Switzerland’s Jonathan Brown and Sina Goetz took the gold medals at the penultimate round of the European UIAA Continental Open series held in Utrecht on Saturday 14 December.
Brown is in imperious form having taken gold medals in each of the last three competitions – in Switzerland, Slovakia and now in the Netherlands. The Continental Cup has two more rounds, one in Ouray (United States) from 24-26 January followed by the closer to the European season in Sunderland on 8-9 March.
Athletes from seven countries contested the final eight in the male competition. Brown was the only athlete to top the route with Denis van Hoek, in his home competition, climbing for silver and Spain’s Javier Paredes Ramos, 20, taking his first ever senior medal.
It was a similar story in the women’s competition with Switzerland and the Netherlands, one and two. The two countries had five athletes in the final eight with Goetz narrowly edging Marianne van der Steen for the gold. The Swiss secured their third medal of the weekend with Vivien Labarile earning bronze. Fifth place for Japan’s Haruko Takeuchi means she was able to extend her lead in the overall series over Annick Teepe, eighth, and Aneta Louzecka, who narrowly missed out on the final.
A total of 79 athletes from 17 countries competed, demonstrating the growing appeal of the Continental events. In early 2025, the Continental season makes way for the main event – the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour which will witnesses five World Cups on three continents and a World Youth Championships. The first of five, starts on the weekend of 10-12 January in Cheongsong, South Korea.
A season preview for the World Tour will be published on Tuesday 17 December.
Current Continental Season (Europe) Leaderboard – After 4/6 rounds
Women:
Haruko Takeuchi, Japan, 306 points
Annick Teepe, Netherlands, 236
Aneta Louzecka, Czech Republic, 192.5
Men:
Jonathan Brown, Switzerland, 305 points
Mehdi Bouchet Bert Manoz, France 206.5
Jan Mondzelewski, Poland, 182.25
Further Information
Utrecht event page
UIAA Ice Climbing 2024-2025 season calendar
Photos
Photo credit: UIAA/Syste van Slooten
UIAA ICE CLIMBING WORLD TOUR PARTNER
