Natalia Kalucka and Ludovico Fossali take Speed golds at European Climbing Championships

Set against the stunning backdrop sunset of the Alps, the city of Villars, Switzerland, served as the perfect venue to crown the first medalists of the 2024 edition of the IFSC European Championships.

Natalia Kalucka of Poland won in the women’s Speed event, showcasing exceptional speed and consistency. Kalucka began her evening with a strong time of 7.13 seconds in the quarter-final. She secured her spot in the final with an impressive 6.82 seconds, eventually clinching gold with 6.98 seconds in the final race. Patrycja Chudziak, also from Poland, took the silver after a fall in the final, following a strong showing throughout the competition.  The bronze medal in the women’s event went to Giulia Randi of Italy, who secured her place on the podium with a time of 8.60 seconds, after Beatrice Colli fell during their match-up.

In the men’s Speed final, Ludovico Fossali of Italy delivered another great performance, taking gold with the final time of 5.74 seconds. Fossali faced tough competition from his fellow countryman Matteo Zurloni, who clocked in at 6.49 seconds in the final, earning him the silver medal. The race for the bronze medal added an unexpected twist when Sebastian Lucke of Germany had a false start, resulting in a win for Erik Noya Cardona of Spain.