Akiyo Noguchi

is a Japanese professional rock climber who specializes in competition bouldering as well as outdoor bouldering and sport climbing.

She participates in both competition bouldering and competition lead climbing disciplines. She is known for winning the IFSC Climbing World Cup in Bouldering four times. In her home country, she won Bouldering Japan Cup nine times consecutively from 2005 to 2014, which no other Japanese athlete has been able to match. She retired from competition climbing after competing and winning a bronze medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Competition climbing

In 2007, she started competing in the Bouldering World Cups, reaching the podium three times. In 2009, she won the World Cup in bouldering, over the previous year's champion Anna Stöhr. Noguchi repeated as champion in 2010, 2014 and 2015.

In 2019 Akiyo Noguchi won a silver medal in the combined competition at the climbing World Championship which qualified her for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Noguchi had contemplated retirement from competition climbing as early as 2016, but when it was announced that climbing would become an Olympic sport in 2020 for the first time she decided to try and qualify for Olympics in her home country. Noguchi attended her final IFSC Climbing World Cup in Innsbruck in June 2021, finishing a career of 169 World Cups and World Championships and 75 podium places. On July 13, 2021, she published an autobiography.

She finished her climbing career with a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Rock climbing Redpointed routes Mind Control - Oliana (SPN) - December 10, 2013 Liquid Finger - Joyama (JPN) - December 12, 2008

Boulder problems The Globalist - Sipoo (FIN) - October 2025. Aguni - Mizugaki (JPN) - November 2014. The Mandala - The Buttermilks (CAL) - 2015. A Maze of Death - The Buttermilks (CAL) - 2016. Euro Trash - Little Cottonwood Canyon (UT) - May 2022. Monsterman SD - Jyougasaki (JPN) - February 2010. Evilution Direct - The Buttermilks (CAL) - 2016. In 2023, Akiyo gave birth to their first child, Keiyo.

Rankings

World Cup 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 Lead 42 21 24 5 11 8 20 13 7 10 30 17 15 8 922 Bouldering - - 6 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 4 3 2 29 Combined - - 5 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 2 6 2 2 -