Janja, Domen, Mina and Urban in the final

After Saturday's qualifications and semifinals of the 21st World Cup (WC) lead climbing event Kranj 2016, four Slovenian representatives qualified for Sunday's final trial, which will take place at 4 p.m. in Zlato polje hall: Janja Garnbret and Domen Škofic as leaders after the semifinals, Mina Markovič with the third result, and Urban Primožič, who was seventh. At the World Cup Kranj 2016, held under the auspices of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), 122 competitors from 23 countries participated this year, including 19 Slovenians.



Kranj has been an indispensable stop for the best sport climbers for 21 years before the end of the season. At the seventh and final trial of this year's World Cup, organized by the Alpine Association of Slovenia led by director Tomo Česna and his team, 49 women and 73 men from 23 countries competed, and it was given a special stamp by the accompanying program - children's workshops and mini olympiad with Foksi, climbing films from the Mountain Film Festival, and strong fingers competition. The Gorenjska capital will also crown the overall World Cup winners. The exceptional teenager Janja Garnbret, also this year's world champion in lead, has already secured a double victory in the overall standings before the final event - both in lead and combined. The overall lead trophy is also smiling at Domen Škofic, but the Kranj competition will decide, as he has only a 40-point lead over second-placed Jakob Schubert.



Slovenian colors were represented by a 19-member team under the leadership of selector Gorazd Hren and coaches Luka Fonda and Urh Čehovina - ten girls and nine boys. Eleven Slovenian representatives advanced from qualifications to semifinals, and four qualified for Sunday's final: Janja Garnbret, a class apart in the women's competition, and Mina Markovič, who achieved the third height of the semifinals, Domen Škofic with tops in both qualifications and semifinals, and Urban Primožič, who finished the semifinals in seventh place. Second among the girls was Belgian Anak Verhoeven, while Škofic shares first place with Italian Stefano Ghisolfi and Austrian Jakob Schubert.



In the semifinals, Katja Kadič (11th), Jure Raztresen (16th), Vita Lukan (19th), Milan Preskar (19th), Rebeka Kamin (20th), Tjaša Kalan (24th), and Mia Krampl (26th) also performed well. In qualifications, Kaja Skvarč Božič (34th), Tjaša Slemenšek (35th), Veronika Meke (38th), Jernej Kruder (42nd), Anže Peharc (46th), Martin Bergant (47th), Gregor Vezonik (51st), and Zan Sudar (54th) also competed.



Program WC Kranj 2016 - Sunday, November 27

15.00–19.00 creative workshops for children

15.15–16.00 "strong fingers" final (FingerBoard competition)

16.10 presentation of finalists and route preview

16.20 official opening of the competition with acrobatic spectacle

16.30 men's final, followed by women's

(followed by medal ceremony)



Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO) climbed to the top of both qualification routes and the semifinal route in her second Kranj semifinal, where she beat all competition and thus achieved the first semifinal result. "Before qualifications, I really felt good, and I climbed them that way too. I felt a bit of nervousness in the first qualification route and in the semifinals, especially since I'm performing in front of the home crowd and I have to prove myself to them too, so they can see me live. I have to put that aside and climb as I know how. All tops are there, but tomorrow the final awaits me, which will be decisive - and I hope I show everything I know," smiled the barely 17-year-old Koroška girl, this year's world champion in lead and already double overall World Cup winner.



In his most successful season, Urban Primožič (PK Škofja Loka) is again looking forward to the final in front of the home fans: "It's been five years since my last final in Kranj. My wishes came true, I climbed the semifinals really relaxed, given that I was even fresher than I expected, I might have been a bit surprised before the last moves when I found myself under the top and hurried a bit. But that's not important, now I'm in the final and tomorrow I'll enjoy it," said the 24-year-old Škofja Loka native, who decided to end his competitive career with the Kranj competition.



"I'm excited about the climbing of most of the representatives, eleven semifinalists is more than we coaches calculated. In the semifinals, Katja Kadič really performed well, Mina and Janja showed they are at the top, and Domen also showed he will fight to the end, and I count on him being the best. But above all, I'm very happy that Urban is in the final, whom I'm still convincing to extend a season. I would especially praise Vita and Mia, who debuted in the senior competition, made a good result, and showed that we can count on them in the future," assessed the performances of his charges Gorazd Hren, selector of the Slovenian sport climbing team.



Results after semifinals WC Kranj 2016

women - 49 competitors (source: IFSC) men - 73 competitors (source: IFSC)

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO)

2. Anak Verhoeven (BEL)

3. Mina Markovič (SLO)

...

11. Katja Kadič (SLO)

19. Vita Lukan (SLO)

20. Rebeka Kamin (SLO)

24. Tjaša Kalan (SLO)

26. Mia Krampl (SLO)

34. Kaja Skvarč Božič (SLO)

35. Tjaša Slemenšek (SLO)

38. Veronika Meke (SLO)

1. Domen Škofic (SLO)

1. Stefano Ghisolfi (ITA)

1. Jakob Schubert (AVS)

...

7. Urban Primožič (SLO)

16. Jure Raztresen (SLO)

19. Milan Preskar (SLO)

42. Jernej Kruder (SLO)

46. Anže Peharc (SLO)

47. Martin Bergant (SLO)

51. Gregor Vezonik (SLO)

54. Zan Sudar (SLO)



Current standings in the overall World Cup lead standings

women (source: IFSC)

men (source: IFSC)

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO) - 516 points

2. Anak Verhoeven (BEL) - 435 points

3. Jain Kim (KOR) - 395 points

4. Magdalena Röck (AVS) - 345 points

5. Mina Markovič (SLO) - 251 points

...

19. Tjaša Kalan (SLO) - 70 points

1. Domen Škofic (SLO) - 417 points

2. Jakob Schubert (AVS) - 377 points

3. Romain Desgranges (FRA) - 341 points

...

12. Urban Primožič (SLO) - 152 points



Current standings in the overall World Cup combined standings

women (source: IFSC) men (source: IFSC)

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO) - 596 points

2. Akiyo Noguchi (JAP) - 367 points

3. Anna Tsyganova (RUS) - 284 points

1. Sean McColl (KAN)

2. Kokoro Fujii (JAP)

3. Jakob Schubert (AVS)



Tickets for Sunday's final (12 € or 10 € for PZS and AS Club members) can be purchased by spectators before the start of the competition at the entrance to the Zlato polje sports hall in Kranj from 14.30 (if not sold out) and at Eventim sales points throughout Slovenia and online. Entry is free for children up to and including 12 years of age.



The final competition can be watched live on the website of the International Federation of Sport Climbing IFSC, and the final will also be broadcast on Sunday, November 27, at 4:30 p.m. on the 2nd program of TV Slovenija. The media sponsor of the World Cup Kranj 2016 is Val 202, the general sponsor of WC Kranj 2016 is Telekom Slovenije, the gold sponsor is Adriatic Slovenica.