The long wait for one of the sporting highlights in South Tyrol this year has come to an end. On Friday, 9 June, the Boulder World Cup in the Vertikale in Bressanone will start with the qualifications. The long weekend dedicated to climbing will start on Thursday evening at 20:00 with the Italian premiere of the film festival “REEL ROCK 17”.
Bressanone is ready. Ready for some 200 climbers from 45 different countries who will rock the Vertikale this weekend in front of 2,000 expected spectators daily. First of all, Olympic, World and European champions must get through the qualifying rounds, which will take place on Friday, 9 June from 9:00 to 13:30 for the women and from 16:00 to the end at 21:00 for the men, with free entry. On Saturday, 10 June, between 11:00 and 13:15 the top female climbers will compete in the semi-finals, before the final, which starts at 20:00, will determine World Cup victory hopes. The Boulder World Cup in Bressanone concludes on Sunday, 11 June, with the same programme, but this time with the world’s best male climbers.
Numerous top stars of the scene have announced their participation in this top-class event. Olympic champion Alberto Ginés López from Spain will also be taking part, as will multiple world champion Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic. Also at the start will be both of last year’s podiums: In the men’s race, winner Yannick Flohé from Germany, runner-up Maximilian Milne from Great Britain and third placed Tomoa Narasaki from Japan, as well as the women’s race winner Natalia Grossman (USA), Hannah Meul from Germany and Zhilu Luo from China. Italy’s national team will arrive with 13 athletes, including the two South Tyrolean local athletes Michael Piccolruaz and Filip Schenk, both from Val Gardena.
Route builders at work since Monday
“We have a top-class field of participants and are immensely looking forward to the second edition of the Boulder World Cup here in Bressanone. Preparations have largely been completed, now it’s all about the fine-tuning. The route builders have been in action since Monday. They are the ones who will present the top climbers with their difficult challenges. Everything is also going according to plan, and we can hardly wait for everything to start,” Ralf Preindl (OC President) and Alexandra Ladurner (Sporting Director) from the organising Alpine Club South Tyrol said.
The big climbing festival in the former bishop’s residence began on 2 June with a lively concert with the well-known Austrian singer-songwriter Hubert von Goisern. The remaining supporting programme is also something special. The Italian premiere of “REEL ROCK 17” is scheduled for Thursday evening, 8 June from 20:00, during which the world’s best climbing films will be shown. After the qualifying rounds on Friday evening (9 June) with free entry, the live band “Spremuta” will ensure a party atmosphere, while on Saturday, 10 June “Shanty Powa” and a DJ will bring the Vertikale to life.
Tickets for the World Cup and the supporting programme are available at https://climbingfestival-brixen.it/tickets/
