Cold presents new challenges in Gunsan
The World Climbing Para Series in South Korea kicked off with the temperature a talking point among athletes in qualification
Climbers mostly like the colder temperatures when it comes to competition time as the friction on the holds is better, but in Gunsan it presented a new way of thinking for the athletes.
Sitting on the coastline in South Korea, Gunsan hosted the fifth Para Series event of the year with a full day of qualification across the 17 sport classes.
B CLASSES
Great Britain’s Abigail Robinson is no stranger to tops, whether that is topping a route or topping qualification – in Gunsan, she has done both.
Sitting first going into the women’s B2 final, Robinson was happy after posting a top and hold 46 climbs from her two routes: “I enjoyed the qualification today. There were some fun moves, and it was going seeing everyone having to try hard.”
Enjoying the challenges of the routes, Robinson also commented on other challenges her and everyone else was facing: “It was pretty cold, and especially the first route today I noticed the cold. I’ll do everything I can now to manage the cold, so things like the timing of my warmup is very important as I don’t want to be too early and go cold or be too late and not have enough time to get on the wall.”
With Gunsan the fifth of six Para series in 2026, Robinson is excited for the future and is already looking ahead of what is come for Para climbing: “It’s really cool to see how much the sport is growing and we are getting more comps and having a bigger season. It’s exciting to see.
“I’ve planned out next season already to focus on Games qualification as that going to be the focus for everyone. There’s also a competition in the UK which is going to be brilliant, and it’s not far from where I live so I’m really excited to have one on home turf. That event will be a priority as the experience will be brilliant.”
Robinson will fight it out with Austria’s Linda Le Bon, USA’s Seneida Biendarra and Germany’s Luisa Grube in final tomorrow.
The men’s B2 will be Japan podium lock out with three climbers from the nation contesting the final. Fumiya Hamanoue is the one who leads the way in first.
Japan also has Sho Aita in a prime position for yet another medal in the men’s B1, but with Spain’s Francisco Javier Aguilar Amoedo the winner from Laval last time out also through to the final, the last route will be hotly contested.
Women’s B1 is led by Austria’s Lilli Marie Laschitz, with USA’s Hassan Mohammadi the top qualifier in the men’s B3,
AL & AU CLASSES
The AL1 class once again merges with the men and women competing as one group, and Austria’s Angelino Zeller is once again the climber to beat. Zeller leads the way ahead of teammate Markus Pösendorfer, Belgium’s Pavitra Vandenhoven and Japan’s Naohisa Hatakeyama.
In her first World Climbing Para Series event, China’s Yan Su is the top qualifier in the women’s AL2 ahead of strong climbers like Australia’s Sarah Larcombe, France’s Lucie Jarrige and USA’s Cail Soria while USA’s Ethan Zilz is the first of six climbers through to the men’s AL2 final.
The men’s AU2 qualification was led by USA’s Brian Zarzeula and will feature five climbers in the final after a tie for fourth between Zarzeula’s teammate Chris Brelsford and Chile’s Ignacio Martinez. France’s Solenne Piret is the top qualifier in women’s AU2 and Japan’s Nobuhiro Yasuraoka top in men’s AU3.
RP CLASSES
Australia’s Glen Todd moved into the final in the men’s RP1 and is taking the Gunsan one step at a time: “My qualification round went really well; I was really happy with how I climbed. I’m in third place and through finals so I’m happy. Getting through to finals is always the goal, and now the next goal is to podium.”
Germany’s Korbinian Franck and Norway’s Kim Rishaug are in first and second respectively in the class, and alongside fourth place Aloïs Pottier from France, all will be looking to adapt to the colder temperatures that Robinson alluded too. For Todd, it’s a pretty simple method: “It’s a bit cold so I’ll be wearing gloves and trying to keep my hands warm. That is the most important thing for me.”
Manikandan Kumar and Daniel Wiener moved through to the final in joint first men’s RP2 with the Indian and German climbers switching positions on each route. The final will be interesting to see if they, or the other two finalists, can claim the win.
Men’s RP3 is led by Japan’s Kazuhiko Yamashita while the women’s RP3 has Slovenia’s Pia Purkart at the top of the standings.
Netherlands’ Eva Mol was the best in both routes in the women’s RP1 class to progress in first and Austria’s Jasmin Plank did the same in women’s RP2 to show herself as the one to beat in the final.
Full results from Gunsan can be found here
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