Janja Garnbret will be the favourite for women's gold in tomorrow's final ©Getty Images

Reigning world bouldering champion Janja Garnbret of Slovenia qualified joint-top for the women's final as the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Cup season opened in Meiringen, Switzerland.

Garnbret, who also holds the lead and combined world titles, shared first place in women's qualifying at the Bouldering World Cup event with Japan's Akiyo Noguchi.

Americans Natalia Grossman and Brooke Raboutou ended joint third, while Switzerland's Andrea Kumin and Garnbret's compatriot Mia Krampl were fifth.

Fujii Kokoro of Japan and the Czech Republic's Adam Ondra ended men's qualifying in joint first.

Kokoro's team mate Sohta Amagasa and Domen Skofic of Slovenia were third.

The event is the first World Cup in any sport climbing discipline to be held this year.

It is being staged behind closed doors and a series of COVID-19 protocols are in operation.

Competitors are using the World Cup to hone their preparations for Tokyo 2020, where sport climbing is due to make its Olympic debut.

Action is set to conclude with both finals tomorrow.