Boulder semi-finals | Barcelona 2026

The video is the live broadcast of the Boulder semi-finals at the European Climbing Championships 2026 in Barcelona, Spain (held during the Graviteo Urban Sports Festival at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya).

Video Overview

Event: European Boulder Championships 2026 – Semi-Finals

Location: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain)

Hosts / Commentators: Teresa "Terry" Corti alongside French champion Sam Akeezu (first half) and Chilean-German climber Elias Arriagada-Krueger (second half).

Competition Format:

Participants: 24 Men and 24 Women competing on-site across 4 different bouldering walls/problems (Bouldering

1 to 4).

Cut-off: Only the top 8 men and top 8 women advance to the finals.

Conditions: High heat (over 31°C–32°C in mid-July), humid, and harsh sunlight affecting hold friction and shoe rubber.

Key Highlights & Timeline

[06:11] Competition Overview & Setup

Intro to the Graviteo Urban Sports Festival and the semi-finals setup on the iconic circuit.

Discussion on extreme thermal conditions, ice cooling strategies in ISO, and wall alignment (east-facing wall moving into shade later).

[09:57] Round 1 Bouldering Analysis

Women’s Boulder 1 (physical overhang, coordination moves) and Men’s Boulder 1 (delicate slab jump).

Technica

l delays and heat impacts on friction and black volume temperatures [11:38].

[30:56] Scoring & Heat Friction Adjustments

Explanation of the scoring system (0.1 point per attempt penalty, 10 points for Zone, 25 points for Top).

Athletes adapting to extreme thermal conditions with ice packs and fans backstage [47:30].

[01:11:19] Second Half Commentary Transition

Elias Arriagada-Krueger joins commentary replacing Sam Akeezu.

Overview of the men’s slab [01:12:04] and the physical power demands of the women's boulders.

[01:16:42] Standout Performances

Sam Akeezu / Sam Richard [01:16:42] & Hannes Puman [02:22:46] dominating key b

oulders with clean tops.

Arian Bertone and Lily showcasing top-tier coordination [02:07:07], [02:28:32].

Power-beta solution by Adar on Men’s Boulder 1 [01:38:30] bypassing standard foot-moves with pure pinch strength.

[02:43:33] Men's & Women's Semi-Final Results & Finalists

Women's Top Finalists: Arian Bertone (1st), Lily (2nd), Zelia Akeezu (3rd), Emma, Aglaia, Camila, Jayla, and Jenny.

Men's Top Finalists: Max (UK - 4 tops), Hannes Puman, Sam, Mehdi, and more advancing to the finals.

Semi-Final Boulder Layout & Breakdown

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

| BARCELON

A 2026 - SEMI-FINAL BOULDERS |

+--------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+

| Boulder | Style | Key Feature / Challenge |

+--------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+

| Men's Boulder 1 | Precision Slab | Precise single-leg jumps |

| Men's Boulder 2 | Powerful / Compression | Intense heel hooks & pinches|

| Men's Boulder 3 | Finger strength | Dual-texture underclings |

| Men's Boulder 4 | "Alien Head" Vol. | Sloper hug & dynamic catch |

+--------------------+--------------------+-------------------

----------+

| Women's Boulder 1 | Physical Overhang | Campus move / undercling |

| Women's Boulder 2 | Coordination | Dynamic zone-to-top catch |

| Women's Boulder 3 | Finger Power | Crimp catches & heel hooks |

| Women's Boulder 4 | Technical Slab | Low-friction volume run-in |

+--------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+

Overall Leaderboard Summary (Semi-Finals)

Boulder semi-finals | Barcelona 2026

World Climbing Europe · 30K views

+----------------------------------------------------+

| QUALIFIED FINALISTS |

+-------------------------

+--------------------------+

| Women's Top Qualifiers | Men's Top Qualifiers |

+-------------------------+--------------------------+

| 1. Arian (FRA) | 1. Hannes Puman (SWE) |

| 2. Lily (FRA) | 2. Max Bertone (UK) |

| 3. Zelia Akeezu (FRA) | 3. Sam Richard (FRA) |

| 4. Emma (UK) | 4. Mehdi (FRA) |

| 5. Aglaia | 5. Or (ISR) |

| 6. Camila Moroni (ITA) | 6. Hugo (ESP) |

| 7. Jayla (ESP) | 7. Levin (SUI) |

| 8. Jenny | 8. Anze Peharc (SLO) |

+-------------------------+-------------------------