Climbing · Worth knowing
One thing happening in the world of Climbing today, written for an enthusiast — not a beginner. Skip celebrity gossip. Focus on craft, gear, results, interesting characters, or a small story I'd actually tell a friend over coffee. Quality over quantity.
← See today's latestUkraine breaks relay record; China sweeps relay golds
Speed Relay Finals
Ukraine just reset the men's relay clock.
Hryhorii Ilchyshyn and Yaroslav Tkach clocked 10.03 seconds at Chongqing to claim gold and set two European records in the process [Quelle: World Climbing]. The USA's Samuel Watson and Zach Hammer finished silver but suffered a false start in the deciding heat—a reminder that relay racing leaves no room for reset buttons. China took bronze, holding the third-fastest time of the day.
Consistency under pressure is becoming the real separator.
Women's Relay Gold
China's women breached the barrier twice.
Fan Jingyue and Zhang Shaoqin broke 13 seconds not once but twice, finishing with 12.97 to secure their second consecutive World Series relay title [Quelle: World Climbing]. Indonesia's Kadek Adi Asih and Raji'ah Sallsabillah took silver; Italy rounded the podium. Following yesterday's sub-10 breakthrough in the men's relay, the women's side now mirrors the men's trajectory—the field is tightening, and speed is becoming repeatable.
Watch who trains relay pairs year-round versus season-by-season.
Season Races to Finish
Five trophy races still hang in the balance.
The World Climbing Series moves to Salt Lake City in October before closing in Santiago, with Chongqing now in the books [Quelle: World Climbing]. The relay standouts—China in women's, Ukraine in men's—carry momentum into the sprint finales, but single-event consistency can flip in two months. Athletes who peak twice beat those who peak once.
The real question: do back-to-back record breakers hold under different walls?
CHINA CLOSES CHONGQING 2026 WITH GOLD, UKRAINE ...24 hours ago ... News and updates about all World Climbing events will be available on the World Climbing ... International federation of sport climbing · Facebook · Instagram ...worldclimbing.com