Final Boulder gold and Series title still up for grabs
The Salt Lake City finale is set up to be a cracker with not only a World Climbing Series win on the line, but the series overall title still very much up for grabs
Before the competition in the USA started, Great Britain’s Erin McNeice, Australia’s Oce Mackenzie and USA’s Annie Sanders were all in with a shot at the 2026 Boulder title, and all are still right in the thick of it.
When it comes to the competition win, France’s Oriane Bertone looks in fine form as she progresses to the final in first overall with 99.5pts and the only woman to top all for semis boulders.
After her round Bertone said: “It was very nice; I had a lot of fun and I felt good. I’m super happy to be back at comps as it’s been a few months. I love Salt Lake City, it’s one of my favourite comps and this venue is crazy, so good.”
Every woman that made it into the final topped boulders one and three, and everyone apart from second placed Melody Sekikawa topped boulder two, and most with a flash. The Japanese climber could only make the zone though so the pressure was on the fourth and final boulder, and one that up to that point no one could top.
With most not even making the zone, Sekikawa flew through the coordination moves to the top in her fourth attempt taking her tally to 84.3pts for her final place.
Teammate Anon Matsufuji also scored 84.3pts but was third due to countback to qualification. She started quickly in the semi with two flashes before struggling to tackle the tricky boulder four like nearly everyone else.
Two climbers in with a shot at the series title are in fourth and fifth. Sanders will hope the home crowd can propel her up the standings in the final, she progressed with 84.0pts in fourth. McNeice was fifth with 75.0pts and scored that with three flashes in the first three boulders, proving just how hard that fourth boulder was.
Israel’s Ayala Kerem was sixth on 74.9pts ahead of the third Japanese climber, Mao Nakamura, who was seventh, also on 74.9pts but placed lower due to countback. Nakamura won her first gold in Salt Lake City and will be hoping for a return to the top step in what will be a city that holds fond memories for her.
In eighth was Mackenzie who scored 74.7pts. The Aussie climber looked disappointed after boulder four where she failed to zone, but she now has an opportunity to add to her gold from Bern, and possibly the series title as the third climber in the final who could take that honour.
Although finishing in 11th overall, China’s Yuetong Zhang was the only climber alongside Bertone and Sekikawa to top boulder four, but zones in boulder one and three scuppered her chances of adding to the Asian games title she won just a few weeks ago.
Another impressive display on boulder four was Mexico’s María José Estrada. She was one of the few climbers to make the zone and it was a great way to finish her first semi-final at the world level, for her and her country: “I’m so happy because I’m the first woman from Mexico to make a semi-final at the World Climbing Series. I got a semi-final in Arco at the Youth Worlds and that was my first time, but here it was great to share information with all the girls who are so strong and I aspire to be like.”
Estrada finished in 22nd position, and there looks to be a bright future ahead for the 18-year-old.
RESULTS
Women's Boulder: https://wclmb.hopp.to/slc26wbr
NEXT UP
The women will close the competition, and Boulder series, with their final later this evening.
News and updates about the World Climbing Series Salt Lake City 2026 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, Bilibili, Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.
