Brixen set to host IFSC Boulder World Cup for the first time

Natalia Grossman is tipped for victory in the women's event in Brixen ©Getty Images

The Italian town of Brixen is set to play host to its first International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Boulder World Cup event from June 11 to 12 following back-to-back World Cup legs in Salt Lake City in the United States.

The upcoming event is the first IFSC competition to take place in Italy since the IFSC Youth World Championships in Arco in 2019.

It is also the first IFSC World Cup to be held in the country since 2018.

A total of 196 climbers, 87 women and 109 men, are due to participate in this weekend's event representing 34 countries and territories.

The US' Natalia Grossman is expected to impress as she has podiumed in all four Boulder World Cups so far this season, taking gold in three of them.

Halfway through the qualification rounds, it's time to join IFSC TV host Matt Groom, and have a quick tour of the Vertikale Stadium in Brixen – "the new kid on the IFSC World Cup circuit!"#IFSC #SportClimbing #BrixenWC pic.twitter.com/dN2sMHBJ82
— International Federation of Sport Climbing (@ifsclimbing) June 10, 2022

Olympians Brooke Raboutou of the US and Japan's Nonaka Miho will also be vying to maintain their podium positions in the women's event after claiming medals in both editions of the IFSC Boulder World Cup Series in Salt Lake City last month.

In the men’s event, Ogata Yoshiyuki of Japan is one to watch, having taken the gold medal at the latest Boulder World Cup, as well as achieving a podium position in the three World Cups prior.

His compatriots Fujii Kokoro and Olympian Narasaki Tomoa, in addition to Mejdi Schalck of France, are likewise noteworthy participants this weekend, each having won two Boulder World Cup medals so far this season.