UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup:
Safdarian wins men’s speed gold, Beheshtirad bags bronze
Iran’s Mohammadreza Safdarian got off to a flying start at the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup, claiming the men’s speed gold in the event’s season opener in Cheongsong, South Korea.
A former lead and combined gold medalist at the World Championships, Safdarian defeated his Mongolian opponent in the final showpiece, with his compatriot Mohsen Beheshtirad settling for bronze.
Safdarian had also walked away with the speed gold, as well as the lead silver, in the World Cup season opener in Cheongsong last year.
More than 100 ice climbers from 18 countries competed in the men’s and women’s speed and lead categories.
Safdarian was the only Iranian in the lead competition, settling for an eighth-place finish.
Mahin Khalili, meanwhile, represented Iran in the women’s speed contest, but was unlucky to miss out on the podium after finishing fifth.
The second World Cup event of the season will be staged in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, in two weeks.