Champagny-en-Vanoise in France will play host to the penultimate stage of the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup season this weekend ©UIAA/Patrick Schwienbacher

Champagny-en-Vanoise in France will play host to the penultimate stage of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Ice Climbing World Cup season this weekend as athletes look to put themselves in contention for overall ranking podium positions.

Following today's Opening Ceremony, lead and speed qualification is due to take place tomorrow along with semi-finals in the former discipline.

The finals are scheduled to be held on Saturday (February 9).

Russia’s Nikolai Kuzovlev heads the overall men's lead standings having won three out of the four events so far.

Yannick Glatthard of Switzerland claimed the other gold medal at his home event in Saas-Fee.

Kuzovlev enjoys a 133-point lead over his closest challenger Park Heeyong of South Korea.

Park last won a UIAA Ice Climbing gold medal in Champagny-en-Vanoise in 2017, when he became world champion.

In women's lead, Russia's Maria Tolokonina has three gold medals from four events and, like Kuzovlev, only failed to top the podium in Saas-Fee. 

World champion Shin Woonseon of South Korea won that competition and currently sits 56 points behind Tolokonina. 

South Korea's Song Hannarai, Ireland's Eimir McSwiggan and Finland's Enni Bertling make up the top five.

The UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup campaign is nearing its climax ©UIAA/Patrick Schwienbacher
The UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup campaign is nearing its climax ©UIAA/Patrick Schwienbacher

Russia's Anton Nemov has three men's speed wins in four events and appears to be getting stronger each week. 

He leads team-mate Vladislav Iurlov, the gold medallist in China's capital Beijing, by 59 points. 

Reigning world champion Vladimir Kartashev, also of Russia, is seeking to end a two-year World Cup gold medal drought, while Kuzovlev currently sits in third place having taken a silver and two bronze medals.

Women's speed is the most open competition with four different winners from four events.

The most consistent performer is Russia's Ekaterina Koshcheeva, the winner in Beijing, who has never been outside of the top three. 

She leads Tolokonina by 50 points. 

Ekaterina Feoktistova of Russia won in Rabenstein in Italy last weekend, while lightning fast compatriot Valeriia Bogdan has also tasted success.

The 2019 UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour is partnered by backpacking company Outdoor Research.

All stages of competition in Champagny-en-Vanoise will be live streamed on the UIAA Facebook and YouTube channels as well as on partner channels, including EXTREME and The Olympic Channel.

The final round of the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup is set to be staged in American city Denver from February 22 to 24.