The World Climbing Europe Series stopped at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, for a Speed competition on 17 July, ahead of the Boulder Championship that took place that same weekend, at the same venue.
Spain’s depth in the discipline was on full display, with five women and five men reaching the round of 16. Carla Martínez Vidal delivered the home victory in the women’s event, while Ukraine’s Hryhorii Ilchyshyn claimed men’s gold with the fastest time of the day.
MARTÍNEZ VIDAL DELIVERS FOR THE HOME CROWD
Martínez Vidal clocked two races in the 6.6-second range—6.62 in the opening round and 6.62 in the quarter-final—before following up with two more solid sub-seven climbs to secure the title. She first defeated Germany’s Nele Thomas in the semi-final, stopping the clock at 6.85, then prevailed over Ukraine’s Kseniia Horielova in the gold-medal race, hitting the finish pad in 6.74 to her rival’s 7.20.
In the bronze-medal race, Poland’s Magdalena Blachnicka slipped and fell, allowing Thomas to take bronze in 7.58.
For the women’s Speed complete results click here.