I guess this blog title pretty much says it all! We have a great team represented here in Arco, Italy for the 2011 Climbing World Championships, and with the bouldering competition already finished I'm excited to see what we can do with speed and lead still to come.
I am extremely proud and impressed by our women's US bouldering team here this week!! We had such a strong and amazing showing in the qualification round last Saturday, with four American ladies making semi-finals!! The quali round used the split group format (Girls are split into two groups, "A" and "B", based on current world ranking. Those girls who have never done a bouldering world cup have no world ranking and are split randomly. Then the two groups are put on five completely different boulder problems and top ten girls are taken from each group totaling the 20 semi-finalists. I am personally not a fan of this system for many reasons, I think it is an unfair way to hold a qualification round, or any round of competition, but since we're about to head out sightseeing in Verona I have to withold from going further into this subject.) Francesca Metcalf (only American girl in group "A") had an impressive first place qualification, and in group "B" (where the five other American girls were placed) Angie Payne was qualified in third, myself in fourth, and Sasha in sixth. I was so proud to have four Americans representing the US in the group of 20 semi-finalists!
The semi-final round was difficult and stressful, as only six qualify for the finals. Sasha managed to step up and qualify in third place as the only American in finals!! I, once again, for the fifth time this season, placed 7th, just missing finals. (Side note: my bib number this weekend was "77"... Coincidence?!?)
Sasha absolutely killed it in the finals securing the silver medal early on in the round. She had the support of the whole US Team behind her, and she made us all very proud! The lead competition begins tomorrow with the girls, and I have a feeling Sasha is gunning for the overall combined victory, and with such a great start to the event she has an excellent shot.
Stay tuned for more updates from the 2011 Climbing World Championships!!
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