Athletes from seven different countries (Ireland, Iran, Mongolia, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland and the USA) claimed the 12 medals on offer during the first UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup of the 2025 season held in Cheongsong, South Korea.
Located in South Korea’s Apple County and a noted winter sports destination, Cheongsong has been a regular stop on the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour for over a decade. Shortly before action started last weekend, a new five-year deal between the Korean Alpine Federation (KAF) and Cheongsong County was announced ensuring UIAA competitions, subject to UIAA World Ice Climbing approval, will continue to be held in the region until the year 2030. The UIAA is delighted to see such a strong commitment from one of the world’s most experienced event organizers.
The first medals decided in this year’s competition came in the duel format speed event. Here reigning world champion Mohammadreza Safdarian, Iran, made an early season statement by defeating a rising star of the discipline, Mongolia’s Kherlen Nyamdoo in the final. In the bronze medal climb, Safdarian’s teammate Mohsen Beheshti Rad overcame local athlete Cheol Kim Min.
The women’s competition saw success for Team USA with Catalina Shirley, 22, taking gold. In the process, Shirley bettered last year’s silver meal in Cheongsong. Silver went to Mongolia’s Selenge Nyamdoo with South Korea taking the bronze as Youjin Cha overcame world champion Aneta Louzecka.
In the lead competition, eight male and eight female athletes contested a gripping final on routes conceived for fast ascending but with some noted technical challenges, best demonstrated by no athlete coming close to topping the route.
Woonseon Shin, reigning world champion and reigning World Tour winner, went into the weekend as the favourite for the title and as last athlete to climb had the chance to secure another gold medal in her home World Cup. However, difficulties in negotiating an ice barrel halfway up the route scuppered her chances as she timed out in sixth. The medals were shared between three European athletes – Sina Goetz of Switzerland taking gold ahead of Marianne Van der Steen, Netherlands, and Eimir McSwiggan, Ireland (photo, above). For Goetz it is a first gold medal since the World Cup in Saas-Fee in 2023; Van der Steen secured her best ever World Cup finish and McSwiggan returns to a World Cup podium for the first time since Champagny-en-Vanoise in 2023.
In the men’s competition, the reigning world champion Lee Younggeon held his nerve and composure to take gold. Despite his success on the world stage, gold in his home event had eluded him until now. Safdarian enjoyed the distinction of being the only athlete to medal in both speed and lead. His silver in the latter was his first on the world stage in five years. Bronze completed a very good weekend for the Swiss Alpine Club team with Benjamin Bosshard securing bronze. In their return to World Cup competition, the Ladveant brothers had a mixed weekend. Tristan claimed fifth in lead with former world champion Louna bowing out in the semi-finals.
Athletes will now transition to the European legs of competition with Saas-Fee, Switzerland celebrating 25 years of hosting UIAA-sanctioned events from 23-25 January.
Cheongsong provided a fine demonstration of the increasing quality of a number of national federations as athletes battled complex routes in freezing temperatures. To note also the increase in competitors from the 87 who featured in Cheongsong last year to 112 this season.
The UIAA would like to thank the Korean Alpine Federation (KAF) for its excellent hosting of the competition and to KAF and the region of Cheongsong for their commitment to the sport of ice climbing and hosting UIAA events for another five years. The UIAA was represented in Cheongsong by Executive Committee member Simon Alden, Climb MT (Malta).
Collated results from Cheongsong, including the Asian Championships, can be found here.
Photo credits: UIAA/Rhea Kang
Review of Finals: Livestreams
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