The last time Užnik reached a World Cup final was in April 2023. Although he placed fifth at the World Championships in August of that same year, he hadn't made it back to a World Cup final since. That changed at his home World Cup in Innsbruck, where he celebrated his fourth career World Cup final appearance. In the packed outdoor arena at the Innsbruck Climbing Center—despite heavy rainfall—Užnik tackled the four final boulder problems.
"A Successful Day"
The 24-year-old reached the zone on problems one and three but failed to score on the other two. With 19.3 points, he finished eighth in the eight-man final. “You can't be completely satisfied when the final doesn’t result in a better placement. Of course, I had hoped for more. There was definitely more potential in this round, but it just didn’t work out for me. That’s frustrating, but overall, the positive feelings prevail.”
After a break due to injury in the spring, Užnik had finished 22nd (Prague) and 29th (Bern) in his previous two World Cup appearances this season. His top result in Innsbruck is a satisfying breakthrough: “It was a successful day with the exciting semifinal and making it to the final. The final itself was once again a great show. Mentally, that was really important.”
Epic Atmosphere Despite the Rain
Innsbruck-Tyrol continues to be a lucky venue for Užnik—he reached his first World Cup final here in 2021. Back then, due to COVID, it was without spectators. This time, he had loud support from the stands. Parents, grandparents, girlfriend, and friends—all were cheering him on Thursday night. “It was unique to climb in front of that kind of crowd. It was raining out there, and thousands still showed up to cheer us on. It’s really hard to put that into words.”
With this, the bouldering World Cup season comes to an end. But another major event awaits Užnik in September: the Climbing World Championships. “Mentally, it was good to be in the final. That definitely gives me a boost heading into Worlds.”
Olympic Champion Roberts: "Second Home"
Victory went to Olympic champion Toby Roberts (GBR). The 20-year-old Brit won with 69.8 points, edging out Sorato Anraku (JPN) by just 0.2 points. Belgian climber Hannes Van Duysen (54.6 points) rounded out the podium. For Roberts, this was his first top result of a challenging season—a particularly special one, as he’s a regular training guest at the Innsbruck Climbing Center. “I didn’t expect this—I can hardly believe it. I love Innsbruck; it feels like a second home to me. Winning here is very special.”
On Friday, the women’s semifinal (1:00 p.m.) and final (7:20 p.m.) in bouldering will take place without Austrian athletes and will be broadcast live on ORF Sport+.
