Ice climber Gregor Šegel's maiden victory

Ice climber Gregor Šegel's maiden victory in Great Britain.

Kamnik native Gregor Šegel, at the final race of the Continental Cup 2023/24 in competitive ice climbing in Sunderland, Great Britain, on Saturday, February 10, stepped onto the podium for the first time in his career - and in grand style, with a victory in strong European-Asian competition. This is the greatest success for Slovenian competitive ice climbers since the days of Janez Svoljšak, a regular finalist and in 2016 also winner of a World Cup race and the European Championship. Slovenian colors were also represented in Great Britain by Marko and Miha Guna. Competitive ice climbers will showcase their mastery before the home audience on March 2 at the national championship and the Slovenian-Croatian-Serbian Cup race in Domžale.

A record number of European and Asian competitors gathered in Sunderland, 56 men and 25 women. Qualifications took place on two extremely technical routes, with the top eight advancing to the final. Gregor Šegel (AO PD Ljubljana-Matica) already showed in qualifications that it was his day. He climbed one qualification route to the top, and in the second fell just one move below the top, which sufficed for 8th place in qualifications and qualification for the final.



In the evening final, he competed first and climbed fluidly, decisively, and without errors. He executed the intermediate dynamic move without hesitation, as well as the extremely technical sequence just below the top and the clip to the top. He held the last hold - unlike two competitors - and clipped the top 37 seconds before the time limit expired. Thus, he could sit contentedly on the ''winner's throne'' and observe competitors who either slipped lower in the route or on the final clip itself, or ran out of time. Deserved victory for the young Kamnik native, when both physical fitness and the right, victorious psychological state coincided during the performance itself. Second place was shared by Romanian of Canadian descent David Bouffard and Swiss Patrick Inderbitzin. Among women, Polishwoman Olga Kosek triumphed ahead of Lorena Beck from Liechtenstein and Haruko Takeuchi from Japan.

''Upon viewing the qualification routes, I had a good feeling, as I predicted that the style of moves suited me. I tackled both routes without nerves. The first qualification route posed no problems, but the final performance nearly erased the second route for me due to an unexpected fall just below the top. The qualification performance fortunately sufficed for the last spot in the final. Upon viewing the final route, I assessed that the lower part wouldn't trouble me. During the performance, I moved quickly, fluidly, and without long deliberations. In the upper part of the route, very technical moves on completely new holds opened up, which suited me. At the final clip, I knew I didn't lack energy for it, so I didn't waste precious time and ended the performance on top. The feelings are incredible, and I sincerely hope that this season grants us wings and plenty of experiences for the next season!'' Gregor Šegel enthusiastically experienced his victorious performance, whose best result to date was 6th place at a Continental Cup race last December in Utrecht.

The biggest unlucky one in qualifications in Sunderland was Marko Guna (AO PD Rašica), the most successful Slovenian competitive ice climber of 2023, who due to slips in both qualification routes did not fulfill his expectations and took 32nd place. Very solid climbing, however, was shown by Miha Guna (AO PD Rašica), who reached three-quarters of the route in both routes, time ran out in one, and he slipped in the other, so his performance sufficed for 24th place.

The race in Sunderland was also the last in the Continental Cup series. In the overall standings, Gregor Šegel thus advanced several places with the Saturday victory and ended the 2023/24 season in excellent 6th place. With somewhat less participation in Continental Cup races, the remaining Slovenian competitors achieved the following final placements: Marko Guna 39th place, Nadja Korinšek 54th place, Miha Guna 60th place, while some Slovenian competitors did not collect cup points.

Šegel's victory is the best result for Slovenian competitive ice climbers since the times of Janez Svoljšak, who in 2016 became European champion in lead and with a win and second place in the World Cup concluded the season in overall third place. In 2009, Matevž Vukotič achieved second place in the speed discipline in the World Cup and the year before won an individual race and claimed the World Cup. In 2000, Erik Švab took bronze at the WC race in lead, the year before Aljaž Anderle silver at the WC race in bouldering, while in 1997 Janez Jeglič - Johan won the unofficial world championship in both speed and lead.

The greatest successes in the European Cup, established in the 2017/2018 season, which in recent years has grown into the Continental Cup, were achieved by the most successful Slovenian competitive ice climber Maja Šuštar Habjan (AO PD Domžale), third in the overall standings in the 2018/2019 season, otherwise winner of the race in 2018 in Žilina, runner-up in 2017 in Bratislava, and 3rd in 2022 in Žilina and 2023 in Glasgow. Jaka Hrast achieved third place in the overall standings of the European Cup in the 2017/2018 season, and individual third place also by Miha Habjan (Akademski AO) in 2018 in Žilina.

Competitive ice climbers will showcase their mastery before the home audience on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the national championship and open Slovenian-Croatian-Serbian Cup race at the parking garage in Domžale. Welcome!