Anraku Sorato, a seventeen-year-old Japanese sport climbing star, won the final boulder route at the IFSC World Cup in Salt Lake City on Saturday. This was his second career boulder World Cup win and added to his collection of five World Cup titles overall. Narasaki Meichi from Japan took home the silver medal, while Austrian veteran Jakob Schubert earned the bronze, marking his 11th in boulder competitions and 64th overall.
Anraku’s victory at Salt Lake City came after a successful year that included finishing with a silver medal in boulder at the same event last year and subsequently claiming his first boulder World Cup title in Innsbruck, Austria. With the support of an enthusiastic crowd, Anraku topped three of the four routes and made it to the zone on the fourth, securing his place at the top of the podium.
Reflecting on his win, Anraku shared his excitement and gratitude for the milestone in his training, highlighting how it gave him confidence as he looks ahead to future competitions. Despite feeling nervous and tense during the final boulder, Anraku’s determination and skill carried him through to success.
As for other events at Salt Lake City, home climbers Emma Hunt and Sam Watson were preparing for speed climbing competitions later that day. Watson aimed to defend his men’s world record set at 4.79 seconds in 2018. The women’s boulder competition was scheduled for Sunday, promising more thrilling action for fans and participants alike.
