The 2022 IFSC World Cup Boulder Calendar has concluded, and CEC athletes have been productive. Thanks to increased contributions from the Government of Canada and from our corporate partner, Arc’Teryx, CEC has been able to financially support our team in ways not previously possible, such as the hiring of a full time National Coach, and the addition of accommodation and training support. And, boy, did our athletes respond!
Despite an auspicious start, due to the cancellation of the first event in Moscow, the 2022 WC Boulder season was one of quality and showcased much deeper strength in both the men’s and women’s fields.
@vladekzumr.com
CEC returned to competition in 2022 with full teams and hit the ground running in Meiringen, Switzerland. Madison Fischer set a high bar for the season with a very strong 9th place finish. Other Canadians were not far off the pace, foreshadowing good things to come.
@vladekzumr.com
Next up, in Seoul, Korea, the team kept rolling with both Sean McColl and Victor Baudrand climbing well and making the semi-finals. Victor’s 9th place finish meant Canada’s second top 10 of the young season. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined Madison Fischer for Seoul.
@vladekzumr.com
After Seoul, the circuit moved to North America for 2 stops in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the first event, Alannah Yip provided the spark finishing 10th, the third Canadian top 10 in 3 events. This marked a first for CEC: 3 top 10 finishes by 3 different athletes in the same discipline in one WC season. Guy McNamee also climbed into the semi-finals finishing 15th, making it 5 different Canadian semi-finalists in 3 competitions. Babette Roy narrowly missed cracking the top 30 at a WC for the first time with a strong 31st place finish.
@vladekzumr.com
In the second Salt Lake event, all 4 Canadian men cracked the top 40, with Oscar Baudrand finishing a season-high 31st. Sean McColl suffered a significant shoulder injury but still managed 37th. The team finished the season with 2 events in Europe. Although there were no more semi-finals for CEC athletes in either Brixen, Italy, or Innsbruck, Austria, our results were still convincedly strong.
@baudrand.media
With the country quota system changing for 2023, one of the primary team objectives for 2022 was to secure extra quota spots through achieving a top 40 World Ranking. Three CEC athletes accomplished this in Boulder, coupled with one narrow miss. Guy McNamee finished a heartbreaking 41st in the Boulder World Ranking (WR), one position out of securing an extra quota spot for 2023.
CEC Athletes Securing Extra Quota Spots for 2023 – Boulder
- Alannah Yip – WR 30
- Madison Fischer – WR 37
- Victor Baudrand – WR 32
CEC’s quota for Boulder events in 2023:
- Men – 2 base quota + 1 extra = 3
- Women – 2 base quota + 2 extra = 4
Other Boulder season stats:
- Season Semi-Finalists
- Madison Fischer – Meiringen
- Sean McColl – Seoul
- Victor Baudrand – Seoul
- Alannah Yip – Salt Lake City
- Guy McNamee – Salt Lake City
Country Rank Boulder – Canada
- Men – 10th
- Women – 14th
- Overall – 13th
Complete World Cup results can be found here: HP Results – Climbing Escalade Canada (climbingcanada.ca)
The Lead and Speed seasons are well under way and the early results are promising.
! GO CANADA GO !
