IFSC Climbing World Cup 2023 Wujiang: Preview, full schedule, and how to watch
The season final competition for the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) lead and speed disciplines will take place in Wujiang, People's Republic of China later this week.
Sport Climbing
The final competition of the IFSC Climbing World Cup will take place this weekend (22-24 September) in Wujiang, China, with individual titles in the lead and speed disciplines on the line.
But that's not all!
Athletes will also have the opportunity to earn ranking points that count towards invitations to the Olympic Qualifier Series, which represents the final opportunity to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
- Watch: IFSC Climbing World Cup (Lead & Speed) - Wujiang
- Read: How to qualify for sport climbing (speed) at Paris 2024
Find out everything you need to know about the event, including the athletes you need to watch out for, below.
When and where will the sport climbing World Cup 2023 Wujiang take place
The competition will take place in Wuijang, China.
The action begins on Friday 22 September with the qualification rounds for both men and women in both disciplines, with the speed finals taking place on Saturday 23 September and the lead finals closing the competition on Sunday 24 September.
Athletes to watch at IFSC Climbing World Cup in Wujiang
Speed - Women
Natalia Kałucka (POL) currently holds a 165-point lead over reigning world champion Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (INA); Kalucka, who claimed the world title in 2021, won her first event of the season in Villars, Switzerland in July, vaulting her to the top of the leaderboard.
Two-time world champion and world record holder Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL), who secured a quota spot for Paris 2024 at the IFSC Speed European Qualifier Rome 2023 earlier this month, won the first three events of the 2023 World Cup in Seoul, Jakarta and Salt Lake City, but did not compete at the last two events.
Speed - Men
Veddriq Leonardo (INA) is the only climber in the men's field to have won two events of the Speed World Cup 2023 (Seoul, Salt Lake City), and holds a commanding 610 point over Wu Peng (CHN) in second place. Long Jianguo (CHN) is in third.
Lead - Women
Eight-time world champion and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Janja Garnbret (SLO) is poised to add the 2023 World Cup title to her astounding CV; the 24-year-old has won all three of the events she has participated in, and is in first place with 3000 points, despite missing two events on the schedule. Her compatriot Vita Lukan is in second place with 2630 points; Jessica Pilz (AUT) and Seo Chae-hyun (KOR) are tied for third with 2430 points
Lead - Men
Sorato Anraku (JPN) picked up event winsat the last two stops on the World Cup schedule (Briancon and Koper) to move into first place overall ahead of 2023 world championship bronze medallist Alexander Megos (GER). Tony Roberts (GBR) is in third place with 2440 points.
2023 Sport Climbing World Cup in Wujiang: Schedule
All times are in UTC+8
Friday 22 September
- 9:00 Lead Qualifications
- 17:00 Speed Qualifications
Saturday 23 September
- 15:00 Lead Semi-Finals
- 19:30 Speed Finals
Sunday 24 September
- 19:00 Lead Finals
*Schedule subject to change
How to watch the Sport Climbing World Cup 2023 action from Wujiang
Live coverage of the action is available on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com (territorial restrictions may apply).
It will also available via International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) partner broadcasters and their YouTube Channel.