The Chamonix World Cup results highlight a shifting power dynamic in competitive climbing, characterized by Indonesia’s dominance in Speed and the emergence of young talent in Lead. According to World Climbing data, Indonesia secured three of six available medals in the Speed discipline, while 18-year-old Annie Sanders and 23-year-old Alberto Ginés López asserted their positions as the sport’s current benchmarks in Lead.
Indonesia Dominates Speed Discipline in Chamonix
The Indonesian national team established a clear competitive advantage during the Speed World Cup in Chamonix. The nation claimed two gold medals, signaling a strategic shift in the global hierarchy of speed climbing. Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi secured her second consecutive victory following her win in Krakow, finishing the final in 6.22 seconds. She beat Italy’s Giulia Randi and France’s Capucine Viglione.
In the men’s category, 2024 Olympic champion Veddriq Leonardo returned from a long injury layoff to take gold with a time of 4.89 seconds. Leonardo defeated his compatriot Antasyafi Robby Al Hilmi, who took silver. This result is significant as Leonardo overcame world record holder Zhao Yicheng of China, who finished outside the top three after Ryo Omasa of Japan claimed bronze by a margin of just three-thousandths of a second.
Did you know? The dominance of the Indonesian team in Chamonix was underscored by the early exits of previously dominant Chinese athletes and world record holder Emma Hunt, who failed to reach the podium after a quarterfinal loss.
Annie Sanders and the New Era of Lead Climbing
The women’s Lead competition showcased the continued ascent of 18-year-old American Annie Sanders. Sanders earned her third Lead gold medal of the season in Chamonix. Although she exceeded the six-minute time limit, her score of 52+ secured the top spot. According to event records, Sanders has appeared on seven of eight Lead or Boulder podiums in 2026.
The competition also highlighted the consistency of South Korea’s Chaehyun Seo, who has now appeared on every Lead podium this season. Seo took bronze in Chamonix. Bulgaria’s Aleksandra Totkova earned silver, marking her first silver medal in an adult World Cup and her second overall medal in Chamonix, having previously won bronze in 2021.
The Technical Challenge of the Chamonix Wall
The event featured a rare technical anomaly: all eight finalists reached the “headwall,” the uppermost section of the climbing wall. This led to multiple ties in scoring. For athletes like Chaehyun Seo, Erin McNeice, and Rosa Rekar, final placements were determined by their previous performance in the semifinals due to identical point totals.
Alberto Ginés López Breaks Gold Medal Drought
Spain’s Alberto Ginés López ended a seven-year wait for a World Cup gold medal. Despite being an Olympic champion, Ginés López had previously accumulated six silver and five bronze medals without a top-spot finish. In the Chamonix final, he outlasted Slovenia’s Luka Potocar, who fell one move earlier.
“I have waited seven years for this moment—since my first podium,” Ginés López stated following the win. “I thought so often: maybe it’s not meant to be. This victory feels so good.”
Rounding out the men’s podium was 20-year-old Putra Tri Ramadani of Indonesia, who took bronze. This marks Ramadani’s second medal of the season and his third career Lead World Cup final appearance, following a previous victory in Prague.
Pro Tip: For those tracking the 2026 season, watch the “time-limit” dynamics in Lead climbing. As seen with Annie Sanders, topping the route while exceeding the time limit can still result in a gold medal if the height achieved is superior to the rest of the field.
Analysis: The Global Distribution of Talent
The Chamonix results reveal a diversifying geographic spread of talent. While European athletes like Potocar and Totkova remain competitive, the “power center” is shifting toward Asia and North America. Indonesia’s ability to place multiple athletes on the podium in both Speed and Lead (via Ramadani) suggests a systemic rise in their training infrastructure.
Conversely, the event marked the end of an era for some. French climber Manon Hily, a staple of the circuit since 2013, used the Chamonix final as her final international appearance before retirement. Meanwhile, veteran South Korean Jain Kim reached her ninth career Chamonix final, demonstrating the longevity of the sport’s early pioneers.
Upcoming World Cup Schedule
The 2026 circuit continues with six remaining stations. According to the official schedule, the next events are:
- Laval (August 28-29): Para Climbing World Cup (Lead)
- Koper (September 4-5): Climbing World Cup (Lead)
- Guiyang, China (September 11-13): Climbing World Cup (Speed)
- Chongqing, China (September 18-20): Climbing World Cup (Speed)
- Salt Lake City (October 16-18): Climbing World Cup (Boulder)
- Santiago de Chile (October 23-25): Climbing World Cup (Lead & Speed)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Speed World Cup in Chamonix?
In the women’s category, Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (Indonesia) won gold. In the men’s category, Veddriq Leonardo (Indonesia) took the top spot.
How did Alberto Ginés López perform in the Lead final?
Alberto Ginés López won his first-ever World Cup gold medal, defeating Luka Potocar after seven years of podium finishes without a win.
What is the significance of Annie Sanders’ victory?
Sanders, 18, secured her third Lead gold of the season and has maintained a presence on seven of the eight Lead/Boulder podiums in 2026.
Which athlete’s performance in Chamonix surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below or subscribe to our newsletter for real-time updates on the road to Santiago de Chile.
