Two-time World Cup lead champion Sachi Amma, of Japan, climbed the second ascent of Tinipi (5.15a) on Borneo’s Mt. Kinabalu on May 16. One week after Amma left the island, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake toppled the Donkey Ears formation, taking the famed route with it.
Six days, 41 pitches and one “Monster Offwidth” later, Emily Harrington stood on the summit of El Capitan. She had free-climbed Golden Gate (5.13 VI), leading every pitch, while her boyfriend, Adrian Ballinger, jumared up behind her.
The Vail World Cup, at the GoPro Mountain Games, is the only IFSC World Cup event in the United States. America’s best boulderers will be out in full force, defending their home turf.
Between the two North American World Cup bouldering competitions, Adam Ondra took a break from the plastic to try some of Colorado’s outdoor test-pieces. In Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park, Ondra sent White Noise (V14/15) after three or four attempts and made easy work of Bear Toss (V13) with a flash. [Photo: @tchadx]
Anna Stöhr, 21-time World Cup gold medalist from Austria, added another gold to her collection.
On May 27, Tyler, a 22-year-old from Colorado, died in yet another tragic rappelling accident after taking an over 200-foot fall on the Nose of El Capitan.
Last year in Toronto, Guillaume Glairon Mondet of France surprised the audience with a complete turnaround from punting the first two men’s final problems to taking the gold. The IFSC World Cup will be returning to Toronto, Canada, this weekend, May 30 and 31, for another exciting showdown.
The second Memorial Tito Traversa Boulder Cup will be held in Ivrea, Italy, on June 13 and 14 to remember Tito Traversa, a talented Italian youth climber who died in a tragic climbing accident in July 2013 at the age of 12.