Ice climbing: Angelika Rainer prevails at the home World Cup

There was a ton of pressure on Angelika Rainer's shoulders in the final of the best eight ice climbers. But the 26-year-old from Merano withstood this. In the final, she completed the spectacular route fastest in 6.46 minutes and came out ahead of the Korean Woon Seon Shin (7.17) and the Russian Maria Tolokonina (7.23). Rainer had already climbed the ice tower in Rabenstein best in the semi-finals after achieving the fifth best performance in the qualification.

For Rainer it was the second World Cup victory of the current season. Two weeks ago she prevailed in the Korean Cheongsong and became world champion for the third time; last weekend she narrowly had to admit defeat to Tolokonina.

“I am of course overjoyed that I made it here and was able to prevail at the World Cup premiere in South Tyrol. The pressure was very great. Everyone thought that I could win, yes, that I had to win. It was not easy. I'm in great shape and have actually achieved everything I set out to do this year. On the last two stages in Romania and Russia, I can simply do what I do best – climb easily,” said Angelika Rainer after the competition in front of an impressive crowd of spectators at the foot of the Timmelsjoch.

Barbara Zwerger, the second South Tyrolean in the final of the difficult competition, came in eighth place. The woman from Bolzano was unlucky on the final route because while climbing, a chunk of ice in which she had been trying to grab hold of her ice ax came loose.

Men's final is hard to beat in terms of excitement Among the men, two ice climbers also reached the end of the route. The fastest was Maxim Tomilov (7.35 minutes), who also won in Saas Fee in Switzerland a week ago. Second went to former world champion Hee Yong Park from South Korea, who was a mere eight seconds slower than Tomilov. A Tomilov also lined up behind Park: Maxim's brother Alexey, the reigning world champion, came third.

Markus Bendler, who lives in Schwendt in North Tyrol but competes for the AVS Südtirol, came in fourth. Bendler ended his career after the World Cup in Rabenstein. He will now put all his energy into his professional career - the two-time former world champion will open a sports shop in March.

Herbert Bracket from Luttach narrowly missed qualifying for the final. The 37-year-old from Ahrntal achieved a respectable tenth place among the world elite of this sport, which is fighting for inclusion in the Olympic program in Sochi in 2014.

The organizing club Eisturm Rabenstien, which mastered the mammoth “World Cup” project with flying colors, was also satisfied. “I think we put together a great event. Year after year, even more spectators come to us in the Passeier Valley. This is a sign that they like the show put on by the best ice climbers in the world. I would like to thank the Alpine Club of South Tyrol, which sponsors the event, for their good cooperation and our sponsors, who actively support us, but also my club colleagues and the countless volunteers who ensure that everything runs smoothly here every year,” concluded the OK boss Reinhard Graf off.

UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup Rabenstein/Passeiertal – Lead Men: 1. Maxim Tomilov (RUS) TOP (7.35 minutes) 2. Hee Yong Park (KOR) TOP (7.43) 3. Alexey Tomilov (RUS) 19.37 4. Markus Bendler (AUT) 18.35 5. Nikolay Kuzovlev (RUS) 16.33 10. Herbert Bracket (ITA/Luttach)

UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup Rabenstein/Passeiertal – Lead Women: 1. Angelika Rainer (ITA/Meran) TOP (6.46) 2. Woon Seon Shin (KOR) TOP (7.17) 3. Maria Tolokonina (RUS) TOP (7.23) 4. Anna Gallyamova (RUS) TOP (8.29) 5. Liudmila Badalyan (RUS) TOP (8.40) 8. Barbara Zwerger (ITA/Bozen) 7.17

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Ice climbing: Angelika Rainer prevails at the home World Cup

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