Follow Anak on Instagram: @anak.verhoeven

“I’ve won a worldcup for the second time! Very thankful for this great ending of the season.”

Anak has won the gold medal in Slovenia, in an arena packed with climbing fans.
After 2 tops in the qualification round and just missing the tophold in the semifinal, she took a provisional 2nd place on Saturday evening.
In the final on Sunday she climbed 7 holds further than number 2.
Akiyo Noguchi (JPN) took the silver medal followed by Janja Garnbret (SLO) who took bronze.

For the first time in her climbing career, she ended 2nd in the final World Cup ranking.

Video clip of Anak’s final route

Sunday 23 October 2016

At the World Cup Lead in  Xiamen (China), Anak Verhoeven took the silver medal again.
Despite the tropical heat and humidity she climbed a perfect qualification round, topping both routes.
The next day she also topped the semifinal route, as did Janja Garnbret from Slovenia.
In the final route she jumped to a hold she couldn’t see and unfortunately missed it.

The next and last World Cup will be held in Kranj/Slovenia on 26-27 November.

4 days in the capital of France after which I came home with a silver medal

Pic Micha Timmermans

2 tops in the qualification round

Difficulties clipping a quickdraw in the semifinal, followed by a slip of my foot

No problem, I’m on a provisional 4th place

Janja and me topping the surprisingly easy final route

Mina, Jain and Jessy fall 2 moves from the top

A podium based on countback to the semifinal

I suppose it was a nice show for the public

Congrats to Janja for winning gold and to Mina for becoming 3rd. Thanks to every one who encouraged, hugged or supported me. 🙂

Pic by Micha Timmermans

… to my friend Celine Cuypers for her lovely handmade present. A framed artist impression to celebrate my first worldcup win:

This was a victory one can only dream about. Thank you Jesus!

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An overview of 3 competitions in July:

Chamonix (France)
Two exhausting qualification routes, a complicated semifinal and a final route in which both Janja and I reach the top. 2nd place (due to countback), so first podium of the 2016 season! Jain takes bronze.
1. Janja Garnbret (SLO)
2. Anak Verhoeven (BEL)
3. Jain Kim (KOR)

©Denis Timmermans

Villars (Switzerland)
This ski resort hosts a World Cup for the first time. I celebrate my 20th birthday on the day of the qualifications. The female climbers are somewhat confused during the observation of the semifinal route, but the moves feel quite logical after all. I’m glad I reach the finals again. 4 out of 8 finalists fall on the same boulder move in the finals. Countback again… a silver medal for me again. Same podium as in Chamonix. 🙂

Briançon (France)
Tied on the 1st place with Jain and Janja after the semifinal with all routes topped. And… a slip of my right hand in the final route. A very disappointing 8th place but a lot of encouraging words from other athletes, coaches from other teams, friends and family.
1. Janja Garnbret (SLO)
2. Jessica Pilz (AUT)
3. Magdalena Röck (AUT)

Some other things I’m thankful for:
– By ‘coincidence’ we had booked an apartment in Chamonix next to the house of ex-world champion Martina Čufar from Slovenia. So nice.
– A happy birthday song after my climb in Villars (thanks Christopher).
– While I was climbing, the DJ usually played the song Hallelujah. Although it’s not really a christian song, I’m glad that people are willing to recognize that I believe in Jesus. The song ‘Oh Happy day’ was played several times too. Great.
– Andrea Rojas is a climber from Ecuador who is studying in Italy at present and participates in Speed World Cups. I met her on the Youth World Championships 2013 in Canada and ever since we’ve been communicating an encouraging each other. It was great to meet her again in Chamonix and share the same apartment in Switzerland.

©Denis Timmermans