Garnbret and Tri Ramadani top Lead semi-finals, Suzuki secures Series title
Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret maintained her perfect record in Santiago, while Chile’s Martina Castro set a new national record
The finalists are set at the World Climbing Series Santiago 2026 after an eventful pair of Lead semi-finals, with Janja Garnbret of Slovenia and Indonesia’s Putra Tri Ramadani finishing at the top of their respective fields.
Suzuki Neo of Japan also achieved a significant milestone, mathematically securing the men’s Lead Series title by advancing to the final.
GARNBRET LEADS THREE SLOVENIANS INTO THE FINAL
Janja Garnbret once again proved untouchable in Santiago, topping the women’s semi-final standings with a score of 49+. Having also finished first in qualification, the Slovenian will enter the final as the climber to beat.
Her compatriot Rosa Rekar finished second with 48, edging Italy’s Laura Rogora, who scored the same total. Rekar secured the higher position thanks to her better result in the previous round, completing a strong day for the Slovenian team.
Slovenia will have three representatives in the final, with Lucka Rakovec also progressing after finishing fifth with 41+.
Belgium’s Heloïse Doumont, Japan’s Nakagawa Ryu and USA’s Ella Fisher also secured their places in the top eight. Fisher will compete in the second Lead final of her career, following her previous appearance in Prague, Czechia, last June.
Completing the line-up is Czechia’s Tereza Siruckova, who will make her first-ever Lead final appearance at the age of 23.
CASTRO SETS NEW CHILEAN RECORD
Although home favourite Martina Castro narrowly missed out on the final, finishing 10th with 35+, the Chilean climber still made history in front of her home crowd.
Her result represents the best-ever placement by a Chilean athlete in the women’s Lead competition at this level, setting a new national benchmark and giving the local fans another reason to celebrate.
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RAMADANI TOPS A TIGHT MEN’S SEMI-FINAL
The men’s Lead semi-final delivered one of the closest rounds of the season, with 11 climbers finishing within just three moves of one another.
The battle for the final positions was particularly tight, as the climbers ranked third through eighth all scored 31+ and were separated by their qualification results.
Indonesia’s Putra Tri Ramadani claimed first place, continuing the momentum that saw him win gold in Prague earlier this season. That victory made him the first Indonesian climber to win a World Climbing Series gold medal in a discipline other than Speed, marking a historic achievement for his country.
Suzuki Neo followed in second place with 32+, confirming his place in the final and mathematically winning the men’s Lead Series Ranking presented by Euroholds. The Japanese climber, already a three-time Lead gold medallist in 2026, has been rewarded for his consistency throughout the season.
By claiming the overall crown, Suzuki becomes the fourth Japanese climber to win the Lead Series title, following Hirayama Yuji, Amma Sachi and Anraku Sorato.
Behind the top two, Spain’s Alberto Ginés López finished third, followed by Switzerland’s Jonas Utelli in fourth and France’s Sam Avezou in fifth. Japan’s Anraku Sorato, Hamada Ryusei and Yoshida Satone completed the final eight.
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NEXT UP
With the finalists confirmed, the stage is set for the last Lead medal battles of the 2026 World Climbing Series. Garnbret will aim to convert another top qualification and semi-final performance into gold, while Ramadani and Suzuki will headline a closely matched men’s final.
For the home crowd, Castro’s record-breaking performance has already provided a memorable highlight, while the finalists will now have one last opportunity to make their mark in Santiago.
NEXT UP
With the World Climbing Series 2026 wrapped up in Santiago, two international events remain on the calendar: the World Climbing Para Series Gunsan 2026, taking place from 29 to 30 October, and the World Climbing Para Series Fukuoka 2026, scheduled for 5 to 6 November.
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.
