21.08.2013
The Youth World Championships in Lead Climbing 2013 concluded yesterday with a new medal for Slovenia, which was once again earned by Domen Škofic, currently our best sport climber in the men's category. Otherwise, Slovenia was represented by a five-member youth team in sport climbing led by selector Borut Kavzar.
THE YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LEAD CLIMBING (and speed - where our competitors do not compete) took place from August 15 to 19 (or until August 20 Slovenian time) 2013 in the Canadian town of Central Saanich. Slovenia was represented by 5 of the best competitors, young representatives who earned their ticket to Canada with their successes.
The Youth World Championships were attended under the leadership of the selector of the youth national team in sport climbing Borut Kavzar by:
- European champion among jr. girls Janja Garnbret,
- cadet Anže Peharc, current world champion among jr. boys,
- European silver medalist in lead among cadets Martin Bergant,
- youth girl Jera Lenardič and
- European and world silver medalist Domen Škofic (youth boy).
After very successful qualifiers, where all five of our young competitors qualified for the semifinals, only Janja Garnbret (leading after semifinals) and Domen Škofic (6th after semifinals) made it to the final. Qualifier rankings: Janja Garnbret (jr. girls) 1st place, youth girl Jera Lenardič 6th, cadets Martin Bergant and Anže Peharc 13th or 22nd, youth boy Domen Škofic 1st), European champion in lead (and bouldering) Janja Garnbret - as leading after semifinals, and Domen Škofic, European and world youth silver medalist, as 6th after semifinals qualified for the early morning final. Unfortunately, qualification for the final did not work out for the best youth girl Jera Lenardič, who significantly spoiled her qualifier ranking (6th), finishing 22nd overall. Similarly, European cadet silver medalist Martin Bergant and cadet Anže Peharc, defender of the world champion title (Singapore), then still among jr. boys, missed the final. Martin finished 13th, Anže 25th. In the final, it went excellently for 19-year-old Domen, who finished 3rd; for 14-year-old Janja, a mistake cost her the podium, but this world championship is an excellent experience and great motivation for future work and competitions.
STATEMENTS:
DOMEN ŠKOFIC: "At my last world championship, I climbed to the top in both qualifier routes and went into the semifinal performance with good feelings, which however did not go so well for me. Because of a small mistake I made, I was not disappointed, on the contrary - I went into the final performance with a great desire to climb as best as possible. Probably due to shaken confidence, I did not climb the final so tactically decisively, the mistake made too early initially meant even falling out of the medal contenders circle. The pressure of the final also did its thing among competitors and in the end I could still celebrate my fourth medal from world championships. With this one in Canada, I added a bronze to my collection, which I had been missing until now.
With this competition, I also ended my youth career. From next year, I will only compete in the senior category. Over all the years of international youth competitions, I have developed in gaining experience on how to cope with the role of favorite for the top places and managing pressure. Controlling it and enjoying competitions is inspiration to focus even more motivated on World Cup competitions. I will definitely miss the youth period, but ahead of me are new challenges that are even higher, but I believe achievable."
BORUT KAVZAR, who with this Youth World Championship also ended his career as selector of the Slovenian youth national team in sport climbing: "This year we went to the world championship with a quite reduced lineup. I must admit, I'm not used to that and I think young climbers handle the pressure of such a big competition better if there is group positive motivation present. For the first time, the decision prevailed, also due to a significantly reduced budget, that only five representatives of Slovenia would attend the championship. Even with Domen and Janja, who were both favorites for a medal, such pressure came to the fore right in the final performance. Sometimes things simply don't go as we imagine them, but even in such a situation, it is necessary to draw positive effects and of course learn something from it.
Given the conditions we have, expectations are sometimes perhaps a bit self-indulgent. All the excellent results in previous years certainly show that we are doing well, but every medal is very important motivation for our young climbers for further work.
In the generation coming, we definitely have new talents who, with hard work, I believe will reach for the top places. I ended my work as youth selector with the world championship in Canada. In the last eight years, a lot of good has been done, together we have raised a young generation that I believe will soon make a breakthrough to the world top in the World Cup as well." KSP_PZS_MSP2013_Janja_Garnbret__foto_Borut_Kavzar_mv
Expectations were high, as Slovenia recently won gold and two silver medals at the youth European championships in lead; Janja won gold, Domen and Martin each silver in their category. We can say that expectations were largely met, as the bronze medal and Janja's placement just off the podium is a great success for Slovenia.
FINAL RESULTS (Source: IFSC)
- Jr. girls: 4. Janja Garnbret
- Jr. boys
- Cadet girls
- Cadets: 13. Martin Bergant, 25. Anže Peharc
- Youth girls: 22. Jera Lenardič
- Youth boys: 3. Domen Škofic
Domen competed for the last time as a youth boy at the youth world championship and fought for the world champion title. Among his successes are the cadet world champion title, youth world silver and youth European silver.
Live viewing of the youth world championship was possible via the website of the International Federation of Sport Climbing IFSC.
