A closed-doors Rab CWIF took place over the weekend and the lack of a crowd certainly didn't mean any lack of competition. In the men's event, international competitors stole the show with Yoshiyuki Ogata (JPN) taking the top spot, closely followed by Jan Hojer (GER) and Nathaniel Coleman (USA). The women's final was dominated by Brits and Molly Thompson-Smith topped the podium with the only top on the final problem.
The women's final went all the way to the wire with Molly Thompson-Smith (GBR), Holly Toothill (GBR) and Brooke Raboutou (USA) all needing to top the final problem. Thompson-Smith topped the problem in two attempts and Toothill and Raboutou were unable to match her efforts.
Brits Nathan Phillips, Billy Ridal and Jim Pope came into the final in three of the top four spots. Billy Ridal started particularly well with a flash of the first problem and a tough set of problems meant there wasn't a great deal separating the field. Ultimately, Yoshiyuki Ogata from Japan took the win but was only separated from Jan Hojer on Zone holds.
The Coronavirus wasn't the only different aspect of the competition; 2020 is obviously the Olympic year and there were several Olympians there presumably with one eye on the setting style of Head Setter Percy Bishton.
Yoshiyuki Ogata nails the coordination move on the final boulder problem of #CWIF2020 to seal a top pic.twitter.com/5cbZfiaAgs
— The Climbing Works (@ClimbingWorks) March 15, 2020
© The Climbing Works
© The Climbing Works
Watch a replay of the final here:
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