World Climbing Series finale in Santiago: Utelli, Garnbret and Alberto Ginés's third place

Last weekend the 2026 World Climbing Series season came to a close in Santiago, Chile, with a lead final that is hard to forget: out of all the climbers in the event, only two reached the top of a route across the whole competition. Here is what happened, how the Spanish team did, and what those of us who climb for fun can take from it.

What happened in Santiago

It was the first time an event on this circuit was held in Chile, and the last of the season. In the men's final, Switzerland's Jonas Utelli won, reaching hold 52 on a very demanding route, ahead of Indonesia's Putra Tri Ramadani (49) and Japan's Neo Suzuki (47+). It was his first gold on this circuit, in his third final.

In the women's final, Janja Garnbret was the only one to reach the end of the route, ahead of Italy's Laura Rogora (48+) and Slovenia's Rosa Rekar (46+). With this win she has, according to the international federation, 52 golds across World Cup and World Climbing Series events.

The overall lead titles went to Neo Suzuki among the men and to American Annie Sanders among the women, who was crowned champion without needing to compete in Santiago.

Alberto Ginés, one step from the podium

Spain's highlight was Alberto Ginés López. He was second in qualification, third in the semifinal and finished eighth in the final, closing the year third in the overall lead standings. His season includes the win in Chamonix, his first victory in this series, and gold at the European Championships in Laval on 30 August. Iziar Martínez Almendros also stood out: she was twelfth in Santiago, her best result at an event of this level.

What we can learn on the rock

That almost nobody topped out reminds us of something every climber knows: a hard route is not won with strength alone. A few ideas that work as well on your local crag as in a world final:

• Read before you pull on. Spending a minute visualising the moves saves a lot of energy later.
• Manage your pace. The best don't rush at the start: they save strength for the key sections.
• Really rest. Recovering on the good holds makes the difference between falling mid-route and carrying on.
• Look after your body. A long season is only possible with good recovery; our article on how to avoid climbing injuries is a practical guide.

And does clothing matter?

It won't make you climb a grade harder, but it takes problems off your plate: trousers that don't restrict you when you lift a leg or hook a heel, that stand up to rubbing on rock, and that work just as well for the trip home or a drink afterwards. If you're curious about the link between denim and climbing, read From the miner's jeans to the rock face.

For your next outings

At Jeanstrack we design trousers for people who climb and hike: they are designed and finished in Spain. A few ideas:

• Browse our men's climbing pants and women's climbing pants, or all our climbing jeans.
• The Turia Jeans are stretch climbing and trekking jeans for men, with reinforced knees.
• The Dena Jeans Stone are our stretch climbing and trekking jeans for women.
• If you ride too, take a look at the Heras Stone MTB shorts, without a chamois.
• And if you're after a bargain, visit the outlet.

Same-day shipping if you order before 13:00 Monday to Friday, free shipping from €59 in Spain and France, and 14 days for returns. Not sure about your size? Write to info@jeanstrack.com.

Sources:

• World Climbing: Garnbret and Utelli close the season with gold in Santiago
• FEDME: Alberto Ginés López cierra una temporada de Lead de altura
• Desnivel: Neo Suzuki y Annie Sanders, campeones de dificultad 2026
• Wogu Climbing: Jonas Utelli y Janja Garnbret ganan en Santiago