A PORTRAIT OF THE NEXT-GENFUTABA ITO

“I Want to Become as Strong a Climber as
I Can Be so that I Can Pass on the Baton”

In 2017, at the 12th Bouldering Japan Cup (BJC) that determines the No.1 boulderer in Japan, Futaba Ito suddenly garnered attention from the climbing world for triumphing over “The Absolute Queen” Akiyo Noguchi and becoming the youngest-ever winner at the age of 14. In February 2020, at the 15th edition of the same competition, Ito recaptured the title for the first time in three years. In the following 2nd Speed Japan Cup (SJC), she captured a second championship title and demonstrated that the next generation was on the rise. Upon being asked for her thoughts on achieving the titles for both tournaments after the SJC, she considered her achievements calmly. “Even if the titles are the same, the difference between three years ago and this year is the content. This win was substantive” showing her growth as a climber. However, with the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, all competitions in Japan and overseas were canceled one after another. With the big competition of summer of 2021, she had a tough year maintaining motivation.
“Being unable to participate in competitions and to be away from that atmosphere—that was a time when I wasn’t sure how to keep practicing. However, I tried to think positively that 2020 was a long, one-year “time off.” If it were a normal season, I would be traveling to participate in competitions, so I wouldn’t have been able to spend all my time training. I focused on overcoming my weaknesses in hopes of the competitions resuming eventually. It became a good opportunity to reflect on myself.”

In May 2021, Ito competed for the first time in almost a year at the IFSC Climbing World Cup in Salt Lake City. Perhaps it was because it was a year since she had last competed—she was full of negative thoughts such as fear and intimidation towards participating in the competition, which she had been so in love with. However, climbing on the big stage of the World Cup, she relished her achievements and found herself in a better place.
“Having been able to experience the unique atmosphere and enthusiasm at the competitions, I reaffirmed that ‘this is what I want to do.’ Until now, I had taken for granted that there were going to be competitions annually, but now I realize that we are lucky to have regular competition seasons. I am so grateful for these competitions and will cherish each and every year.”

Using Will to Push Back Against Pressure

After graduating from high school, Ito began her career as a professional climber. She says that the “professional aspect” has yet to sink in, but she does feel the pressure to achieve results.
“I’m not the type of person that enjoys pressure and gains strength from it. Rather, my challenge is in how to concentrate on my climbing without thinking about pressure. For example, in 2017, I was the youngest, so I didn’t feel much pressure and even when I won, it didn’t really sink in. The following year in 2018, I participated in the World Cup for the first time, but the non-junior competition was much tougher than I had imagined and the pressure was immense—I couldn’t climb as I had hoped. The year felt like being in a tunnel with no exit.”

When asked how she deals with the pressure that comes with the competitions, she said, “It all comes down to how much I want to win. I have a strong will and that drives me to compete. That’s what keeps me going.”
Her drive became evident with her first win at the IFSC Combined Qualifier that took place in Toulouse, France in November of 2019. The combined competition is a new style of sport climbing competition. It was adopted for the new international climbing competition that first took place in Tokyo. In this event, each climber must compete in all three disciplines in a single day. At the combined tournament, which doubled as a testing ground for the big stage in 2020, the climbers had to be more physically tough than ever before. “Back then, I was aiming to participate in the competition in Tokyo 2020. But because my performance at the World Championships that summer was not satisfactory, I had to finish in the top six of this competition in order to qualify. But mentally, I was preparing to come in not in the top six but first place. I trained hard for that day and pushed myself.”
In the finals, Ito came in fourth in the first speed event and then first in the second bouldering event—bouldering being her specialty. For the last problem, despite being under immense pressure that she would have to win in a flash or else she would come in second place, she cleared. She said that she “was so nervous, her body was shaking,” but she overcame the challenge and it made her stronger.
“At this competition, I was able to pursue my climbing, despite being under tremendous pressure—this experience gave me confidence and will keep me motivated. I think I was able to win at the following BJC (the 12th competition in 2020) because of this experience.”

Looking back at Ito’s title wins at the BJC and SJC in 2020, she said that she “was able to complete each climb in such calmness thanks to mental growth.” At the SJC, climbers competed as to how quickly they might ascend a standardized 15-meter wall with handholds in known positions. In the qualifier, the climbers were given two tries and the faster result is used. The top 16 climbers advance to the final round, which is held in a tournament format, and the fastest climber advances. Regarding this tournament, she said, “I didn’t get enough practice and hadn’t been pleased with my practice times so I was concerned...” However, she advanced from the qualifier in first place, won against Akiyo Noguchi in the semi-finals, and went head-to-head with Nanako Kura, a junior record holder, for the finals. It was a dead-heat battle, but via her final move, Ito clenched the winning title.
“Not giving up, and thus, winning, gave me renewed confidence.”

The First Step as a Professional Climber

Today, as a professional climber, she has relocated from her hometown of Iwate to Tokyo and is training for the World Championships taking place in September.
“New climbing gyms are opening in Iwate and while they are not bad training environments, lead walls are often affected by the weather and many of these new gyms are closed during the winter. It was also problematic for me that there weren’t any climbers with the same level of motivation around me in Iwate. If I’m in Tokyo, I can go to various gyms in the Kanto area. There are many good climbers around, which is inspiring for my climbing. This might be unique to the climbing world, but if there are problems that I can’t solve that other climbers can, I can learn from climbing alongside them. To emulate and absorb other climber’s strengths is to expand my range. Climbers inspire each other to raise their potential.”

Ito is currently tackling strength-related problems. Ito is regarded as an all-around climber, but she claims “strength is her weakness.” She analyzes her climbing as objectively as possible and strives to strengthen her physical strength.
“I always have people shoot videos so that I can look back on tries and problems. Internationally, more difficult problems now require greater strength, and I am not yet ready for high-level problems. Overcoming past deficiencies will be a continual task for me moving forward and I know I can become more efficient. If I can eliminate each weakness one-by-one, I can become a stronger climber who can complete a climb under any circumstances. I know I have room to grow.”

What she cherishes the most is the time spent facing the wall. Efficient physical training is important, but the time spent tackling problems is what makes her strong and makes her grow mentally. Ito looks ahead to Paris in three years.
“I just love climbing. If I had not become a climber, I would not be traversing the world to compete. I am grateful to have found something that I can devote so much time to. That is why I want to give 100 percent to the competition. My goal is to become a climber that, through my climbing, inspires as many people as possible to become interested in the sport.”

Thoughts on Generational Change

Akiyo Noguchi, a climber that Ito has admired and followed since childhood, retired from the sport climbing competition in the summer of 2021.
“Akiyo, who has long been in the front lines as the top climber, has the top-level mental fortitude to maintain her motivation, as well as the physical strength. Because of climbers like Akiyo, climbing has become a major sport. When I began climbing, many people asked ‘what is climbing?’ But since then, the climbing population has grown—it has become a new sport in the international sport event, and has become legitimized via the media.”

It was Noguchi and other climbers that preceded Ito’s generation who demonstrated the appeal of climbing and paved the way to make climbing the sport that it is considered today. There are things that Ito's generation will have to do for climbing to maintain this pressure and evolve the sport... at least according to Ito, as she is keeping the upcoming generation solidly in mind.
“I want to become as strong a climber as I can be—one that can complete any climb, compete internationally, and bring more energy and excitement. The next step is in passing on the baton I inherited from Akiyo and the others.”