World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 concludes successfully

On the evening of May 10, the three-day World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026 concluded at the Fenhu Culture and Sports Center in Wujiang District, Suzhou City of Jiangsu Province.

The competition featured two disciplines: lead and speed. A total of 223 athletes from 34 countries and regions took part in the intense contest, presenting audiences with a world-class climbing gala.

Top 3 in the men's speed event. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

After three days of fierce competition, China's young talent Zhao Yicheng broke the men's speed climbing world record he had just set at the Asian Sand Sports Games and claimed the championship. Long Jianguo from China and Samuel Watson from the United States took the second and third places in the men's speed event respectively.

In the women's speed event, Aleksandra Mirosław from Poland, neutral athlete Elizaveta Ivanova, and Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi from Indonesia won the gold, silver and bronze medals.

In the men's lead event, Suzuki Neo from Japan, Alberto Gines López from Spain, and Lee Do-hyun from the Republic of Korea claimed the top three spots.

In the women's lead event, Annie Sanders from the United States, Janja Garnbret from Slovenia, and Seo Chae-hyun from the Republic of Korea took the championship, runner-up and third place, respectively.

Led by the independent setup of the three disciplines of speed, lead and bouldering climbing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the development trend of competitive climbing across the globe has shown distinct features at the opening 2026 World Cup stops for lead and speed events.

More and more athletes are focusing on and striving for their specialized strong events; the competitive standard of speed climbing has become increasingly intense, with athletes collectively pushing the limits of speed; meanwhile, competitors across all events are getting younger and younger.

As the host of the Climbing World Cup for the 11th time, Wujiang relies on its renowned event brand and rich hosting experience to keep exploring innovation. It further promotes the integrated development of culture, business, sports and tourism in depth through the "Climbing +" model.

Every millisecond counts: Zhao Yicheng breaks world record again

Zhao Yicheng sets a new world record in the competition. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Since speed climbing became a standalone event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, competition in this discipline has reached a fever pitch, with new world records emerging constantly.

Seventeen-year-old Chinese teenage climber Zhao Yicheng made his debut at the senior World Cup. He previously set a world record of 4.58 seconds at the recent Asian Sand Sports Games. Only two weeks later, he smashed his own record with a time of 4.54 seconds, improving the result by 0.04 seconds.

As the opening stop of the speed climbing events at the World Climbing Series Wujiang 2026, the Wujiang leg saw not only new absolute speed records but also a substantial overall improvement in competitors' performance. In terms of qualification results, the 16th‑ranked female athlete who advanced to the final clocked 6.67 seconds, an improvement of 0.51 seconds from 7.18 seconds at last year's Seoul World Championships. For men, the 16th‑ranked final qualifier finished in 4.94 seconds, 0.13 seconds faster than the 5.07 seconds recorded at the World Championships.

China fielded 10 male and 10 female athletes for the event. Five men and six women qualified for the finals in the preliminary rounds, demonstrating China's collective strength in speed climbing. Several athletes also set personal bests during the competition.

Youth surge: Young talent step onto the top podium

In the lead final of this World Cup leg, apart from 27‑year‑old Janja Garnbret, all other male and female competitors were born in 2000 or later. In the women's lead final, 18‑year‑old American youngster Annie Sanders made a powerful leap in the final five seconds to score the same 43+ as Janja. She claimed the gold medal by virtue of topping the route in the semi‑final. Having narrowly missed gold in the bouldering final at the Keqiao leg, the climbing superstar Janja once again settled for silver, falling short of her 50th career World Cup title.

On the men's side, 21‑year‑old Neo Suzuki topped the route with 44+ as the first starter. He secured a dominant gold after all other athletes failed their attempts. Pre‑race favourites Tomone Yoshida and Yuto Anraku both scored 38+, narrowly missing the podium.

Annie Sanders takes her final leap in the final. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

China sent 7 male and 6 female athletes to compete in the lead events, all born after 2000. The oldest competitor, Pan Yufei, is only 25 years old. By letting young athletes compete against world‑class elites on home soil and use competitions as training, China can sharpen their competitive skills and effectively support dual preparations for this year's Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Among them, 18‑year‑old young athlete Hu Junzhe delivered an outstanding performance in the lead qualification and advanced to the semi‑finals.

Build a Model: 'Climbing+' unlocks possibilities for integrated development of sports, business and tourism

As the host of the Climbing World Cup for the 11th time, Fenhu in Wujiang sticks to the "Climbing plus" development model, setting a vivid example for the integrated development of sports, business and tourism.

During the event, a market was set up outside the stadium, featuring various climbing‑themed fun games, exquisite cultural and creative merchandise, as well as a wide range of snacks and delicacies. While watching the thrilling races, spectators can enjoy games, buy souvenirs and taste local food, greatly enriching their viewing experience.

Besides boosting consumption in cultural creation and catering through the market, Wujiang has launched a series of preferential packages titled "Tour Fenhu Along the Competition", covering sightseeing, accommodation, catering, study tours and cultural products. This encourages visitors to explore the charming water town of Fenhu and take a journey through past and present while enjoying the spectacular climbing matches.

Spectators line up to experience rock climbing at the market. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Since 2013, Wujiang has successfully hosted 11 editions of the Climbing World Cup, witnessing climbing evolve from a niche sport known to few into an emerging Olympic discipline. Over the years, Wujiang has continuously invested in climbing venue construction. The Fenhu Culture and Sports Center has been designated a training base for the Chinese National Climbing Team and repeatedly awarded the title of "National Outstanding Climbing Competition Host Region". Today, Fenhu has become a renowned destination for climbing, hosting countless breathtaking moments of pushing human limits and breaking world records, making positive contributions to the development of climbing in China and across the globe.

Climbing and Fenhu share a mutually inspiring bond. The spirit of courage, upward striving and perseverance embodied by climbing aligns with Fenhu's mission to forge ahead, set benchmarks and take the lead in demonstration reforms. In recent years, leveraging its prestigious event brand, Fenhu has seized opportunities brought by the national strategy of the Yangtze River Delta Integration. Building on its ecological green foundation and public sports theme, it has further integrated sports with tourism, culture and service industries, promoted mass sports participation, and strived to build a destination suitable for living, working and traveling. Dynamic Fenhu is showcasing a new look of integrated development with youthful vitality.

This leg of the event is hosted by the World Climbing Series, undertaken by the Mountaineering Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Chinese Mountaineering Association, Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau and the People's Government of Wujiang District, Suzhou, supported by Suzhou Municipal Sports Bureau, and co‑organized by the Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism of Wujiang District, Suzhou, and the Administrative Committee of Jiangsu Fenhu High‑tech Zone.