Mejdi Schalck, Nonaka Miho win boulder titles at rain-hit Seoul World Cup 2023
With finals cancelled due to a weather-enforced change in schedule, Frenchman Schalk and Olympic silver medallist Nonaka top the semi-final standings to claim IFSC Climbing World Cup boulder wins in the Republic of Korea.
Sport Climbing
The rain couldn't stop Mejdi Schalck from claiming a second straight title in the 2023 IFSC Climbing World Cup (Boulder) on Sunday (30 April).
Frenchman Schalck and women's boulder champion Nonaka Miho of Japan each had to contend with an expanded field of 19 others contesting the medals at the World Cup stop in Seoul, Republic of Korea, after the semi-finals were given final round status due to a change in schedule.
With Saturday's schedule having been affected by a heavy thunderstorm, Sunday's planned finals were cancelled with the 20 semi-finalists in each event duking it out for a spot on the podium.
Even as the rain continued intermittently throughout Sunday's semi-finals, Schalck led the way for the men, securing two tops and three zones (2t3z 2 7) to add to his win last week in Hachioji, Japan.
As it was officially a semi-finals round, Schalck was not able to see his score while he was competing – but said afterwards he realised he had won gold after his third boulder when he saw his coaches celebrating.
"At the beginning I didn't know, but when I saw all my coaches and my team looking at me (fist-pumping) 'it's a win', I knew when I went back to the isolation (room)," he told the IFSC in the post-event interview.
Japan's Narasaki Tomoa (2t3z 6 10) won silver, with the local fans celebrating a home bronze through Chon Jongwon (2t2z 2 2).
Meanwhile, Nonaka – the Tokyo 2020 combined silver medallist – took her first Boulder World Cup win since 2018. While she took an incredible 22 attempts, no-one could match her two tops and three zones (2t3z 20 22).
"I'm delighted to win this gold medal, I don't know what to say – I've competed for so long and it's been five years since I last won at the bouldering World Cup," a grinning Nonaka said in her post-win comments to the IFSC.
Unlike Schalck, Nonaka had a nervous wait to see if she would win gold, as the last climber Ayala Kerem of Israel could have overtaken her with a top on her last boulder. However, the Israeli climber was unable to displace the Japanese.
France's Oriane Bertone (2t2z 4 3) eked out Brooke Raboutou of the USA (2t2z 10 7) for the silver medal, with the American taking bronze.