2025 IFSC World Cup season starts - Erin McNeice takes a Bronze
- Wednesday 23rd April 2025
The 2025 IFSC World Cup competitions kicked off in Keqiao, China, over the weekend and Erin McNeice podiumed in bronze position.
The eagerly awaited start to the 2025 IFSC World Cups finally got underway with a Boulder event in Keqiao in China over the weekend; the first lead competition will follow this coming weekend in Wujiang.
Given that 2025 is the first year of the next Olympic cycle, a number of the more established athletes are not only taking time-out to focus on outdoor activities but they are also considering their options with regards the 2028 LA Games now that the IOC have announced that separate medals will be awarded for Boulder, Lead and Speed Climbing. The GB Climbing squad were, however, in Keqiao in force; alongside Olympians Toby Roberts and Erin McNeice were Dayan Akhtar, Sam Butterworth and Nathan Whaley in the men’s squad with Zoe Peetermans and Emma Edwards in the women’s team.
Four of the GB Climbing squad made it through to the semi-finals: Dayan Akhtar, Toby Roberts, Erin McNeice and Zoe Peetermans. Sadly, however, only Erin McNeice was able to secure a spot for the finals. Having finished the semis in 7th place, Erin showed the determination and strength that had taken her to a 5th place finish in the 2024 Paris Games last year and ultimately finished in 3rd place, thereby securing her second ever IFSC World Cup medal following the bronze she won in the last competition of 2024.
The change in fortunes and final positions between qualification and the end of the semis for the four GB Climbing athletes emphasised yet again that nothing can necessarily be taken for granted in the World Cup events these days. Dayan Akhtar qualified for the semis in 3rd place but had to settle for 10th after the semi-finals, whilst Toby Roberts was battered in the semi-finals, finishing in 15th, down from 5th in qualification. Likewise, USA Olympian Colin Duffy ended qualification in 12th place only to slip further down the rankings to joint 18th after the semis. As it was, Erin McNeice finished qualification and semi’s in 7th respectively and was the only GB athlete to improve her final position as the event progressed.
After the comp, a delighted Erin McNeice summed up her Bronze medal performance saying:
‘Bronze medal at the first World Cup of the season!! 🥉🤯
I can’t believe it!! It was a brutal set of boulders and I had to believe in myself right till the end, but I’m so glad I did.
Thank you to everyone who supports me, and to those who made this success so memorable. I can’t think of a better place to win my second WC medal. I love you China! 🫶’
Finishing ahead of Erin McNeice were Annie Sanders (USA) and Oriane Bertone (FRA) who took gold and silver respectively. The men’s podium places went to Sorato Anraku (JPN), Dohyun Lee (KOR) and Meichi Narasaki (JPN).
The final results showing the considerable variance between the scores between the women and men’s final standings are listed below:
