Annie Sanders & Lee Dohyun win Madrid stage of Lead World Cup 2025

The IFSC Climbing World Cup Comunidad de Madrid 2025 concluded with two climbers celebrating their first-ever World Cup golds in the Lead discipline. Annie Sanders of the USA and Lee Dohyun of South Korea rose to the top of tightly contested finals, each securing the brightest medal with the slightest margin.

Sanders claimed her first Lead World Cup victory with a commanding top on the final route, the only one of the round. As she clipped the final quickdraw, Sanders was visibly emotional, overwhelmed by a moment that marked a major milestone in her still very young career.

"I'm honestly still in shock right now, I'm super excited to have executed well enough to win the gold," said Sanders at the end of the final. "I didn't know what to expect at the beginning of the season, but after the first Lead World Cup in China I know I was capable of doing this, and I'm glad it finally happened."

Laura Rogora of Italy followed in second place with a score of 48+, falling as she attempted to secure the final hold. The Italian repeated her silver-medal performance from Innsbruck, Austria, earlier this season. Brooke Raboutou of the USA matched Rogora’s high point, but placed third based on their semi-final ranking. It is Raboutou’s first World Cup podium since Villars 2023.

Just outside of the podium was Great Britain's Erin McNeice in fourth place, followed by Manon Hily of France in fifth, and Rosa Rekar of Slovenia in sixth. The winner of last week's Lead World Cup in Chamonix, France, Seo Chaehyun of South Korea, slipped early in the final and closed seventh, while Heloïse Doumont of Belgium placed eighth.

In the men's event, Lee climbed the best final run of the night, winning his first World Cup gold in Lead with a score of 40+. In a tight battle for the top spot, Lee edged out Spain’s Alberto Ginés López by the smallest of margins: indeed, Ginés López finished with a score of 40 and stood within striking distance of his first-ever World Cup win in Lead. Despite the near miss, the Spanish climber earned his fifth podium in five Lead competitions this season and continues to lead the men’s Lead World Cup Ranking presented by Euroholds.

Yoshida Satone of Japan rounded out the podium in third with 39+. After placing first in the semi-final, the Japanese athlete added yet another strong result to his remarkably consistent season: he has not placed lower than fourth in any Lead event in 2025.

USA's Colin Duffy closed with the same score as Yoshida, but placed fourth because of a lower placement in semi-final. Japan's Anraky Sorato, Omata Shion, and Suzuki Neo all followed in fifth, sixth, and seventh position respectively. First-time finalist Jakub Konecny of Czechia closed in eighth

The next Lead World Cup will be the sixth and final of the 2025 series and will take place in Koper, Slovenia on 5-6 September.