Colorado’s rock climbing superstar Emily Harrington has proved once again that she is one of the world’s best competition sport climbers. Harrington finished in third at the World Cup in Zürich, Switzerland. In the final she had actually tied for second with Slovenia’s Mina Markovic, but was awarded third place based on her semifinal result. This has been Harrington’s best World Cup finish, but she has repeatedly shown she can peak for big events: The 21-year-old finished second in the World Championships in 2005 and last year won the annual Serre Chevalier comp, one of Europe’s most prestigious events.
It seems certain that if Harrington lived in Europe, where most World Cup comps are staged, she could be a contender for a podium place in the annual circuit.
Austria’s Angela Eiter flashed the final route to win in Zürich, continuing a strong start to her campaign to win a fourth World Cup title in a row. American Chelsea Rude, 20, finished 34th.
Harrington looking strong
Photo courtesy of www.ifsc-climbing.org.
Dutchman Jorg Verhoeven won the men’s comp in Zürich. With his fifth-place finish in Imst, Austria, in May, Verhoeven has taken an early lead in the season standings. The next lead-climbing World Cup is July 11-13 in Chamonix, France.
Women
1. Angela Eiter (AUT)
2. Mina Markovic (SLO)
3. Emily Harrington (USA)
4. Charlotte Durif (FRA)
5. Yuka Kobayashi (JAP)
Men
1. Jorg Verhoeven (NED)
2. Patxi Usobiaga (SPA)
3. Cédric Lachat (SWI)
4. Ramón Julián Puigblanque (SPA)
5. Sylvain Millet (FRA)
source: climbing.com
