New Big 3s… For Now
The GOAT, Janja Garnbret, did not make an appearance for Keqiao, Wujiang, and Bali at the IFSC Climbing World Cup 2025. Similarly, climbers whom we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on the podium — Brooke Rabatou, Jessica Pilz, and Natalia Grossman — sat out as well.
Their absences have undoubtedly created a big void for this year’s competitions so far. If Janja, Jessica, Brooke, and Natalia aren’t competing, then more climbers have the opportunity to fill that void.
And fill it they did.
The new big 3 for 2025 has now become: Erin Mcneice, Chae-hyun Seo, and Anastasia Sanders.
Was it of any surprise when Erin Mcneice — or McBeast — clinched Bronze in Keqiao, Gold in Wujiang (joint with Chae-hyun Seo), and another Gold in Bali? The 21-year-old English climber has become a familiar face on YouTube, collaborating with the Catalyst Climbing channel and also producing her own YouTube videos.
Chae-hyun Seo, who has been in the competition scene for a seemingly long time (despite only being 22 years of age), also found herself on the podium, winning a joint Gold with Erin McNeice in Wujiang, and then clinching Silver in Bali.
Perhaps most impressive is Anastasia “Annie” Sanders, who obtained Gold in Keqiao, followed by a Bronze in Wujiang. Get this: she’s only 17 years old!
Some of you might be asking: wait, what about Ai Mori, how is she not in the new big 3?
The only reason I have excluded Ai Mori is because she has, since a a few years back, been considered part of the big 3. After all, she did beat Janja in Lead back in 2023 during the Bern Climbing World Championship, which was mind-blowjing.
So, she isn’t really part of the ‘new’ big 3.
It’s the Sorato and Dohyun Show
There are levels to any sport, and climbing is no different.
At the IFSC Climbing World Cup 2025, it was plain outrageous how well Sorato Anraku and Lee Dohyun performed in Keqiao, both getting near-perfect scores of 99.7 and 99.3 for Bouldering.
For comparison’s sake, Meichi Narasaki got 3rd place and managed 83.9 points.
Sorato and Dohyun are simply too good; they made things look easy.
Lest we forget, Sorato is also a double threat: he came in 1st place for Wujiang’s Lead event. The 18-year-old Japanese prodigy is good at both bouldering and lead; dare I say, he might be the best at both disciplines at the moment.
A Staggering Absence
Everyone noticed Janja Garnbret being absent this season.
But there’s another climber who surprisingly did not make it to finals of the IFSC Climbing World Cup 2025 — Toby Roberts.
Toby, who famously won Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games for Combined Lead and Bouldering, was noticeably absent from the final lineup of competitors this season.
The 20-year-old Brit came in 15th place for both Lead and Boulder in the Wujiang World Cup and the Keqiao World Cup respectively, a shock considering that just last year, he clinched Gold at the Koper World Cup and Bronze at the Prague World Cup.
But, he’s a beast, and he has so many more years to improve. For god’s sake, he’s only 20! I’m sure he’ll bounce back.
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