South Korea's Han Na Rai Song made it back-to-back UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup wins today ©UIAA

South Korea’s Hee Yong Park and Han Na Rai Song won the respective men’s and women’s lead gold medals for the second weekend running after triumphing at the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Ice Climbing World Cup in Swiss village Saas Fee today.

Having claimed their first gold medals of the season at their home event in Cheongsong last weekend, both athletes performed strongly again to extend their leads at the top of the World Cup rankings.

Song climbed highest of the athletes in the women’s final, claiming top honours ahead of Italy’s Angelika Rainer and home favourite Petra Klingler who was making her first competitive ice climbing appearance of the season.

A total of 312 points gives Song a considerable advantage of 62 over nearest challenger Rainer in the World Cup standings.

Hee Yong Park was the top performer in the men's lead final ©UIAA
Hee Yong Park was the top performer in the men's lead final ©UIAA

Park produced a typically virtuoso performance in the men’s final to finish ahead of Russian brothers Alexey and Maxim Tomilov. 

The South Korean leads the World Cup standings on 327 points, 61 more than second-placed Nikolai Kuzovlev who came fourth behind his Russian compatriots today.

The World Cup season is due to conclude in Rabenstein in Italy next weekend.

It is scheduled to be followed the week after by the biennial World Championships in Champagny-en-Vanoise in France.