The Youth European Championships in Climbing, organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing -IFSC-, took place in Žilina, Slovakia, from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 August 2025, bringing together more than 350 athletes from 26 countries in Lead and Speed disciplines. France topped the overall medal table with four golds, three silvers, and three bronzes, and one of those titles was earned by Victor Guillermin, who won the men’s U21 category after reaching the top of the final route and scoring 56 points.

The young French athlete, already regarded as one of the brightest prospects in European climbing, strengthened his profile with a victory directly linked to another milestone of international impact: the second ascent of Avaatara, in the Baatara Gorge, Lebanon. The route, graded 9a and first climbed in 2015 by Austrian David Lama, is considered one of the most demanding and symbolic climbs in sport climbing.

Distribution of gold medals

Guillermin led the podium alongside compatriot Matteo Soule and Austrian Felix Mader. In Speed, Aodhan Umlauf of Germany confirmed his status as youth world champion, while Jérôme Morel secured another U21 gold for France.

In the women’s Lead events, Aina Vila Cantero claimed gold in U17, while Great Britain celebrated a one-two finish in U19 with Connie Bridgens and Lucy Garlick. In U21, Arina Jurcenko of Czechia took the title. The results confirmed the competitive depth of the continent, with six different nations claiming gold medals.

The ascent of Avaatara

Beyond his performance in Žilina, Victor Guillermin has established himself as one of the leading figures in youth climbing thanks to his ascent of Avaatara in the Baatara Gorge. He worked the line for six days, falling repeatedly at the crux before identifying the technical solution. Using a heel hook, suggested by his father, he managed to complete the ascent in a decisive attempt under adverse weather conditions.

Guillermin later remarked that it had been “probably the biggest battle I’ve ever had,” highlighting both the difficulty of the route and the symbolic weight of signing the second-ever ascent of a climb previously linked to just one name in history.

More successful ascents

In addition to his international competition success, Victor Guillermin has achieved significant ascents on rock. In 2022 he completed Sachidananda (9a) in Orgon after twenty sessions of work, becoming one of the few climbers of his age to do so. Two years later he added Le Cadafist, another benchmark line in France, and in 2025 he climbed Aloha (9a) in Kronthal, where he claimed the fourth ascent of the route in just one afternoon.

These achievements confirm Guillermin’s versatility, showing his ability to transfer his talent from competitions to natural rock and succeed on routes of the highest difficulty. His combination of championship victories and cutting-edge ascents places him among the most promising names of his generation and a natural candidate to make the leap to the elite level.

France confirms its dominance in the medal table

The Youth European Championships in Žilina concluded with France at the top of the medal standings, collecting ten medals in total. Italy finished second with seven medals and Germany third with three. Titles also went to Spain, Switzerland, Czechia, and Great Britain, underlining the continental breadth of the competition.

The international calendar will continue with three more Youth European Cups: in Imst, Austria, from 13 to 14 September; in Laval, France, from 24 to 26 October; and in Toulouse Tournefeuille, France, from 31 October to 2 November.