After making a stellar comeback in Innsbruck, Austria, following a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the best paraclimbers in the world gathered once again in Briançon, France, where the second IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup of the 2021 season took place, today.

A total of 83 athletes, representing 14 countries and battling in nine sport classes, alternated on the historic wall standing at the center of the Parc Des Sports, in Briançon.

As usual, the program opened with the finals of the blind classes, climbing in the surreal silence that is typically required so that athletes can carefully listen to their guides’ instructions. The men’s B3 event saw two Romanian climbers take the top two positions, with reigning World Champion Cosmin Florian Candoi securing gold, and Razvan Nedun winning silver. The podium was completed by Italy’s Simone Salvagnin, who finished in third place.

Full results for the men’s B3 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Cosmin Florian Candoi (ROU)
• Razvan Nedun (ROU)
• Simone Salvagnin (ITA)

In the women’s B3 class, then, Austria’s Edith Scheinecker doubled the gold she won three weeks ago in Innsbruck. Michelle Corti of Italy and Tanja Glusic of Slovenia also placed on the podium, winning silver and bronze respectively.

Full results for the women’s B3 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Edith Scheinecker (AUT)
• Michelle Corti (ITA)
• Tanja Glusic (SLO)

Competing on home soil, French athlete Thierry Delarue also matched his result at this year’s first Paraclimbing competition, finishing in first place in the men’s AL2 class with a slight margin on Spain’s Urko Carmona Barandiran – 49+ against 46. Another Spanish athlete – Iván Germán Pascual – placed on the third step of the podium and won bronze.

Full results for the men’s AL2 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Thierry Delarue (FRA)
• Urko Carmona Barandiaran (ESP)
• Iván Germán Pascual (ESP)

A full range of RP classes closed tonight’s program, with three events per gender being contested.

Angelino Zeller of Austria took his second gold of the season in the men’s RP1 class, besting Germany’s Korbinian Franck and Sebastian Depke. Both Zeller and Franck had already won a medal at the IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup in Innsbruck, while it is the first medal of 2021 for Depke – Chair and Athletes’ Representative of the IFSC Paraclimbing Committee.

Full results for the men’s RP1 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Angelino Zeller (AUT)
• Korbinan Franck (GER)
• Sebastian Depke (GER)

In the men’s RP2 class, what was probably one of the most anticipated duels eventually came down to the wire: both France’s Bastien Thomas and Israel’s Mor Michael Sapir, in fact,  topped the final route, and with both climbers paired at the end of qualification, Thomas won gold for clipping the highest quickdraw in a shorter time. The bronze medal went to Kevin Bartke of  Germany.

Full results for the men’s RP2 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Bastien Thomas (FRA)
• Mor Michael Sapir (ISR)
• Kevin Bartke (GER)

Similarly, in the men’s RP3 class, Romain Paignoux and Mathieu Besnard – both representing France – finished with a top, although, in this case, the gold went to Paignoux, who had a better placement in the qualification round. Besnard, gold medalist in Innsbruck, placed second, with Iman Edrisi of Iran concluding in third position.

Full results for the men’s RP3 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Romain Paignoux (FRA)
• Mathieu Besnard (FRA)
• Iman Edrisi (IRI)

Belgian athlete Pavitra Vandenhoven ruled the women’s RP1 class, winning her second gold medal of the season, and preceding Eva Mol of the Netherlands and Marta Peche Salinero of Spain, respectively silver and bronze medalist.

Full results for the women’s RP1 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Pavitra Vandenhoven (BEL)
• Eva Mol (NED)
• Marta Peche Salinero (ESP)

The fourth gold medal won by the French national team was signed by multi-decorated athlete Solenne Piret – 2019 IFSC World Champion in Briançon – who secured her second consecutive gold of the season. The podium was completed by Eva Mol of the Netherlands, who placed second, and Lucia Capovilla, who finished third.

Full results for the women’s RP2 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Solenne Piret (FRA)
• Jasmin Plank (AUT)
• Lucia Capovilla (ITA)

The women’s RP3 class, finally, saw the Netherlands secure their first and only gold of the competition thanks to Christiane Luttikhuizen’s effort. The young Dutch athlete, who won silver previously this year, sealed her first position with a top, besting silver medal winner Lucie Jarrige of France, and bronze medal winner Elisa Martin of Italy.

Full results for the women’s RP3 sport class can be found here, with the podium lineup including:

• Christiane Luttikhuizen (NED)
• Lucie Jarrige (FRA)
• Elisa Martin (ITA)

The third and final Paraclimbing World Cup of the 2021 season will take place in Los Angeles, USA, on 9 and 10 October, while the pinnacle of the Paraclimbing season will be the IFSC Paraclimbing World Championship, scheduled in Moscow, Russia, from 15 to 22 September.

Finally, this Saturday and Sunday, the Parc Des Sports in Briançon will host the fourth Lead competition of the 2021 IFSC World Cup Series. News and updates about all IFSC competitions are available on the IFSC website and on its social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.