2026 World Climbing Prague Women’s Bouldering: Annie Sanders Takes Gold

Prague once again played host to one of the most anticipated events on the climbing calendar as the 2026 World Climbing Prague women’s bouldering competition returned with a new venue. For the 2026 season, competition moved to the iconic Štvanice Stadium on Štvanice Island, providing a fresh backdrop for the world’s top climbers.

As a key stop on the World Climbing Series circuit, the Prague event featured both bouldering and lead competitions, challenging elite athletes across multiple disciplines. The women’s bouldering semi-final and final tested competitors with a demanding set of intricate slab problems that required exceptional balance, precise technique, and creative problem-solving.

From standout performances and dramatic battles for the podium to breakthrough results from rising stars, here’s a closer look at the key moments, highlights, and final results from the 2026 World Climbing Prague women’s bouldering competition.

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Women’s Bouldering Semi-Final

After claiming gold in Madrid, Great Britain’s Erin McNeice arrived in Prague as one of the favorites for another victory. She lived up to expectations in the women’s bouldering semi-final, delivering a dominant performance by topping all four boulders and finishing with 99.5 points to lead the field into the final.

France’s Zélia Avezou also showcased impressive form, topping all four boulders and posting a score of 99.3 points to comfortably secure her place in the final. Having already claimed a women’s bouldering gold medal in China earlier this season, Avezou entered the final as one of the strongest contenders for the title.

Team Japan will be well represented in the final, with Anon Matsufuji, Mao Nakamura, and Melody Sekikawa all advancing to the medal round. Sekikawa’s qualification came in dramatic fashion after a successful appeal by the Japanese team resulted in a score adjustment that moved her ahead of fellow Japanese climber Miho Nonaka and into the final eighth spot.

The women’s semi-final featured several standout performances, dramatic late-round developments, and razor-thin margins between competitors. With the world’s best climbers advancing to the final, the stage was set for an exciting conclusion to the women’s bouldering competition in Prague.

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Women’s Bouldering Final

The 2026 World Climbing Prague women’s bouldering final began in spectacular fashion as the USA’s Annie Sanders immediately set the standard, becoming the only one of the eight finalists to top the opening boulder. Sanders delivered a consistently strong performance throughout the round, recording three tops and four zones while narrowly missing the top on the second boulder. Her efforts earned her a winning score of 84.3 points.

Great Britain’s Erin McNeice matched Sanders with three tops and four zones of her own, but additional attempts required to secure the top on the second boulder ultimately proved decisive. The small difference of two tenths of a point left McNeice with a score of 84.1 points, securing the silver medal and finishing just behind Sanders.

“It feels pretty incredible. I’m still kind of processing it. It’s amazing!” When asked about the atmosphere and the crowd, she responded, ” It was pretty incredible, the crowd was super supportive, extremely electric. It was pretty fun out there.”

Annie Sanders, World Climbing interview

Following her victory, Sanders expressed her excitement for the upcoming lead competition, where she will compete in the women’s lead semi-final with the opportunity to secure a coveted double gold medal at this year’s Prague event.

Joining Sanders and McNeice on the podium was China’s Yuetong Zhang, who claimed the bronze medal with a score of 69.7 points. Zhang narrowly edged out Japan’s Melody Sekikawa, who finished fourth with 69.5 points.

The result marked a significant milestone in Zhang’s career. Competing in her first ever World Climbing Series bouldering final, she secured her maiden podium finish in women’s bouldering.

With the top two positions separated by just two tenths of a point and the podium battle remaining undecided until the final moments, the women’s final delivered a fitting conclusion to an exciting competition in Prague.

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Want to Watch the Event?

Missed the live broadcast of the event? No problem! Watch the full 2026 World Climbing Prague women’s bouldering competition on YouTube through the World Climbing channel. The broadcast features complete coverage of the women’s and men’s bouldering semi finals and finals, allowing fans to relive the standout moments, impressive display of athleticism, and podium winning performances.

• Women’s Bouldering Semi-Final
• Women’s Bouldering Final

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For more information pertaining to the 2026 World Climbing Prague women’s bouldering results, location, videos, images, etc., please visit the main event page. This event also featured men’s bouldering. The semi-finals and the finals for the men’s bouldering event took place on June 5th. Please check out the event page for further details about this event.