Keith Sharples from Keith Sharples Photography was on hand to capture the action for UKClimbing.com.
Sunday was finals day...
The top-placed twenty men and women from Saturday's qualification round got the invite to come back for a second day of Cliffhanger competition.
In the guys comp Alex Rubtsov, Thomas Caleyron and Kilian Fischhuber were top-placed in the semi's whilst for Team GBR Ned Feehally, John Partridge and Stewart Watson were flying the colours. Nigel Callendar was also on-board for the Emerald Island. In the women's competition, Alex Puccio, Akiyo Noguchi and Juliane Wurm placed 1st through 3rd in the semi's but there was a strong GBR contingent too with Dianne Merrick, Shauna Coxsey, Mina Leslie-Wujastyk, Leah Crane, Katy Whittaker and Gill Peet all in the mix.
Whilst qualification had been all about crimping and cranking along with some rock-over and groove action, the semi's and finals were all about volumes. Not the fridge-hugger type but the smaller, slopey versions both moulded and wood-based. One problem even featured two woodies – back to back – save a flared slot betwixt the two; a jamming paradise!
No Brits in the final, but oh-so close...
Despite strong performances from some seasoned GBR competitors none of our athletes made the final.
Sadly, both Ned Feehally and Diane Merrick placed seventh and just missed the final cut by a single placing! John Partridge and Stewart Watson placed 10th and 11th respectively. In the women's comp Diane was joined in the top dozen-placed Brits by Shauna Coxsey (8th) Mina Leslie-Wujastyk (10th) and Leah Crane (11th).
The final was even more about volumes – these clearly being the route-setters weapon of choice! As is often the case they devised some cunning problems not least one of the men's problem which even featured a running jump start!
Who got on the podium?
Kilian Fischhuber topped the placings in the men's comp with Cedric Lachat coming 2nd and Alexey Rubtsov 3rd. Interestingly, Lachat climbed out of his boots to get second place having finished in 6th in the semi's. Daniel Woods form the USA placed 4th. Akiyo Noguchi from Japan impressed many with her incredibly tenacity to place 1st. The rest of the women weren't quite so consistent and many saw a reversal of fortunes. Melissa le Neve finished in 2nd up from 4th in the semi's though Alex Puccio slipped back into 3rd place from her 1st place in the semi's despite some pretty burly pulling on at least one bloc.
- For Full Results visit the IFSC Website
Photo Gallery - Sheffield Bouldering World Cup 2011:
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