Anraku Sorato wins bouldering at the World Cup in Salt Lake

Seventeen years old Anraku Sorato needed to top the last rocky path on Saturday (May 4) at IFSC WC in Salt Lake City.

He did just that.

The rising Japanese sport climbing star won his second career World Cup title, fifth overall, after leading three others.

Japanese compatriot of Anraku Narasaki Meichi received the silver medal but an Austrian veteran Jakob Schubert won the bronze, his 11th in bouldering – and 64th overall.

Anraku won bouldering silver in Salt Lake a year ago before winning his first World Cup title in Innsbruck, Austria. He won the title Saturday in front of a raucous crowd, topping three of four routes and making the field on the fourth.

Both Narasaki and Schubert topped one of the four boulders and became zones on the other three.

“I feel like it was an important stage for my training and it gave me a lot of confidence going into Paris,” Anraku told reporters. Alex Honnold through an interpreter. “When I figured out the moves on the last boulder I felt like I had it; I felt really good when I topped.

“It was very nerve-wracking, I was tight and stiff, but I’m incredibly happy.”

Later on Saturday night, hopefully home Emma Hunt and Sam Watson will depend on the women’s and men’s speed climbing titles. Watson set a new men’s world record last month in 4.79 seconds.

The women’s bouldering competition is on Sunday (May 5).

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Salt Lake City 2024 IFSC World Championships – Men’s Boulder Finals

1. Anraku Sorato (JPN)
2. Narasaki Meichi (JPN)
3. Jakob Schubert (AUT)
4. Amagasa Sohta (JPN)
5. Jan-Luca Posch (AUT)
6. Yannick Flohé (Germany)

see all results from IFSC here.