Russia took both lead titles at the final UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup in Denver ©UIAA

Record crowds witnessed the end of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Ice Climbing World Cup season in Denver as Russian athletes sealed both overall lead titles.

After Russia won both speed titles yesterday through Anton Nemov and Ekaterina Koshcheeva, their compatriots Nikolai Kuzovlev and Maria Tolokonina matched their feats today to complete a Russian clean sweep at the event held downtown in the city in Colorado. 

In the men’s lead final, Kuzovlev was beaten on the day by Switzerland’s Yannick Glatthard.

Both athletes reached the top of the wall but the Swiss did it in a faster time to take the win.

If Glatthard won the battle, however, it was Kuzovlev who won the war as his second place proved enough to seal the overall World Cup title with 480 points.

That placed him well ahead of South Korea’s Heeyong Park on 342 points, who finished fourth today, while Glatthard finished third overall on 306.

Third place today was taken by Ukraine’s Valentyn Sypavin.

In the women's event, Tolokonina finished a strong weekend’s performance by winning the women’s lead final to take the overall title.

It was a close contest, though, as South Korea’s Woonseon Shin managed the same score of 10.241 points. 

Tolokonina was given the win thanks to a superior score in the qualifying round.

Ireland's Eimir McSwiggan, who scored 8.200 points, finished third.

It all meant that, having won yesterday’s speed final, Tolokonina sealed the overall lead title with 500 points ahead of Shin on 420 with McSwiggan third on 280.