World Climbing Championships Chamonix 2011
It was almost a case of "rain stopped play" in Chamonix last night as the finals of the World Cup Climbing Championships Lead competition were threatened by torrential rain.
The speed climbing had been held in the Place du Mont Blanc on Tuesday in scorching summer sun and temperatures up in the thirties. When Wednesday dawned it was quickly clear that the weather was not going to be kind for the lead climbers as they tackled the purpose built wall.
With a huge crowd gathered and a break in the downpour the finals kicked off on time and once again proved to be an incredible event.
The Austrian Jakob Schubert was the only man to summit the route and took the first win in the Lead World Cup this year just a few days ahead of the IFSC World Championship. Last years winner and current European Champion; Julian Ramon Puigblanque took the second place on the podium ahead of Magnus Midtboe, from Norway, in third position.
In the Women's Lead field, four climbers made it to the top in the finals and shared first place: Mina Markovic (SLO), Kim Jain (KOR), Angela Eiter (AUT) and France's Caroline Ciavaldini who received the biggest cheer of the night.
The always amazing Speed climbing discipline was filled with familiar faces. Edyta Ropek, last years winner took gold with a time of 9.31; with her on the podium in second and third position were two climbers from Russia, Gaydamakina and Krasavina.
Sergey Abdrakhmanov won the Men's Speed competition in 6.37. He beat last years winner Libor Hroza and the gold medalist from four years ago China's Zhong Qixin.
Thoroughly impressed by feats of athleticism, strength and agility most of us then watched the fireworks and headed to the pub to celebrate today's bank holiday
