Petra Klingler of Switzerland wins her first Gold (Photo: Eugenia Alekseyeva for UIAA)
She has been called the “Swiss machine” and now she has a new name, the “Swiss Queen.”
Petra Klingler made history today in Kirov, Russia when she won the first Swiss World Cup Gold medal in the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour.
“I can’t describe it, it’s incredible,” was all Klingler could say with tears in her voice just moments after the final climber, Korea’s WoonSeon Shin fell.
Klingler, the second-last climber in group, using her bouldering skills on a key hold, had just topped the Lead route but only Shin stood in her way.
The 2015 Tour has seen Klingler get better and better positions, a 3rd place in Rabenstein, 2nd place in Champagny-en-Vanoise and now a Gold in Kirov.
Klingler is part of a group of young Swiss climbers including Kevin Huser, 19 and Yannick Glatthard, 17 who have been making waves on the Tour this year.
All three have shown incredible strength and speed, making into final rounds with Glatthard although only 17 showing he can compete with Tour veterans.
The Men’s Lead final also saw an upset when another young climber, Radomir Proshchenko of Russia who is just 19 years old won the Men’s Lead final. He beat his fellow Russia Maxim Tomilov, who he had the same high point with, because he was ahead of Tomilov’s fourth place in the semi-finals.
Proshchenko was able to climb twice after a fall because of a technical called by the judges.
