Gianluca Vighetti claimed the gold medal in the men’s Lead competition at the opening round of the World Climbing Europe Series in Žilina, Slovakia, headlining a strong double-podium performance for the Italian national team. According to reports from Valsusa Oggi, the 17-year-old athlete from Susa delivered an immaculate run characterized by sharp technical precision, solid concentration, and fluid movement on an intensely challenging route.
The continental circuit opener brought together top European climbers for the first major showdown of the season. Vighetti’s victory adds to his rising international profile following a silver medal in the European Youth Cup held in Dornbirn, Austria, securing vital points for the senior overall ranking, as detailed by Valsusa Oggi.
Italy’s successful weekend in Slovakia began a day earlier when teammate Gian Luca Zodda captured a bronze medal in the Speed competition, rounding out a highly competitive showing for the Azzurri across multiple disciplines, according to Sportface.
Vighetti’s Dominant Climb in the Lead Final
The men’s Lead final presented an exceptionally difficult challenge for the field. According to Valsusa Oggi, a tricky section around hold 11+ halted the progress of numerous climbers early in the round.
Vighetti managed the technical difficulties cleanly, pushing past the trouble spots to reach hold 45, as reported by Sportface. That performance put a clear margin between the Italian teenager and his closest rivals. Belgium’s Nicolas Collin finished in second place with 40 holds, while France’s Jordi Poles took third with 38 holds.
The full standings for the men’s Lead final reflect the competitive field in Žilina:
- Gianluca Vighetti (ITA) – 45
- Nicolas Collin (BEL) – 40
- Jordi Poles (FRA) – 38
- Matteo Soule (FRA) – 22+
- Isaac Sutton (GBR) – 11+
- Andrea Ludovico Chelleris (ITA) – 11+
- Otto Reiter (GER) – 11+
- Max Dinger (GER)
Before breaking away in the final, Vighetti built momentum through the qualification rounds and the semifinals. In the penultimate round, he matched the technical score of compatriot Andrea Ludovico Chelleris by reaching hold 38+, earning the third spot going into the medal round before elevating his performance to secure the top step of the podium.
Depth of the Italian Squad in Lead and Speed
The Italian men’s Lead team showed deep collective strength throughout the event in Slovakia. According to Sportface, all five Italian male climbers entered in the Lead division successfully advanced through the qualifications into the semifinals.
Andrea Ludovico Chelleris finished second in the qualifications, followed closely by Tommaso Lamboglia in third, Riccardo Vicentini in fourth, Gianluca Vighetti in sixth, and Michele Reusa in twenty-fourth. Chelleris ultimately joined Vighetti in the final, placing sixth overall after reaching hold 38+ in the semifinal alongside Vighetti.
In the women’s Lead category, Margherita Pernigotti and Federica Mabboni advanced to the semifinals, finishing sixteenth and twenty-fourth respectively, while teammates Emma Gregorotti, Sofia Brenna, and Matilda Liù Moar concluded their competition in the qualifying round, as noted by Sportface.
The weekend’s other medal for Italy came from Gian Luca Zodda in the Speed discipline. Zodda opened with a sixth-place qualifying time of 5.38 seconds, then defeated fellow Italian Marco Rontini in the eighth-finals with a time of 5.35 seconds against Rontini’s 5.46 seconds, according to Sportface. Zodda improved further in the quarterfinals with a 5.20-second run to eliminate France’s Grosset, though a false start in the semifinal against Switzerland’s Gilles Meili halted his run at gold. Zodda rebounded in the third-place race, defeating Poland’s Dzienski to claim the bronze medal.
Looking Ahead in the European Circuit
With the opening event in Žilina concluded, athletes across the Lead and Speed disciplines are turning their focus toward upcoming stops on the continental calendar. Official updates, rankings, and future fixture schedules for the World Climbing Europe Series remain available through international sport climbing governing bodies as the season progresses.
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