The Madrid Lead World Cup 2025 was a landmark event, marking the city’s debut on the IFSC circuit—and it delivered drama, emotion, and history-making performances 🧗♀️🧗♂️.
🇺🇸 Annie Sanders: A Star Ascends
At just 17, Annie Sanders of the USA stunned the crowd by topping both her semifinal and final routes—the only athlete to do so. Her flawless execution, including a bold two-handed dyno in the final, earned her first-ever Lead World Cup gold, making her the first American woman to win gold in both Lead and Boulder disciplines. She was visibly emotional as she clipped the final quickdraw, saying, “I’m honestly still in shock right now... I’m glad it finally happened”.
🇰🇷 Lee Dohyun: A Breakthrough Victory
South Korea’s Lee Dohyun climbed from sixth in semis to gold in the final with a score of 40+, edging out Spain’s Alberto Ginés López by the slimmest margin. Lee’s reaction? “This feels unreal, I can't believe it... I would have expected fourth or fifth”. It was his first Lead World Cup win, and a well-earned reward after a season of consistent performances.
🥈🥉 Podium Highlights
Women’s Silver: Laura Rogora (Italy) with 48+, narrowly missing the top.
Women’s Bronze: Brooke Raboutou (USA), back on the podium for the first time since 2023.
Men’s Silver: Alberto Ginés López (Spain), continuing his streak of podium finishes.
Men’s Bronze: Satone Yoshida (Japan), adding to his strong season.
🗓️ What’s Next?
The final Lead World Cup of the season takes place in Koper, Slovenia (5–6 September), where overall titles will be decided. With Sanders and Lee now in the mix, the leaderboard is tighter than ever.
