Back to News This week, 210 athletes representing 21 countries traveled to Innsbruck, Austria, to compete in the IFSC Para Climbing World Cup, hosted at Kletterzentrum Innsbruck, the largest climbing gym in the world. Despite rain interrupting the Qualification round and scorching temperatures challenging athletes in Finals, this event marked the largest IFSC World Cup ever held, with all 20 Para categories represented. Even higher numbers are expected at the upcoming IFSC Para World Championships in September. Additionally, Team Iceland made their debut at this heavily anticipated event. 30 US athletes competed, with 14 advancing to Finals. Team USA ultimately won 13 medals at this event and secured a Gold overall team ranking. Full results from the 2025 IFSC Para Climbing World Cups can be found here. You can rewatch the Finals round on the IFSC YouTube Channel. Team Ranking: United States (USA) France (FRA) Japan (JPN) WRP1: Ruiz Takes Fourth Gold in USA Dominated Podium Melissa Ruiz shocked the crowd when she used brute strength to campus through the midway section of the WRP1 route after losing her footing. With three of the four finalists representing the US, it came down to which athlete would take Gold, rather than which team. Ruiz ended up earning the high point by six moves with a score of 35, securing her fourth Gold at an IFSC Para Climbing World Cup. Jackie Stewart and Hannah Zook followed closely with identical scores of 29+. Notably, the podium remained in the same order from Qualification to the Final round. WRP1 Podium: Melissa Ruiz (USA) Jackie Stewart (USA) Hannah Zook (USA) WRP2: Seelenfreund Wins Third Silver as Only US Finalist in WRP2 The WRP2 route featured large, eye-catching volumes, including one so massive near the start that athletes were expected to walk across it. This move posed no problem for US athlete Emily Seelenfreund, who smoothly navigated the section using her knee. Originally ranked fourth in the Qualification round, Seelenfreund rebounded in Finals to take Silver with a score of 24+. She was the only US finalist in the WRP2 category. WRP2 Podium: Jasmin Plank (AUT) Emily Seelenfreund (USA) Sarah Longhi (SUI) MRP2: Mayforth Takes Gold Leaping for Last Move During Finals Benjamin Mayforth wowed spectators against the backdrop of the Austrian Alps when he campused to a crimp midway through the MRP2 Finals route. In a dramatic finish, Mayforth leapt to the final hold and fell—yet that leap earned him Gold with a score of 55+. This performance became Mayforth’s third Gold at an IFSC Para Climbing World Cup. Brayden Butler also fell just shy of the top with a score of 49+, earning him his first Silver. MRP2 Podium: Benjamin Mayforth (USA) Brayden Butler (USA) Philipp Hrozek (GER) WRP3: Vorel Becomes 4x Consecutive Gold Medalist Fresh off a win at the IFSC Para Climbing World Cup in Utah, Nat Vorel continued their dominance with victories in both the Qualification and Finals round. Mid-route, they waved to the crowd from a large rest volume and executed a high foot to reach the second-to-last crimp using their well-known flexibility. In addition to climbing, Vorel also competes in para rowing and para swimming. When asked how they stay motivated, they responded lightheartedly. “I mean, I just love climbing. Straight up. I have bad sessions where I’m not super stoked to be there, but 90% of my sessions I’m just stoked to be there and I love climbing. When I was waiting to go out, I was just like, ‘Well, I get to climb a great route. I’m really excited. It doesn’t matter how I place; I just get to get on something that’s really inventive and cool, something the routesetters worked really hard on. It’ll be great no matter what happens, because I get to climb,'” Vorel said. WRP3 Podium: Nat Vorel (USA) Christiane Luttikhuizen (NED) Marina Dias (BRA) WB2: Biendarra Takes Gold as Only US Athlete in WB2 Innsbruck is a familiar venue for Seneida Biendarra, as she took Silver in the IFSC Para Climbing World Cup Innsbruck in 2024. This year, Biendarra made a comeback with her second Gold after achieving a score of 44 and staying on top throughout both the Qualification and Finals round. Biendarra navigated her route confidently with a drop-knee at the crux. In an interview