U19 BOULDER SEMIFINAL LINE-UP COMPLETE AFTER A TIGHTLY CONTESTED QUALIFICATION ROUND
Chanjin Jung and Jolie Chi lead the standings as the battle for the 24 semifinal places goes down to the smallest margins
ARCO, ITALY – 23 JULY 2026 – After a long and demanding day of competition at the Arco Climbing Stadium, the qualification round determined the 24 athletes who will return to the wall for the U19 Boulder semifinals at the World Climbing Youth Championship Arco 2026.
The international route-setting team presented a varied and highly selective set of problems, combining dynamic coordination moves, compression sequences, technical slabs, demanding pinches, balance-intensive passages and sections requiring pure power.
The field was tested across every aspect of modern competition climbing, from technical precision and body positioning to explosiveness, problem-solving and the ability to adapt quickly to very different styles.
The battle for the final semifinal places remained open until the closing minutes of the qualification round. Several athletes finished separated by only fractions of a point, making every attempt, top and zone decisive.
CHANJIN JUNG LEADS THE MEN’S QUALIFICATION
South Korea’s Chanjin Jung produced the leading performance in the men’s competition.
Jung completed all five problems, three of them on his first attempt, to finish at the top of the standings with 124.7 points.
France’s Sebastian Durand followed closely behind. The French climber also secured five tops, including two flashes, and completed the round with 124.3 points.
Germany’s Lucas Trandafir and Sweden’s Linus Qvarnström shared third place with 109.9 points, confirming the extremely competitive level of the men’s field ahead of the semifinal.
Further down the standings, the race for one of the 24 available places remained exceptionally close, with several climbers separated by only a few tenths of a point.
JOLIE CHI DELIVERS THE STANDOUT WOMEN’S PERFORMANCE
In the women’s qualification round, the United States’ Jolie Chi delivered the most complete performance of the day.
Chi was the only athlete in the field to complete all five problems. With three flashes, she earned 124.7 points and secured first place in the qualification standings.
Germany’s Paula Mayer-Vorfelder finished second after completing four problems, two of them on her first attempt, and reaching one additional zone. Her performance earned her 109.5 points.
Canada’s Avery MacDonald placed third with four tops, including two flashes, for a total of 99.2 points.
As in the men’s competition, the final positions leading to the semifinal were decided by extremely narrow margins, underlining the depth and quality of the U19 women’s field.
WORLD FINAL PLACES ON THE LINE
The top 24 athletes in both categories will return to the Boulder wall on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. for the U19 semifinals.
Places in the World Championship final will be at stake, with the leading climbers expected to face another varied and spectacular set of problems.
After a qualification round marked by outstanding performances, high tension and minimal differences in the standings, the semifinal promises another unpredictable battle in which every movement and every attempt could prove decisive.