In Salt Lake City, American Natalia Grossman won her fifth consecutive boulder crown at the IFSC World Cup on Sunday evening. Despite battling a knee injury, Grossman managed to top out of three of the four boulders to secure the victory in front of her friends and family in her hometown.
Following Grossman were France’s Oriane Bertone and Naïlé Meignan who took the two-three spots on the podium by also reaching the top of three boulders. Grossman admitted that she had considered not competing in the final due to her injury and bigger plans for the year, but ultimately decided to push through and compete.
Grossman expressed her pride in her performance, mentioning how much the Salt Lake City World Cup meant to her due to the support from the crowd and having her family around. She attributed her motivation for winning to knowing that there were many strong competitors in the competition.
In addition to Grossman’s triumph, Japan’s Anraku Sorato won his title in the men’s category while American climbers Emma Hunt and Sam Watson secured their titles in the women’s and men’s speed climbing events, respectively. The atmosphere in Salt Lake City was electric as climbers from around the world showcased their skills.