The World Climbing Para Series continues in Laval, France, on 28 and 29 August, bringing 248 athletes from 29 nations and three continents to the third event of the 2026 season.

Ninety-eight women and 150 men are registered to compete across 19 sport classes. The AL1 class will feature women and men competing together.

Laval previously hosted the season-closing Para Climbing World Cup in October 2025. This year, it forms part of a five-stop World Climbing Para Series – the highest number of international Para Climbing events ever held in a single season. Following events in Salt Lake City, USA, and Innsbruck, Austria, the Series will conclude with an Asian double-header in Gunsan, South Korea, and Fukuoka, Japan, later this year.

BARENDRECHT READY TO ENJOY THE COMPETITION

Among the athletes in Laval is Netherlands’ Jamie Barendrecht, who took silver in the season-opening event in Salt Lake City before finishing sixth in Innsbruck.

“I think the season has gone pretty well so far,” Barendrecht said. “I worked incredibly hard towards the first World Series event in Salt Lake City and basically trained for it throughout the winter. I was super happy with silver, even though I felt gold could have been possible too.

“Innsbruck wasn't a good competition for me personally. I finished sixth, which was actually my worst result so far. I had some things going on at home at the time, and I simply wasn't as focused as I needed to be.”

The Dutch athlete arrives in France with a new perspective, using the event as an important step towards his next planned peak at the Asian competitions in October and November.

“I’m coming into Laval with a slightly different mindset,” he said. “I just want to enjoy competing, climb well and show what I can do. I have been climbing consistently at the new National Training Centre we have in the Netherlands, but at the same time I haven't been focused specifically on training, if that makes sense.”

“THE KIDS ARE COMING AND TAKING OVER!”

Barendrecht, who has been a regular podium finisher since making his international debut in 2021, said the level of competition in men’s RP3 has risen significantly.

“Yes, definitely. The level in RP3 has become incredibly high,” he said. “We now have athletes who can onsight around 8a+ or even 8b, which is simply impossible for me personally because of my impairment and because I don't have that kind of strength. So the athletic level is really impressive.

“The kids are coming and taking over! And that's a good development!”

HOME FAVOURITES READY FOR LAVAL

The French home team will feature multiple-time medallist Lucie Jarrige in women’s AL2, alongside Antoine Keodara in men’s RP3. Keodara claimed gold in Innsbruck and will make only his second appearance at international level in Laval.

NEXT UP

The World Climbing Para Series Laval 2026 begins on Friday, 28 August, with qualification rounds starting at 08:00 (UTC+2). The first set of seven finals will follow at 20:00. The remaining 12 finals will conclude the programme on Saturday, 29 August, from 20:30. Both finals rounds will be livestreamed on the World Climbing YouTube channel.

News and updates about all World Climbing events will be available on the World Climbing website, and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.