A thrilling conclusion to the 2025 Youth European Cup in Toulouse-Tournefeuille, France, left spectators in awe as Team Italy dominated the Lead season, securing an impressive three gold medals out of four. This remarkable achievement was highlighted by the first career victories of Andrea Ludovico Chelleris and Matilda Liù Moar, while Gianluca Vighetti added another gold to his collection, having already triumphed earlier in the year at the Youth European Cup in Bologna, Italy.
However, the Italian dominance was not absolute, as Rafael Kazbekova from Ukraine stole the show in the women's U17 category, claiming her fourth medal of the season with a brilliant performance.
The Final Podiums:
Women's U17 Lead:
1. Rafael KAZBEKOVA (UKR)
2. Swann LAMBLIN-BURGUET (FRA)
3. Milena CASETTA (SRB)
Men's U17 Lead:
1. Andrea Ludovico CHELLERIS (ITA)
2. Hypolite VILANOVA (FRA)
3. Yanik CHASSAIN (SUI)
Women's U19 Lead:
1. Matilda Liù MOAR (ITA)
2. Lana GORIC (SLO)
3. Julia BENACH ZUBERO (ESP)
Men's U19 Lead:
1. Gianluca VIGHETTI (ITA)
2. Akyan ETCHAR (FRA)
3. Giovanni BAGNOLI (ITA)
But here's where it gets controversial... With such a strong showing by Team Italy, some might argue that the competition was biased or that other nations lacked the necessary training and resources. What do you think? Is this a fair assessment, or are there other factors at play?
And this is the part most people miss... The upcoming IFSC European events calendar will be announced soon, and all semi-finals and finals will be live-streamed on the IFSC Europe YouTube channel. Stay tuned for more climbing excitement!
For those eager for more updates, the IFSC website and its digital channels, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, and X, will keep you informed. Additionally, the Federation has exclusive channels for the Chinese audience on Bilibili, Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.
So, are you ready to climb with us into the next season? Let's discuss and share our thoughts in the comments!
