# World climbing competitions 2026 – Junior and Grand Finale > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/world-climbing-series-madrid-2026 > Updated: 2026-08-03T14:36:58.000Z. Sources: 29. Developments: 8. The 2026 climbing season opened with the World Climbing Series in Madrid, where 300 athletes from 45 nations competed; British Erin McNeice won women’s boulder and Japan’s Sorato Anraku took men’s. The circuit then moved to Arco, Italy, for the World Youth and Junior Championships. The Youth event in June attracted 960 participants and featured a new photovoltaic system at the venue. In July, the speed segment highlighted Italy’s sprint depth: Jacopo Titi broke the six‑second barrier, finishing fourth after a semifinal loss to China’s Zhou; Francesco Ponzinibio set the fastest U19 qualifying time (5.04 s) and placed fifth. Italian women Carolina Mariani and Sara Strocchi reached the finals. The Junior World Championships concluded on 25 July. In the U19 men’s bouldering, South Korea’s Beomjin Park and Chanjin Jung took gold and silver, Italy’s Matteo Reusa earned bronze. The U19 women’s podium was led by Germany’s Paula Mayer‑Vorfelder, followed by the United States’ Analise Van Hoang and France’s Louise Puech Yazid. In the U17 category, Japan’s Kazuki Nakata and teammate Taketo Saiki secured men’s gold and silver, with South Korea’s Hayool Lee bronze; Switzerland’s Amélie Kägi won the women’s title. Detailed scores released after the competition showed Park’s 84.5 points and Jung’s 84.2, while Reusa scored 74.5 for bronze. Mayer‑Vorfelder accumulated 74.4 points, Van Hoang 74.0 and Puech Yazid 59.0. In the U17 women’s bouldering, Kägi led with 84.1 points, China’s Youtian Tan took silver and Meini Li bronze. Italian finalists Chiara Franceschi and Leonardo Donola placed fourth and eighth respectively. Approximately 1,500 spectators attended the events at the Arco Climbing Stadium. The championships hosted over 750 athletes from 68 nations across lead, speed and bouldering, with Poland fielding a 17‑member squad. Polish speed climbers Antoni Marcisz and Maksymilian Myśliwiec reached the final, finishing 10th and 13th. ## Claims - Beomjin Park of South Korea won the men's U19 bouldering gold with 84.5 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Chanjin Jung of South Korea took silver in the men's U19 bouldering with 84.2 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Matteo Reusa of Italy earned bronze in the men's U19 bouldering with 74.5 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Kazuki Nakata of Japan won the men's U17 bouldering gold with 99.3 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Beomjin Park (South Korea) won gold in men's U19 bouldering with 84.5 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Matteo Reusa (Italy) earned bronze in men's U19 bouldering with 74.5 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Paula Mayer‑Vorfelder (Germany) won gold in women's U19 bouldering with 74.4 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Kazuki Nakata (Japan) won gold in men's U17 bouldering with 99.3 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Amélie Kägi of Switzerland won gold in the women's U17 bouldering with 84.1 points. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Paula Mayer‑Vorfelder of Germany won the women's U19 bouldering gold with 74.4 points. (single source) - Analise Van Hoang of the United States took silver in the women's U19 bouldering with 74.0 points. (single source) - Taketo Saiki of Japan took silver in the men's U17 bouldering with 74.7 points. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-03: Italy hosts 2026 Arco climbing world youth championships and Mediterranean Games in Taranto Italy hosted the 2026 World Youth Climbing Championships in Arco, earning two medals, and will stage the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto with a 498‑strong delegation featuring five Olympic champions. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-hosts-2026-arco-climbing-world-youth-championships-and-mediterranean-games-in-taranto ### 2026-07-27: World Climbing 2026: Junior Championships in Arco and Nations Grand Finale in Fukuoka Arco hosted the 2026 World Junior Climbing Championships with Polish athletes earning spots in lead and speed finals; later, Fukuoka will hold the Nations Grand Finale and World Climbing Para Series final, key 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/world-climbing-2026-junior-championships-in-arco-and-nations-grand-finale-in-fukuoka ### 2026-07-25: Arco 2026 Junior World Climbing Championships: Korean men’s U19 gold, German women’s U19 gold Arco 2026 Junior World Climbing Championships saw Korean men’s U19 gold, German women’s U19 gold, Japanese men’s U17 gold, and Swiss women’s U17 gold. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kazuki-nakata-wins-u17-bouldering-title-at-junior-worlds-in-arco ### 2026-07-22: Italian Speed Climbers Excel at World Youth Climbing Championships in Arco At the World Youth Climbing Championships in Arco, Italian speed climbers posted strong times, with Jacopo Titi clocking a personal best 5.61 s to finish fourth and Francesco Ponzinibio delivering the fastest U 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-speed-climbers-excel-at-world-youth-climbing-championships-in-arco ### 2026-07-16: Arco hosts World Climbing Youth Championship with 725 athletes from 68 nations The World Climbing Youth Championship in Arco, Italy (18‑25 July 2026) will host 725 athletes from 68 nations, including Italy’s 28‑member team and a four‑athlete squad from Venezuela. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/arco-hosts-world-climbing-youth-championship-with-725-athletes-from-68-nations ### 2026-06-24: Arco, Italy to host World Climbing Youth Championship 2026 The World Climbing Youth Championship will take place in Arco, Italy (18‑25 July 2026) with 725 athletes from 68 nations, featuring Lead, Speed and Boulder events and a focus on sustainability. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/arco-italy-to-host-world-climbing-youth-championship-2026 ### 2026-05-31: Alcobendas hosts 2026 World Climbing Series Alcobendas hosted the World Climbing Series 2026 with 300 athletes from 45+ countries; winners included Erin McNeice (GB) and Sorato Anraku (JP). 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/alcobendas-hosts-2026-world-climbing-series ### 2026-05-28: World Climbing Series Madrid 2026 draws top climbers in Alcobendas The World Climbing Series Madrid 2026 in Alcobendas saw Spanish climbers Guillermo Peinado and Manuel Pastor top the boulder qualifiers, advancing to the semi‑finals among 84 athletes. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/world-climbing-series-madrid-2026-draws-top-climbers-in-alcobendas --- Cite as: World climbing competitions 2026 – Junior and Grand Finale. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/world-climbing-series-madrid-2026