THREE PARACLIMBING WORLD CUPS TO ENRICH 2021 SPORT CLIMBING CALENDAR
The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is pleased to announce that three IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup competitions will be organised during the 2021 season, in Innsbruck (AUT), Briançon (FRA) and a still to be determined location in the United States.
The announcement is the second major milestone for Paraclimbing in less than a week. On November 14, the creation of an IFSC Paraclimbing Committee was ratified by the XVI IFSC Plenary Assembly, which met virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The competitions will culminate in the highly anticipated IFSC Paraclimbing World Championships scheduled in Moscow (RUS) from September 15 to 22. Last year’s World Championships in Briançon welcomed a total of 158 athletes, marking a 24% increase compared to the 2018 edition.
The three world cups will take place as follows:
- IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup in Innsbruck (AUT) from June 22 to 24
- IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup in Briançon (FRA) on July 16
- IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup in the United States from October 9 to 10
The call for applications to host Paraclimbing world cups in 2021 was launched in April 2020 by the IFSC Sport Department.
Sebastian Depke, Chair of the IFSC Paraclimbing Committee, said:
“I am proud to see that there are now four Paraclimbing competitions in the 2021 schedule, and to see that the Paraclimbing calendar itself has been released earlier than ever. I would like to thank all National Federations and Event Organisers for their enthusiasm and for taking the challenge of organising a Paraclimbing World Cup!”
Austria Climbing Sport Director Heiko Wilhelm said:
“We still get goose bumps when we think back of the 2018 Paraclimbing World Championships in Innsbruck. In June 2021, that time will come again. After COVID-19 thwarted us this year, we are very happy to bring the international Paraclimbing elite back to Austria. As part of a broader program, we will host an IFSC World Cup in Boulder and Lead, and the Paraclimbing competition.”
FFME President Pierre You said:
“We are deeply honoured to host another Paraclimbing World Cup on French soil. It makes sense at all level, and especially in the perspective of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games where we hope Paraclimbing will get some visibility.”
Marc Norman, CEO of USA Climbing, said:
“We are honoured to host a Paraclimbing World Cup and grateful to the IFSC for selecting the United States. The hosting of Paraclimbing world cups is a critical step in increasing awareness and participation for Paraclimbing in the United States and around the world. We look forward to working closely with the IFSC, the IFSC Paraclimbing Committee, and USA Climbing’s Medical Committee to advance the sport and with an eye towards inclusion in the Paralympic Games in the future.”
