First Boulder FINAL of the 2025 season!

Hello and welcome to the first semi-finals and finals of the 2025 season. Right now everything is very quiet in the stadium. We're building up to the semi-finals and it's the turn of the women today. But before we get cracking, I want to remind you of the boulder rules because a couple of things have changed this year. Bouldering is one of three climbing competition disciplines. It takes place on a wall with a maximum height of 4.5 metres. In semi-finals and finals there are four climbs or boulder problems on the wall, each one testing a different aspect of the climber's ability. They start at the bottom with coloured tape on the wall to indicate where each limb should be. They must pull off the ground and touch these holes in a controlled position. The scoring system has changed in 2025 with new decimal points. If the athletes reach the zone hold with the first scoring opportunity, they will receive 10 points. If they get to the top, they get 25 points. However, they will lose 0.1 from their score for every failed attempt. So the maximum they can achieve from a round of four boulders is 100 points. The athletes don't get to see the boulders before they climb and have to work it out within the time limit. In the finals, they get two minutes per boulder before the competition starts to preview them. Bouldering is all about short, intense climbs, so expect plenty of action along the way. So that's the basics, now time for semi-finals, where we cut 24 athletes down to just eight. So here's how our top eight did it. Korea's Chae Yeon-seo was consistent with zones during the four climbs. No tops for her, but a gutsy performance saw her edge Mashihiro Guzu out of eighth place. She did come close on boulder three inches away from getting it done. Great Britain's Erin McNeice was fifth here last year, and a top on boulder two gets her into finals again. She showed ridiculous power endurance on her way to sending it second go. Zones in all but the last climb secured her her place. Mao Nakamura left it until the very last boulder to get into finals. Impressive footwork from the Japanese athlete saw her top it. The relief and joy was obvious. A big moment for her and a flash as well. It's fantastic to see Miho Nanaka looking strong and confident out on the wall. She flashed the zone on boulder one, but more was to come. A flash of boulder two saw her get the maximum 25 points on that climb. She could only manage zones after that, but it left her with a score of 54.7 and fifth place. Miho's teammate Melody Sikakawa is next. She did struggle at the start, but picked up the pace on the final two climbs. She sent the coordination run across the wall in just two attempts. On the final move of the slab, she hung in the air for an eternity with her foot before finally making that match. USA's Annie Sanders came on and was unbelievable, flashing the first two climbs. Up to that point, no one had even got close, so sending them first go was so impressive. It was a real statement of intent and Annie is surely one of the favourites for the final. Australia's Osh McKenzie executed the coordination moves of boulder three perfectly to claim the top in just three goes. The slab climb was particularly impressive, masterful footwork on a low percentage move and second place for her. Rising above the rest was France's Orianne Berton. Although she only managed a zone on the first climb, she did come away with just one hand off the top. The next three climbs belong to her. Quick sends on all three and a total of 84.7 means she qualifies in first and will climb last in finals. Watch out, everyone. Orianne is coming. Well, semi-finals has done, darkness has fallen and what a light show that's being put on here in the stadium. I'm so excited to get going. But before we do, let's go chat to my co-commentator who's waiting patiently inside. Right. So, Nakaya waiting in our commentary box. We've got a great view of the stadium here. First of all, introduce yourself. People don't know who you are. Who are you? Who do you climb for? Everything like that. I'm Nakaya Sanders. I climb from the United States. I'm 21, from California. Now, I just, I want to ask you, because everyone always asks me, you're not related to Annie Sanders, are you? I am not. I also have a sister who climbs and she's also not related. And Annie also has a sister who climbs and she is related. So there's too many Sanders. There are far too many Sanders. Right. Four boulders for the finals. We've been down on the mats talking to the setters. What's your general impression of this set? I think they look really, really cool. A good mix of styles. A lot of dual techs. This feels like a theme throughout the whole competition. Maybe like slightly easier than the qualifier or semi, sorry. But overall, just like a really well-rounded round. Yeah, I would agree with you. There are some exciting looking boulders and some moves I haven't seen, like a chimney on a slab. Just you wait. Weird, right? Really strange. It'll be interesting to see how that goes. Now, let's talk about Annie Sanders, the other Sanders. Obviously, you're her teammate. It was pretty amazing in SEMS, flashing those first two climbs. She's looking good right now, isn't she? Yes, she is. I'm always blown away by her climbing. Her static strength is, yeah, I envy it for sure. So good. Yeah, me too. And generally within Team USA, you guys got a big squad, got lots of people into semis. I know you just missed out. Just missed out on semis. I let down the team. But tell me about Team USA right now. It seems like a good atmosphere in the team. Yeah, I feel like everyone's getting along like super well. Just like a really good training vibe, like especially a lot of people are in Salt Lake or at least coming in and out. And I think it's really, like especially, I guess in the guys too, just really, really pushed the level. I think you can see that like in our selection competitions, like it was really like back and forth. And yeah, it's just like, I think biased, obviously, but I think there's a really, really strong group of girls right now. I would very much agree with you and the results, you know, back you up on that one. Right, Mr. Cameraman, you need to go away because it's time for us to do a live stream. It's time for you guys to watch the highlights. Let's find out who gets that gold medal. As darkness fell and the lights lit the stadium, the crowd were treated to a tense round. Oceana McKenzie told us she was suffering from bad skin and that might have affected her in the finals. Her zone on Boulder 2 was the highlight, but 9.9 left her in 8th, whose zones for Cheyenne so, so close to the top of all the climbs, what could have been, but tonight it was 7th. Melody Sikakawa was impressive on the last boulder, the hardest of the lot. She flashed the zone in a display of pure power to get her up to 6th place. Mihona Naka entered the stage with clear and pure determination. Cuts that left hand onto the hold. There come the points. 9.8 has scored now. There's a right-hand jib awaiting and she's one move away, but it is a brutal one. She's got a mantle up. It's just above her head. She's eyeing it up. Takes a deep breath. She's got to snap that right hand in. Holds the barn door and what a top for Mihona Naka. In fourth was Mao Nakamura. She did start off slowly, but boulder 3, the chimney-style slab, was where she came alive. So, our podium finishes. Erin McNeice flashed the zones on boulders 2 and 4. It was her quick top on boulder 3 in just 3 goes that secured her a medal in her first comp of the season. A gutsy performance from a hard-working climber. Top 2 then. And it came down to Annie Sanders versus Orianne Berton. Annie was ahead for most of it, but it was tight. They both sent the slab quickly, using different but equally impressive beta to claim that top. Final climb. Last chance. Annie was up first. And despite exhaustion, she tried everything to progress, using good footwork and massive endurance to get the zone in just two attempts. But not the top. This left things potentially open for Orianne Berton. Orianne then. If she can get this zone, remember, first time she will get silver. After that, it's top time. Oh, wow. That was wildly calm. Comes in with the right hand. I hope I stopped talking. I was too excited there. Left-hand match is looking good so far. Oh, I want her to touch that hold so much. Up with the right hand. OK, well, could be a silver then. We'll wait for these scores to be updated. Balls, right. My yes, a silver medal for her, 44.9. But the top was out of reach, leaving Annie with another gold medal. She won at the last comp of the year in 2024 in Seoul, and she wins at the first comp of 2025.