UKC

IFSC livestream commentator Charlie Boscoe looks ahead to the upcoming IFSC Lead World Cup season, with some analysis of the Boulder World Cup Circuit past. Who can keep the momentum going and rack up the ranking points for Olympic qualification? Stay tuned for post-event reports and Olympic content from Charlie as the season progresses...

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Good article, Charlie. Who do you think will come through in the top spots in the Olympic qualifying event in Tokyo? In particular, will any stars from speed make it into the finals or will it be dominated by the names we all know from the top of the lead and bouldering comps? Combined is a very different animal from the individual disciplines, particularly if you have to do everything in a compressed timeframe, so it should be interesting to see. Look forward to your analysis. 

In reply to Rad:

Hey. It's super hard to predict who'll go well in Hachioji but I'm expecting Janja, Jessie, Akiyo and maybe Petra to get through, with Fanny and possibly Miho/Futaba as well. On the men's I think Jakob, Adam, Jan and Tomoa will likely make it through but after them it could be anyone! 

I'd be surprised if we see any "specialist" speed climbers qualify for the Olympics via Hachioji, but by the time we get to Tokyo 2020 I think Anouck Jaubert and Anna Tsyganova might have made it somewhere along the Qualification Pathway. I've written an article about the Olympic qualification system which will be appearing UKC soon.

Whatever happens, I think Hachioji will be epic - there's never been a comp with so much at stake. Psyched!

Thanks. Look forward to reading your article when it comes out. I'm hoping veteran Sean McColl will qualify, though perhaps it won't happen in this first event.

Will you be announcing in Hachioji?

In reply to Rad:

Yep. Wouldn't miss it!

In reply to Charlie Boscoe:

You are only going for that sushi place near the venue

In reply to UKC News:

What's happening to the world champs. They used to be every two years but we have another this year.

In reply to Graeme Alderson:

Shhhh! Don't tell anyone about that place, we need to keep it as the secret haven for IFSC crew!

In reply to becauseitsthere:

They've been switched from even years to odd years so that they don't clash with the Olympics.