Kai Harada will be seeking a first IFSC World Cup Lead Climbing gold on home territory at Inzai starting tomorrow ©Getty Images

Although the overall men's and women's titles have already been decided, this year's concluding lead climbing World Cup at Inzai, Japan, has huge significance.  

Starting tomorrow and concluding on Sunday, this event is the last chance for competitors to earn an invitation to the International Federation of Sport Climbing's Combined Olympic Qualifier in Toulouse next month.

Last weekend's victories in the IFSC World Cup in Xiamen confirmed Adam Ondra of the Czech Republic and South Korea's Seo Chaehyun as respective overall champions in the men's and women's lead climbing competition.

Ondra has taken the decision to sit out the final World Cup and save his energies for Toulouse, but for others, Inzai represents urgent business, as they seek silver and bronze and crucial points for the Tokyo 2020 qualifier.

Slovenia's Janja Garnbret will seek to secure overall silver in the final IFSC Lead Climbing World Cup of the season ©Getty Images
Slovenia's Janja Garnbret will seek to secure overall silver in the final IFSC Lead Climbing World Cup of the season ©Getty Images

In the men's event, 20-year-old Kai Harada, who won the overall World Cup bouldering title out of nowhere in 2018, will seek to confirm his overall silver place and earn a first World Cup lead gold in front of home fans.

There will also be strong challenges from Alberto Gines Lopes and Canada's Sean McColl, who missed Xiamen with injury.

In the women, Slovenia's 20-year-old phenomenon Janja Garnbret, overwhelming World Cup bouldering champion, will want to secure at least silver overall against a field that includes compatriot Lucka Rakovec and home climber Ai Mori.