2026 Sport Climbing Power Rankings: Anraku Chases History as Sanders Dominates

The halfway point of the 2026 IFSC World Climbing Series has arrived, and the narrative has decisively shifted from veteran dominance to a youth takeover. Across both the bouldering and lead disciplines, a new generation of athletes is not just winning events, but fundamentally raising the technical ceiling of the sport.

The sport has never seen a men's bouldering streak quite like the one currently unfolding. Nineteen-year-old Japanese phenom Sorato Anraku is rewriting the record books in real-time, dismantling fields with a mix of quiet focus and explosive power.

Following a dramatic victory in the Czech Republic on June 6, Anraku became the first male climber in the history of the World Climbing Series to win four consecutive boulder titles in a single season.

His unprecedented run—spanning victories in Keqiao, Bern, Madrid, and now Prague—has put him on course for a mythical clean sweep of the circuit. It is a feat previously achieved only by Slovenian legend Janja Garnbret on the women's side.

The Prague final perfectly encapsulated Anraku's current form and resilience. In a low-scoring, highly technical final round, he was forced to edge out South Korea's Lee Do-hyun and France's Mejdi Schalck in a grueling battle of attrition.

Schalck made the strongest initial statement by flashing the opening boulder, while Anraku and Lee managed only the zone. However, momentum violently shifted on the third problem when Anraku and Lee both reached the top, leaving Schalck behind.

The contest came down to the final slab boulder. Needing only a clean zone on a style he later admitted was not his favorite, Anraku delivered on his first attempt to seal the gold medal with exactly 55.0 points.

While the men's bouldering circuit has become the Anraku show, the women's power rankings are far more volatile, defined by a thrilling, multi-athlete battle for supremacy.

American teenager Annie Sanders currently holds the title of the circuit's most dangerous all-around threat. She has proven her immense versatility by winning the lead event in Wujiang, China, before transitioning back to bouldering to claim gold in Prague.

In the Prague final, Sanders effectively secured her victory early. She became the only finalist to top the opening boulder, giving her the crucial margin needed to survive a dramatic finish where she edged out her closest rival by a mere two-tenths of a point.

That rival is Great Britain's Erin McNeice, who is enjoying a spectacular breakout season of her own. The 22-year-old from Chesterfield captured her second World Climbing Series victory in Madrid in late May.[1][3]

McNeice's Madrid performance was a masterclass in composure and endurance; she was the only woman to top all four boulder problems in the final, finishing with a commanding 99.1 points and leaving the crowd in disbelief.[1]

The women's field has also been defined by historic, unexpected upsets this year. In the season opener in Keqiao, France's Zélia Avezou stunned the climbing world by surpassing Olympic champion Janja Garnbret to secure her first career boulder gold.[2]

This unprecedented depth of talent means the women's podium is entirely unpredictable from week to week. Climbers like Australia's Oceania Mackenzie are consistently threatening the top spots, proving that no lead is safe.[2]

Meanwhile, the lead climbing season is just getting underway, and early results suggest a similar shakeup is coming to the men's endurance division.

In the Prague lead qualifiers, 20-year-old Indonesian climber Putra Tri Ramadani delivered the shock of the weekend. Ramadani, whose previous best World Cup finish was sixth, delivered two incredibly consistent climbs.

He managed to narrowly edge out Anraku for the top spot in the qualification round. This breakthrough signals Indonesia's rapidly expanding prowess in the sport, proving they are developing elite talent beyond their traditional dominance in speed climbing.

As the circuit prepares to move into the second half of the summer, the central questions are clear: Can anyone break Anraku's historic streak, and who will emerge victorious in the fiercely contested women's division?

For fans and analysts alike, the 2026 season is serving as a thrilling preview of the sport's long-term future. The athletes currently topping the power rankings are proving that the limits of human grip, balance, and coordination have yet to be found.[3]