Seventeen-year-old Anraku Sorato needed to top the final boulder route on Saturday (4 May) at the IFSC World Cup Salt Lake City.
He did just that.
The rising Japanese sport climbing star claimed his second career boulder World Cup, his fifth World Cup title overall, having captured three others in lead.
Anraku’s Japanese compatriot Narasaki Meichi claimed the silver medal, while Austrian veteran Jakob Schubert won the bronze, his 11th in boulder – and 64th overall.
Anraku won silver in boulder in Salt Lake a year ago before going on to claim his first World Cup boulder title in Innsbruck, Austria. He captured Saturday’s title in front of a boisterous crowd, topping three of the four routes and making the zone on the fourth.
Both Narasaki and Schubert topped one of the four boulders, making zones on the other three.
“It feels like this was an important milestone for my training and it gave me a lot of confidence going into Paris,” Anraku told commentator Alex Honnold via an interpreter. “When I figured out the moves on the final boulder, I felt like I had it; I felt really good when I topped.
“It was very nerve-wracking, I felt tight and stiff, but I am incredibly happy.”
Later on Saturday evening, home hopes Emma Hunt and Sam Watson swept respective titles in the women’s and men’s speed climbing events. Watson set a new men’s world record last month at 4.79 seconds.
He went 4.89 in the men’s final on Saturday, beating compatriot Noah Bratschi, who slipped at the start of the race. Hunt also was clearly the winner (6.55), Poland’s Aleksandra Kalucka slipping at the start of their race, too.
“I am super excited for my progress. I’m very happy, very elated to take home the win,” Watson said on the IFSC broadcast. “[But] I’m not done yet. More world records are coming; I’m not taking my foot off the pedal at all.”
The women’s boulder competition is set for Sunday (5 May).

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