A large crowd created a fantastic atmosphere, and even the rain that arrived during the competition failed to dampen the mood. In the RP2 category, Jasmin Plank once again lived up to her status as the overwhelming favourite. The 37-year-old from Tyrol secured her second victory of the season in as many World Cup events after also winning in Salt Lake City (USA). With 33+ holds, she finished comfortably ahead of Italy’s Chiara Cavina (24 holds). It marked her third World Cup victory in Innsbruck after 2022 and 2025, and the tenth World Cup win of her career.
For Plank, the victory carried special meaning following the passing of her mother just a few weeks ago. “It is my first victory in Innsbruck without my mother. But I truly believe she is watching from somewhere and giving me strength.”
Her shoulder injury had also caused concern in the lead-up to the final. “Last night was a nightmare. Thanks to the support of the Olympic Centre and a session in the cryotherapy chamber, I was able to compete after all. During warm-up I realised my shoulder would hold up. That’s why this victory is such a huge relief. On the final move I really wasn’t sure about my left shoulder. I’m even happier that I could win here again.”
“It was a dream day”
Linda Le Bon claimed her fifth World Cup victory in the B2 category. The 61-year-old won a dramatic final with 46+ holds ahead of Germany’s Luisa Grube, who reached the same height but finished second based on the qualification result. Qualification winner Seneida Biendarra (USA) placed third with 46 holds, while Edith Scheinecker finished fourth with 39 holds.
“This victory is incredible. Climbing and winning in front of a home crowd makes it even more special. After Salt Lake City, where pretty much everything went wrong, today everything came together perfectly. It was a dream day.”
Le Bon’s major goal is to compete at the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Born in Belgium, she previously represented her home country in Para Alpine Skiing at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. “Los Angeles is my big goal. After that, maybe it will be time to slowly start thinking about retirement from climbing.”
Lilli Marie Laschitz enjoyed a remarkable World Cup debut. The 16-year-old from Carinthia impressed in the B1 final and secured second place with 33 holds, finishing just behind top favourite Hiromi Aoki of Japan (34+). “It’s absolutely crazy. I still can’t really process it. Reaching the final yesterday already felt unbelievable, and now standing here in second place just feels surreal. I was very nervous today, especially because of the incredible atmosphere. I had never experienced anything like it before.”
Zeller extends winning streak
Angelino Zeller once again proved untouchable in the AL1 category. With 44+ holds, he finished well clear of Slovenia’s Matej Arh (39+), while Markus Pösendorfer (38+) completed the podium in third place. “While I was climbing, I didn’t pay attention to how far I had gone. The upper section became really demanding, but I tried to soak up the special atmosphere and the energy. It was simply incredible fun.”
The athlete from Graz extended his extraordinary winning streak, having won every competition since June 2021. “Innsbruck holds a very special place in my heart, which makes this victory even more meaningful to me.” In the men’s RP2 category, Daniel Wiener finished fifth with 31 holds.
Competition continues on Wednesday at the World Climbing Series Innsbruck with the women’s Boulder qualification starting at 9:00 AM, followed by the men’s qualification from 3:30 PM.
