Ice Climbing World Championships 2017 Results

An international spectacle held here in La Plagne

featured in Events reviews Author Stuart Hamilton, La Plagne Reporter Updated 16 January 2018

The biennial Ice Climbing World Championships were held in Champagny-en-Vanoise over the weekend, despite relentless blizzards which have pounded the region for the last three days.

110 of the world’s top climbers competed for the spoils on Champagny’s famed Ice Tower, a towering 25m ice monolith located in the small satellite village of Champagny le Haut, 5km outside the main village.

The event comprises two disciplines: Speed, a winner-takes-all dash to the top battle where climbers go head to head - and Lead, a test of endurance and skill where the emphasis is on the climber’s control. As expected, the Russians dominated the Speed events with Maria Tolokonina taking top spot in the Women’s and Pavel Batushev winning the Men’s. However they would have to settle for third in the Lead competitions despite a number of climbers making the top eight.

Victory in the Women’s Lead was snatched by Korea’s Woonseon Shin with Italy’s Angelika Rainer coming second. Russia’s Maria Tolokonina came third – an impressive performance considering she’d placed top in the Speed event earlier that morning.

The Men’s Lead was dominated by HeeYong Park closely contested by Yannick Glatthard of Switzerland with Russia’s Nikolai Kuzovlev coming third. Full results from the weekend are listed below and videos of the Championships can be seen on the UIAA official YouTube channel (see video below).

The Champagny Ice Tower will also play host to the World Youth Championships this weekend coming, on February 10th - 11th.

Women’s Lead