The first IFSC Lead World Cup round of 2018 took place in Villars, Switzerland last weekend, alongside the 4th round of the 2018 IFSC Speed World Cup. Team GB was represented by William Bosi (33rd), Jim Pope (52nd) and Emily Phillips (49th).

IFSC Climbing Worldcup (L,S) - Villars (SUI) 2018

Janja Garnbret of Slovenia and Austria's Jakob Schubert finished the 2017 Lead season in Kranj with gold medals, and both star athletes picked up where they left off on Saturday night. The men's final route curved across the wall, and most athletes took advantage of a heel-hook rest before attacking large pinches defending the headwall. 2017 runner-up Stefano Ghisolfi (ITA) began the round by climbing into the first technical moves of the final section for a provisional lead. Reigning Combined season champion Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) matched the score for a Bronze medal on countback to qualifications. Romain Desgranges dominated the static moves preceding the final lunge, and Schubert fell leaping to the same high point to win the event on countback to semi-finals.

The women's final featured dynamic moves halfway up the wall, followed by precise positioning on tiny crimps leading into the upper panel. Manon Hily (FRA) set the high point in her first IFSC World Cup final before three athletes reached higher. Jain Kim (KOR) executed a figure four to surpass the dynamic section and fall at the final crimp, controlled by Jessica Pilz (AUT) for Bronze. The final athlete to climb in Villars, Janja Garnbret, completed a 180 degree spin, dangling by one arm, followed by a campus move. The 2017 Lead and Combined season champion calmly chalked-up amidst the challenging crimps in the last section and fell below the Top for the victory.

Anouck Jaubert and Aleksandr Shikov took Gold in the speed events.

The 2nd Lead and 5th Speed events of the 2018 season will take place in Chamonix, France, on July 11th -13th.