Climbing · Worth knowing

Amélie Kägi of Switzerland and Nakata Kazuki of Japan won the Under 17 Boulder gold medals at the World Climbing Youth Championship in Arco, Italy. Kägi secured her third gold of the season by narrowly defeating China's Tan Youtian 84.1 to 83.9 points, with both athletes topping the opening three boulders. Nakata completed a Lead and Boulder double by topping all four boulders with 99.3 points, extending his winning streak with confidence that grew throughout the final round. Japan's Saiki Taketo took silver in Boulder with 74.7 points, claiming his second medal at the event.

USA Climbing will host the World Climbing Series Boulder World Cup at Salt Lake City's Smith's Ballpark from October 16-18, 2026, marking the first time the historic baseball stadium will host a climbing competition. The event will feature top international athletes including Paris 2024 Olympians Brooke Raboutou and Colin Duffy, along with Annie Sanders, one of the dominant climbers this season. Spectator tickets start at $15, with presales for USA Climbing members beginning July 31, 2026.

At the World Climbing Youth Championship in Arco 2026, climber Ene (Maya) was awarded the "Good Vibes for Luce" trophy, a prize recognizing the spirit of fairplay, combativeness, and style. The award, established by the parents of Luce Douady—a young French climber who tragically died in 2020 at age 16—is given at selected youth competitions to climbers demonstrating exceptional attitude and perseverance. Ene was chosen by a committee including Luce's family and notable climbers for her powerful climbing paired with enthusiasm and relentless determination across the U17 Boulder competition.