USA Secures 14 Medals at Para Climbing World Cup Salt Lake City 2025

This week, 171 athletes representing 24 countries traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah to compete in the IFSC Para Climbing World Cup, hosted at Momentum Indoor Climbing Fort Union. Among those were 68 US athletes, 21 of whom advanced to Finals. Team USA ultimately won 14 medals at the event and secured the overall combined team ranking.

Full results from the 2025 IFSC Para Climbing World Cup can be found here. You can rewatch the Finals round on the IFSC YouTube Channel.

Team Ranking:

United States (USA)
Japan (JPN)
Germany (GER)

WRP3: Vorel Becomes 3x Consecutive Gold Medalist 

Nat Vorel took Gold for the third time in a row with 40 points. Having also placed first in the Qualification round, Vorel didn’t shock the audience much when they easily pulled off a campus swing at the crux, before falling at the second to last hold while attempting a bump.

WRP3 Podium:

Nat Vorel (USA)
Momoko Yoshida (JPN)
Marina Dias (BRA)

MRP2: Butler Takes First Gold by One Positive Motion Point

Brayden Butler took his first Gold with a score of 46+. This being his eighth Para World Cup, Butler performed calmly despite tying for third in the Qualification round.

MRP2 Podium:

Brayden Butler (USA)
Manikandan Kumar (IND)
Philipp Hrozek (GER)

MAU2: Zarzuela Becomes 4x World Champion

Brian Zarzuela claimed his fourth career Gold, marking his ninth appearance at a Para World Cup. Also winning first in the Qualification round, Zarzuela switched confidently between both dynamic and technical movement during his Finals climb, boasting a drop-knee at the crux while earning a dramatic positive motion point when he leaped and fell higher up in the route. His final score came out to 48+, with Trevor Smith trailing slightly behind him with a score of 42. Smith earned Silver after he impressively wedged himself between volumes and slopers. Though not nearly as seasoned a competitor as Zarzuela, Smith was right behind him in both the Qualification and Finals round.

MAU2 Podium: 

Brian Zarzuela (USA)
Trevor Smith (USA)
Sebastien Musson (GBR)

WRP1: USA Dominates Podium in WRP1 Category 

All competitors in both the Qualification and Finals round were all US athletes. Taking her first Gold was Hannah Zook, who with a score of 15 points was one hold higher than Melissa Ruiz who had a score of 14 points. Ruiz, who took Silver, has now been to 10 Para World Cups — the exact same amount as Zook. In Bronze was Jackie Stewart with a score of 11+, who podiumed despite this being her first Para World Cup. Notably, Stewart placed second in the Qualification round above Zook, despite their difference in experience level. Both Zook and Ruiz are some of the most experienced athletes in the Para World Cup circuit, which goes to show the difficultly of the WRP1 route considering no athletes made it past the halfway point.

WRP1 Podium: 

Hannah Zook (USA)
Melissa Ruiz (USA)
Jackie Stewart (USA)

WB3: Poston Only Athlete to Top WB3 Route 

Her second time in a row winning Gold at a Para World Cup, Linn Poston earned her medal for being the only WB3 athlete to top the route. Additionally, Salt Lake City is only Poston’s second Para World Cup, meaning she has reigned supreme at every Para World Cup event she has attended for the WB3 category. Although tying with US athlete Phoebe Barkan in the Qualification round, Barkan ended Finals with a score of 32+, winning Bronze. Barkan achieved the same score as the fourth place winner, but was bumped to the podium due to time spent on the wall.

WB3 Podium: 

Linn Poston (USA)
Elsa Boutel Menard (FRA)
Phoebe Barkan (USA)

MB3: Martinez Loses Silver by One Positive Motion Point at 2nd Para World Cup 

Andrew Martinez, with a score of 41, lost his chance at Silver by one positive motion point. Still, Martinez climbs consistently, earning Bronze for the second year in a row at the same competition.

MB3 Podium: 

Cosmin Florin Candoi (ROU)
Daniel-Bebe-Vasilică Andrei (ROU)
Andrew Martinez (USA)

MAL2: Ramos Loses Gold by One Positive Motion Point at First Para World Cup 

At his first Para World Cup, Corey Ramos took Silver with a score of 44, shy of Gold by only one positive motion point.  Right behind Ramos was Ethan Zilz who took Bronze with a score of 38+, and used heel-hooks on almost every move he could find one on. Also in MAL2 was US athlete Kyle Long, who with a score of 43+ wound up in 6th place after attempting a bump to a crimp.

