after Salt Lake City at the end of May, and her second in the South Tyrolean city after winning last year's debut.

Grossman won convincingly with four tops, while three of the remaining five finalists secured three tops and four zones. The finalist who needed the fewest attempts was Chaehyun Seo, Lead World Champion and Olympic 8th. On problem #1 the 19-year-old South Korean only managed to reach the zone after 6 attempts, after which she flashed remaining three boulders to finish second overall. Third place went to Staša Gejo from Serbia, who also had three tops (two flashes) and four zones, but two more attempts than Seo. This was Gejo's fourth top-3 finish in the World Cup. Ayala Kerem from Israel will have to wait a little while longer for her first World Cup podium: she finished fourth, just like Seo and Gejo, with three tops and four zones, but needed five more attempts than Gejo. Australia's Oceania Mackenzie sent two problems to finish fifth an secure her best World Cup result, ahead of Austria's Johanna Färber who, competing in her first final, placed sixth with one top.

It's worth noting the absence of Brooke Raboutou, and of Oriane Bertone and Janja Garnbret, first and second last week in Prague, who skipped this stage in preparation for the World Championship in Bern in Switzerland at the start of August. The stars of Garnbret and Grossman, the two biggest names in women's competition climbing, have yet the collide this season and Bern will no doubt answer many questions.

BRIXEN WORLD CUP 2023
1 Natalia Grossman USA 4t4z 12 12
2 Chaehyun Seo KOR 3t4z 3 9
3 Staša Gejo SRB 3t4z 5 6
4 Ayala Kerem ISR 3t4z 10 16
5 Oceania Mackenzie AUS 2t3z 5 6
6 Johanna Färber AUT 1t2z 4 14
7 Ryu Nakagawa JPN
8 Hannah Meul GER
9 Julija Kruder SLO
10 Sandra Hopfensitz GER
11 Melody Sekikawa JPN
12 Kyra Condie USA
12 Petra Klingler SUI
14 Zhilu Luo CHN
15 Anastasia Sanders USA
16 Flavy Cohaut FRA
16 Lucka Rakovec SLO
18 Madison Fischer CAN
19 Anon Matsufuji JPN
20 Miriam Fogu ITA
21 Maya Stasiuk AUS
21 Aida Torres Illamola ESP
23 Cloe Coscoy USA
23 Camilla Moroni ITA
23 Giorgia Tesio ITA
26 Franziska Sterrer AUT
27 Zélia Avezou FRA
27 Kylie Cullen USA
27 Selma Elhadj Mimoune FRA
30 Andrea Kümin SUI
31 Evangelina Briggs CAN
31 Fanny Gibert FRA
31 Holly Toothill GBR
34 Lucija Tarkus SLO
35 Katja Debevec SLO
35 Yael Taub ISR
37 Chloe Caulier BEL
37 Lucia Dörffel GER
39 Nanako Kura JPN
39 Sol Sa KOR
41 Mia Aoyagi JPN
41 Sandra Lettner AUT
41 Elnaz Rekabi IRI
44 Jessica Pilz AUT
45 Futaba Ito JPN
45 Ingrid Kindlihagen NOR
47 Afra Hönig GER
47 Leonie Lochner GER
47 Sofya Yokoyama SUI
50 Alannah Yip CAN
51 Valentina Aguado ARG
51 Rebeca Pérez Duato ESP
53 Natalie Bärtschi SUI
53 Maya Dreamer ISR
55 Evdoxia-Aikaterini Kallia GRE
55 Giulia Medici ITA
57 Molly Thompson-Smith GBR
57 Yuetong Zhang CHN
59 Jain Kim KOR
59 Laura Loikas FIN
59 Aleksandra Totkova BUL
62 Claudia Ghisolfi ITA
63 Svana Bjarnason ISL
63 Caterina Dal Zotto ITA
65 Jordyn Damasco AUS
65 Laura Rogora ITA
67 Rocio Ailen Becerra ARG
67 Zoe Peetermans GBR
69 Alexandra Kateri GRE
69 Ignacia Mellado Quinteros CHI
71 María Fernanda González Rámirez MEX
71 Rahil Ramezani IRI
73 Muykuay Silva CHI
73 Sara Trajkoska MKD
75 Elizabeth Sepulveda PUR
75 Regine Storå NOR
77 Iris Pamela Duron Antonio HON
77 Grecia Daniela Hernandez Guerrero ESA
77 Vinnith Im CAM

Link: climbingworldcup-brixen.it