post-finals alongside her sight guide, Angelina, Biendarra talked about the complexities between sight guides and their climbers, offering insight into the world of a WB2 athlete. “In the moment, you see the hold from a distance, but again, you have to remember the sequence because it’s not gonna look the same way you thought it would, and you have to visualize exactly how your body is going to move once you grab it,” Biendarra said. When questioned about her own impairment, Biendarra openly shared her perspective. “It is clear in the center — it’s about five degrees of vision — but in the moment, it does get worse because your heart rate is increased and it narrows even more. Sometimes I just see blue or yellow, or the wall. And sometimes I can see where a crimp is good because of the contrast, and that really depends,” Biendarra said. WB2 Podium: Seneida Biendarra (USA) Linda Le Bon (AUT) Luisa Grube (GER) WB3: Barkan Wins Gold After Appeal After quickly making her way through the crux, Barkan took a look back at the audience before leaping for her next hold. Barkan’s feet placements were close to perfect the entire route, ending Finals with a score of 50+. Initially first in both the Qualification and Finals round, Linn Poston finished Finals as the only athlete in their category to top the route. Poston’s ability to climb quickly while simultaneously finding time to rest is their savior when it comes to routes highly dependent on endurance. However, because Poston apparently stepped on a bolt cover, an appeal was filed that reduced their high point to before the contact occurred. If not for the appeal, Poston would have been the only athlete to top the WB3 route and would have earned their third consecutive Gold. WB3 Podium: Phoebe Barkan (USA) Elsa Boutel Menard (FRA) Linn Poston (USA) MAU2: Zarzuela Earned Silver in Tie-Breaker Tied with a German athlete for the same score of 48+, Brian Zarzuela was separated from Gold by time alone. Still, Zarzuela earned his fifth Silver, impressively resting, catching mantels and throwing dynamically with his impaired limb. After an almost flawless performance, Zarzuela fell close to the finish at his 10th appearance at an IFSC Para Climbing World Cup. MAU2 Podium: Kevin Bartke (GER) Brian Zarzuela (USA) Isak Ripman (NOR) MAU3: Keough Takes Bronze at Second Para World Cup At only his second IFSC Para Climbing World Cup, Mason Keough podiumed in Bronze after taking strategic rests and calculated moves on the MAU3 Finals route. Notably, Keough placed first in the Qualification round. MAU3 Podium: Bence Kerekes (HUN) Dominic Geisseler (SUI) Mason Keough (USA) MAL2: Zilz Competes in Finals as Only US MAL2 Finalist At his 8th IFSC Para Climbing World Cup, Zilz stayed consistently in fifth throughout both the Qualification and Finals round. With a score of 28+ on the MAL2 Finals route, Zilz tackled a few hard compression moves before falling on the technical crimp portion. Notably, MAL2 had the most athletes out of any category, with 23 competing in the Qualification round. WAL1: Wilson Takes Bronze at Second Para World Cup Having to tackle her route fully campusing every move, Andrea Wilson earned Bronze at only her second IFSC Para Climbing World Cup with a score of 27+. Wilson was shy of Silver by just a few moves, with her fellow competitor having a score of 29. Wilson fought her way through the route, only faltering once she tried to campus to a sloper. Notably, Wilson initially came in second place during the Qualification round. WAL1 Podium: Pavitra Vandenhoven (BEL) Júlia Castelló Farré (ESP) Andrea Wilson (USA) WAU2: In the most populated Women’s Para category, Isabel Benvenuti left Finals in sixth place with a score of 14+. Benvenuti has competed in five IFSC Para Climbing World Cups, and was only a few moves away from fifth place. US athletes who competed in the Qualification round only: Gina Applebee (WB1) Jessica Semmel (WB3) Raphael Misael (MAL2) Dylan Restek (MAU2) Matthew Lynch (MAU2) Elise Morley (WAU2) Connor King (MRP1) Alan Belyea (MRP1) Johnny Quintana (MRP2) Ian Gleason (MRP3) Oliver Carnazzo (MRP3) Tiffany Yu (WRP1) Anna Devries (WRP2) Crystal Martin (WRP3) Lindsay Purcell (WRP3) 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.