With temperatures reaching around 35 degrees Celsius, the men's Boulder semifinal featuring the top 24 athletes got underway on Friday in front of a large crowd at the outdoor arena of the Kletterzentrum Innsbruck. Posch faced a tough challenge across the four boulders: he was unable to score on the opening problem but responded with a top on the second. However, he could not add any further points on the remaining two boulders.
The 28-year-old Tyrolean, who reached the top-eight final at the World Cup in Prague (CZE) earlier this season, finished 20th with 24.8 points. "It was incredibly hot and physically demanding, and unfortunately things didn't quite come together today. It's disappointing, but I still really enjoyed climbing in front of the home crowd. In bouldering, tiny details make all the difference. I'll take away a positive feeling – it was my first semifinal in Innsbruck, and I know I'm in good shape."
The local favourite also admitted the heat took its toll. "It was a brutal challenge. The heat drains your energy, but it's the same for every athlete. That's simply part of the sport."
Teammate Užnik secured zone holds on the second and fourth boulders to finish 21st with 19.6 points. "Overall, I'm very happy with my performance today. Despite the many competitions over the past few weeks, I felt strong both physically and mentally. Of course, I would have loved to finish the semifinal with a top, but climbing a home World Cup in front of this crowd is an experience I'll take away very positively. It gives me a lot of motivation for what's ahead."
How close success and disappointment can be in bouldering was illustrated by American star Colin Duffy. Runner-up in Madrid and joint leader after qualification, he ended up tied with Užnik in 21st place.
For the 20-year-old from Carinthia, however, reaching the semifinal still marks the biggest achievement of his senior career to date. He previously made a Lead World Cup semifinal in Chamonix (FRA) in 2024 before deciding to focus on bouldering ahead of this season. "For a long time, I was seen as a Lead specialist, but I've always absolutely loved bouldering. That's why it means so much to me that I could now show what I'm capable of in this discipline as well. And every time before I jump onto the mat, I still get goosebumps – not because I'm nervous, but because I'm genuinely excited about the boulders and the challenge."
Japan's superstar Sorato Anraku claimed victory in the semifinal with four tops and 99.7 points. The top-eight final gets underway on Friday evening at 7:30 pm in front of a sold-out crowd.
After that, attention turns to the Lead qualification on Saturday from 8 am, where Austria's two biggest stars, Jessica Pilz and Jakob Schubert, will begin their campaigns.
