Garnbret world youth champion also in lead, Krampl runner-up.

Garnbret world youth champion also in lead, Krampl runner-up.



Janja Garnbret added the most prestigious award in lead in the cadet category to her world youth champion title in bouldering five days later in Arco, thus crowning her most successful season so far. Mia Krampl also impressed, becoming world youth runner-up in lead in the older girls category on September 5. The Slovenian youth sport climbing team is returning home with a total of seven medals.

The Youth World Sport Climbing Championships, held in Arco from August 28 to September 5, 2015, were concluded on Saturday by the lead finals, once again thrilling for the Slovenian youth team. Sixteen-year-old Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO) was invincible also in her flagship discipline after Monday's bouldering triumph. She alone managed to top all four routes, two qualification ones, the semi-final and the final one, thus also securing the world youth champion title in lead climbing in the cadet category up to 18 years. Second was American Margo Hayes, third Japanese Aika Tajima. "My main goal at this championship was to defend the world youth champion title in lead and to achieve a top three placement in bouldering. I'm glad it succeeded. By winning both disciplines, the championship ended above expectations for me," was satisfied Garnbret, for whom it is the most successful season so far, with a medal from every competition she participated in this year.



The current world and European youth champion in bouldering and lead climbing this year also became European runner-up in lead in the senior category, where she achieved another second place; both times only her idol Mina Markovič was better than her. "Despite the fact that Janja's season is not entirely over, I am of course more than satisfied with the yield. We succeeded in everything, defending the European youth champion title in lead and bouldering, regaining the world youth champion title in lead and winning that title at the first organized world youth championship competition in bouldering. Janja participated this year for the first time also in two senior World Cup events (Imst and Chamonix), whose goal was just to climb well and test against the best senior women in the world. The result was once again above expectations and together with Mina Markovič they shaped the world top. We are both very happy with every result and title, as it confirms our good work and cooperation, above all it motivates us for further work. Janja now awaits the World Cup in Kranj and two masters bouldering competitions – Adidas Rock Stars and La Sportiva legends," assessed her coach Gorazd Hren Janja's season.



Garnbret's exceptional success was complemented by 15-year-old Mia Krampl (AO PD Kranj) with an excellent second place in the older girls category, who this year in the age category up to 16 already won the European youth champion title in lead climbing. She had to concede superiority to the convincing winner American Ashimi Shirashi, while third place was taken by Italian Laura Rogora. "The championship didn't start most promisingly for me. At the bouldering competition, I narrowly missed qualification to the semi-final. It was completely different in lead, where I qualified to the final as second. With good climbing in the last route, I achieved the world runner-up title. I'm happy about this success," said Krampl.



The only Slovenian finalist, 18-year-old Anže Peharc (AO PD Kranj), who already won a bronze medal in bouldering at the Arco championship, took sixth place among youths. In the age category up to 20 years, Austrian Bernhard Röck won ahead of second-placed American Jesse Grupper, third place went to Japanese Keiichiro Korenaga.



18-year-old Tjaša Kalan (AO PD Kranj) also qualified for the lead final, achieving eighth place in the youth women category up to 20 years. Victory was celebrated by Belgian Anak Verhoeven ahead of Austrian Jessica Pilz and Frenchwoman Julia Chanourdie.



The Slovenian youth sport climbing team under the leadership of selector Anže Štremfelj won a total of seven medals at this year's youth world championship, besides Janja's and Mia's in lead also three in bouldering and two in combined. Besides gold of Janja Garnbret in cadet category, on August 31 Vita Lukan among older girls and Anže Peharc among youths rejoiced over bronze medals. In combined (bouldering, speed and lead climbing), Garnbret won silver among cadet girls, Peharc bronze among youths.



In the lead semi-final also competed Vita Lukan (9.) and Lučka Rakovec (27.) among older girls, Tjaša Slemenšek (26.) among cadet girls, Rebeka Kamin (13.), Veronika Meke (16.) and Kaja Skvarč Božič (17.) among youth women, Žiga Zajc (21.) and Nik Golej (24.) among older boys, Tine Rozmanič (24.) among cadets, Milan Preskar (16.) and Martin Bergant (18.) among youths. At the championship also participated Maks Bogolin (28. among older boys), Nejc Dvoršek (41. among cadets) and Tim Unuk (34. among youths).