Morris finals at UIAA World Cup in Saas-Fee
GB Ice Climbing Team athlete Emma Bush reports from Saas-Fee, where the World Cup event delivered breakthrough performances and a defining weekend for the British team at one of the most iconic venues on the tour.
A landmark weekend for the GB Ice Climbing Team at the second World Cup of the season in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.
With a full quota squad, the team delivered unforgettable performances and achieved remarkable milestones.
Saas-Fee, often regarded as the crown jewel of the World Cup tour, is the Monaco of ice climbing. A historic competition that has hosted a world cup for 26 years running. It’s the event every athlete aspires to conquer, making Willis Morris’s achievement of reaching the finals in Lead truly groundbreaking and a first for any British athlete at this iconic venue.
His exceptional performance, especially on the challenging Semi-Finals route showcased his skill and composure when it was so crucial. He performed brilliantly in the finals under immense pressure from a huge crowd, finishing with his best results to date with 7th in the World cup and 5th in the European Championships.
The rest of the men’s team also excelled, with Sam Pigden (23rd) and Stuart Loftus delivering strong climbs and achieving notable rankings. For Stuart, in his first World Cup season, Saas-Fee was a significant step forward, highlighting his promising trajectory after a great result last week in Korea.
On the women’s side, Mia Coia, at just 17 years old, earned an impressive 18th place, narrowly missing the semi-finals. Her performance demonstrated remarkable maturity and potential, signaling that a semi-finals spot, and more, is within reach in the coming competitions this season.
In the Speed discipline, Caitlin Connor made a strong return, qualifying for the finals after missing Korea due to sickness. Finishing 12th, her consistency at the top level of international speed climbing continues to impress.
With groundbreaking achievements and promising talent on display, Saas-Fee 26 will be remembered as a defining moment for the GB Ice Climbing Team.
As the competition winds down, most of the senior team have flown home to rest up for the upcoming British Championships in Sunderland in two weeks. Meanwhile, our youth climbers, supported by coaches Rory and Caitlin, have continued on to Liechtenstein for the World Youth Championships, where we’re eager to see them shine after their strong season in the senior events so far.
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