Janja Garnbret second at the competition in the USA

Janja Garnbret was the only Slovenian representative in the final at the third World Cup event in bouldering. In Salt Lake City, the Slovenian sport climber won second place in front of three thousand fans and once again showed that she is in top form. Garnbret was the only Slovenian representative in the speed discipline and for the first time in her career, she advanced past the qualifying round.



The third bouldering World Cup event took place in Salt Lake City last weekend. Slovenia's best sport climber, 22-year-old Janja Garnbret, started the qualifying round excellently in the city by the Great Salt Lake. She had the best result in the qualifications and later in the semifinals. In the final, the Carinthian was slightly less reliable; she solved the first and second boulder problems in two attempts, which meant second place.



"I am satisfied with my climbing in the qualifications. I am also satisfied with my climbing in the semifinals; I approached the starting boulder well, there were some minor mistakes, but I still climbed well. In the final, the boulders were set quite easy and I should have climbed them on the first attempt, without mistakes. Even though climbing was a pleasure, supported by the loud audience, I am not thrilled with the final setting. I still advocate for boulders to be difficult so that it shows who is really in top form. But it is also a virtue to be able to climb easy boulders on the first attempt under pressure. I didn't manage that, but I am not too upset about it, as I think my climbing was still very good overall," said Slovenian Olympic medal contender Janja Garnbret after the competition. In the final, she was outperformed only by the 19-year-old local, American Natalia Grossman. Third place went to another American, Brooke Raboutou.



"The boulders in the final were easy, too easy for my taste. I like it when the girls and boys are faced with a real challenge and thus show who is the best among them. Unfortunately, this time the winner had to show climbing without mistakes. Janja's mistakes were minor, but still big enough to take the victory from her. Otherwise, Janja is in top shape, second place is still a very good result, but if the boulders had been set as they should be for such a competition, Janja would have shown her supremacy," summarized the final performance by Slovenian selector Gorazd Hren.



Four Slovenians competed in the semifinals. Katja Debevec missed the final by just one place. She finished the competition as the seventh best. Anže Peharc, who was third in the qualifications, ended the semifinals in 16th place, while Vita Lukan rounded off the Slovenian performances in the semifinals in 17th place. Gregor Vezonik had to say goodbye after the qualifications and took 24th place. Jernej Kruder had to go into quarantine due to contact with a coronavirus-infected person and was forced to miss the second competition in Salt Lake City.



American Sean Bailey ensured an excellent atmosphere in front of three thousand spectators with his victory in the men's competition.



Garnbret was the only one from the Slovenian team in the USA to also compete in the speed discipline and for the first time in her career advanced past the qualifying round. She achieved an excellent time of 8.36 seconds in the qualifications. In the final, she spoiled her time due to an initial slip. She finished the speed competition in 15th place, which is still her best result in this discipline.



Speed as a discipline will, together with bouldering and lead, be part of the Olympic combined event at this year's Summer Olympics in Japan, where Janja Garnbret and Mia Krampl are heading.