Climbers like Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Alberto Ginés López is in action after coming through the Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) process with his ticket to Paris 2024 to try and defend his title.
Another Olympic champion in Innsbruck is Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret who returns to the World Cup circuit after missing the event in Salt Lake City, USA last time out.
Talking about competing in Austria, Garnbret said: “I feel great heading towards a competitive week in Innsbruck. Trainings went according to plan, I was able to focus on preparing for Innsbruck so I am really looking forward to competing again.
“The atmosphere is always amazing, there is something extra with both Boulder and Lead competitions in just a few days. These will be my last comps before Paris, so I want to prove to myself that I am on the right track, as I did back in China at the start of the season.”
Some of the other names backing up from last week in Budapest at the OQS are USA’s Anastasia Sanders and Kyra Condie in the women’s and South Korea’s Chon Jongwon and Belgium’s Simon Lorenzi in the men’s.
Germany’s Yannick Flohé and South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun arrived from Budapest with their Paris 2024 tickets, and we be in high spirits to take on the competition.
There is also a host of the athletes who secured their Games place at the first try, like home nation favourite Jakob Schubert and Japan’s Ogata Yoshiyuki, while Australia’s Campbell Harrison punched his ticket at the Continental Qualifier in Melbourne at the end of last year.
Harrison said; “I'm really excited for the season to pick back up again here in Innsbruck! I've been working really hard since the last World Cup in Salt Lake, particularly on my lead climbing, and I'm hoping I get to see some of those gains on the wall here. Training's been tough lately, but it's all building up towards the big goal of the Paris Olympics in August.”
Joining Harrison from down under is Oceania Mackenzie who will be up against climbers like Garnbret, Sanders, Condie and someone looking forward to a home Games, France’s Oriane Bertone.
"The atmosphere is always amazing"