MAL2 Podium: 

Thierry Delarue (FRA)
Corey Ramos (USA)
Ethan Zilz (USA)

MAU3:  Keough Makes Podium at First Para World Cup 

Mason Keough tied for first in the Qualification round with two other athletes before taking his first Bronze at his first Para World Cup. Keough’s final score was 43, with US athlete Benen Parlmer bumped from the podium with a score of 31+. At one point, Keough climbed side by side with Brayden Butler on the MRP2 route. Salt Lake City was also Parlmer’s first Para World Cup, with a missed pocket being the reason for his fall.

MAU3 Podium: 

Mor Michael Sapir (ISR)
Dominic Geisseler (SUI)
Mason Keough (USA)

WAU2: Rubin Wins Bronze After Tie for Silver 

Eleanor Rubin, who has made bronze at three Para World Cups in the past, took Bronze again at her fifth Para World Cup with a score of 34+. Notably, Rubin had the same score as the athlete who took Silver, but was bumped to Bronze due to time spent on the wall.

Rubin was also on the wall at the same time as Corey Ramos and Melissa Ruiz, meaning that for the only time in the entire competition, only US athletes filled the stage.

WAU2 Podium: 

Solenne Piret (FRA)
Lucia Capovilla (ITA)
Eleanor Rubin (USA)

WAL2: Truscott Loses Bronze by Time at First Para World Cup

Kaitlyn Truscott, who tied with US athlete Morgan Loomis and one other athlete for third in the Qualification round, had the same score as the athlete awarded Silver in Finals. With a score of 30, Truscott was bumped off the podium due to time spent on the wall. This being Truscott’s first Para World Cup, she demonstrated impressive long rests along her route. Seemingly in the same range of ability as Truscott, Loomis finished Finals only one point behind with a score of 29.

WB1: Lakrout Just Shy of Podium 

Emeline Lakrout, with six Para World Cups under her belt, ended Finals with a score of 20 behind two athletes who tied, leaving her in fourth place just outside the podium. The last time Lakrout competed in the Salt Lake City World Cup, she came in eighth place, showing her progress since 2023.

MRP1: Martin Just Shy of Podium in Most Populated Category 

Paul Martin, with a score of 15, was just shy of the podium after experiencing a foot slip towards the bottom of the route. Notably, the MRP1 category is large compared to the rest, having 12 athletes competing in the Qualification round. Martin had high hopes in Finals, with his original placement in the Qualification round being 2nd place.

MAL1: Cislaw Misses Podium by One Point 

Tanner Cislaw, with a score of 38+, was only one point away from a Bronze placement. Cislaw is no stranger to Para World Cups, with this being his seventh event.

US athletes who competed in the Qualification round only: 

  • Gordon Fralick (MB3),
  • Diego Kusnir (MB3)
  • Gina Applebee (WB1)
  • Leah Grosjean (WB1)
  • Ashley Colburn (WB1)
  • Jessica Semmel (WB3)
  • Amy Mullins (WB3)
  • Paige Trotter (WB3)
  • Jacob Rosenquist (MAL1)
  • Carlos Quiles (MAL1)
  • Jake Frank (MAL1)
  • Garrison Redd (MAL1)
  • Scott McKinney (MAL2)
  • Lee Shaffer (MAL2)
  • Kara Parker (WAL2)
  • Hannah McFadden (WAL2)
  • Daliya Hansen (WAL2)
  • Dylan Restek (MAU2)
  • Matthew Lynch (MAU2)
  • Josephine Fouts (WAU2)
  • Isabel Benvenuti (WAU2)
  • Elise Morley (WAU2)
  • Joshua Unterman (MRP1)
  • Sunny Yang (MRP1)
  • Connor King (MRP1)
  • Johnny Quintana (MRP2)
  • Dennis Connors (MRP2)
  • Benjamin Mayforth (MRP2)
  • Daniel Medina (MRP3)
  • Deva Ramireddy (MRP3)
  • Ian Gleason (MRP3)
  • Oliver Carnazzo (MRP3)
  • Mark Jourdian (MRP3)
  • Ryan Juguan (MRP3)
  • Karalyn Spurr (MRP3)
  • Natalie Sullivan (MRP3)
  • Caroline Winstel (WRP2)
  • Megan Gleason (WRP2)
  • Brenda Findley (WRP2)
  • Crystal Martin (WRP3)
  • Lindsay Purcell (WRP3)
  • Laura Heaton (WRP3)
  • Braden Shoop (MAU3)

Full results from the 2025 IFSC Para Climbing World Cup can be found here. You can rewatch the Finals on the IFSC YouTube Channel.

Follow @usaclimbing on social media for competition updates and behind-the-scenes action.

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