A Historic Climb in Bern

The crags of Bern witnessed a breakthrough performance from Bulgarian climbing sensation Slav Kirov. In the second leg of the men’s and women’s Sport Climbing World Cup series this season, Kirov didn’t just participate; he carved his name into the record books. Competing in the bouldering discipline, he secured a stunning 12th place finish, marking his personal best at this elite level. This isn’t just a number; it’s a statement of intent from a climber who is rapidly ascending the global rankings.

The journey to the podium view began in the qualifiers, a brutal filter that whittled the field down to 24 semi-finalists—12 from each of the two groups. Kirov and fellow Bulgarian Nikolay Rusev found themselves in Group A. While Rusev started seventh, managing two tops and one zone for 59.5 points to land in 16th place, just one zone shy of the semi-final cutoff, Kirov was operating on a different frequency. Starting 21st on the roster, he exploded onto the scene, topping four boulders consecutively. His score of 98.9 points vaulted him into 4th place in the group, sending shockwaves through the competition.

Semi-Final Fire and Future Horizons

In the semi-final, Kirov left everything on the wall. He managed one top and two zones. While fewer attempts might have punched his ticket to the final, the effort was undeniable. The Bulgarian Federation for Climbing and Mountaineering confirmed this 12th-place finish as a new career benchmark. But the story doesn’t end in Switzerland. This was merely the opening act of a four-stop European tour.

Next up is Madrid from May 28 to 31, where Boris Bachev will tackle the speed discipline. The action then moves to Prague on June 3-7 for bouldering and lead climbing, featuring Alexandra Totkova and Veronika Ignatova. The series concludes in Innsbruck from June 17-21, with Totkova returning for both disciplines. Meanwhile, Nikolay Rusev shifts focus to the Youth and Junior European Bouldering Championships in Hungary on June 11-14, his final opportunity to compete in the U21 category. The Bulgarian climbing team is ready to dominate the summer.