UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup South Korea - Results

For only the second year Cheongsang, South Korea was host to the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup as the first round of the series took place. Athletes from all over the world took to the stage, however once again the Russian team have displayed their dominance in the speed and lead competitions.

 The 2012 Cheongsang competition wall.

Markus Bendler who finished the 2011 season in third took a shock fall early in the competition failing to make the qualifiers, whilst home favourite Yong Hee Park came in with a 3rd place finish. Italy's Angelika Rainer who finished the 2011 season in 6th, opened 2012 with the top podium spot, whilst 2011's top female lead champ Anna Gallyamova came in 2nd in the opening lead competition. 

 Markus Bendler moments before falling.

The Russian's dominance was such that at the end of the opening round of the 2012 Ice World Cup, they occupied the top 9 men's speed positions, 1st and 2nd male lead, top 6 women's speed and 2nd and 4th in the women's lead competition. A truly remarkable list of results.

Maria Tolokonina during the speed competition.

Women's Speed Finals
1. SHABALINA, Viktoria RUS
2. KRASAVINA, MARIA RUS
3. FILIPPOVA, Maryam RUS

Men's Speed Finals
1. SPITSYN, Ivan RUS
2. VAGIN, Alexey RUS
3. TOMILOV, Alexey RUS

Interview with Markus Bendler after his under par performance in Cheongsong, South Korea.
“I think I need a mental coach!!,” Bendler good-heartedly wrote on his Facebook page as he reflected on a fall that knocked him out of the competition on Saturday and a chance to compete in the semi-finals and finals on Sunday. Here pictured just seconds before the fall.

Short interview with the winner of Women's Lead competition in the UIAA Ice World Cup in Cheongsong, South Korea.

Women's Lead Finals
1. RAINER, Angelika ITA
2. GALLYAMOVA, Anna RUS
3. HROZOVA, Lucie CZE

Yong Hee Park during the speed competition.

Men's Lead Finals
1. TOMILOV, Maxim RUS
2. TOMILOV, Alexey RUS
3. PARK, Hee Yong KOR

See the UIAA Website for the full lists of results

The 2012 Calendar follows:

Cheongsang, South Korea,  14th-15th January

Saas Fee, Switzerland, 20th-24th January

Champagny en Vanoise, France, 2nd-4th February

Busteni, Romania, 10th-11th February

Kirov, Russia, 8th-10th March

Saas Fee is the second round of the 2012 competition and a live video feed can be found on the UIAA website 

All Images - Lukasz Warzecha LWImages.

For more info and images see the UIAA Facebook page