Janja, Mina and Domen in Sunday's final

After Saturday's qualifiers and semifinals of the jubilee 20th Lead World Cup Kranj 2015, three Slovenian representatives have also qualified for the Sunday final event, which will take place at 18:45 in the Zlato polje hall: Janja Garnbret as the top-ranked in her debut Kranj semifinal, Domen Škofic with 2nd and Mina Markovič with 4th semifinal result. At the World Cup Kranj 2015, held under the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), 109 competitors from 20 countries participated this year, including 15 Slovenians.



No city can boast as many organized World Cup events as Kranj, which has been an indispensable stop for the world's best sport climbers for two decades before the end of the season. In the Gorenjska capital, at the jubilee event organized by the Alpine Association of Slovenia led by tireless director Tomo Česna, 43 women and 66 men from 20 countries gathered to compete in the seventh and final event of this year's World Cup, which will decide the final titles.



Two Slovenian sport climbers are also in the battle for the top spots in the World Cup. Mina Markovič, currently leading the women's overall Lead World Cup standings, 33 points ahead of her main rival, South Korean Jain Kim, is on a good path to win the Lead World Cup again after 2011 and 2012. The Ptuj native is also aiming for her fourth victory in Kranj this year (she has already won on home soil in 2009, 2012, and 2014); if she succeeds, she will join legendary Frenchwoman Liv Sansoz at the top of the Kranj rankings, who won here four times in a row between 1997 and 2000.



It is even tighter in the men's overall Lead World Cup standings, where the difference between the top four climbers is so small that Domen Škofic trails the leading Frenchman Gautier Supper by only 38 points. Currently second and third are Czech Adam Ondra and Austrian Jakob Schubert, and Škofic is also third in the combined.



The Slovenian colors in Kranj were represented by a 15-member team under the leadership of selector and coach Roman Krajnik and coach Katja Vidmar – eight girls and seven boys, including six newcomers. Eight Slovenian representatives advanced from qualifiers to semifinals, and three qualified for Sunday's final: Kranj debutante Janja Garnbret, winner of the women's semifinal, the only one among 109 competitors to top the semifinal route, Mina Markovič with 4th semifinal result, and Domen Škofic, who tied for 2nd in the semifinal with Canadian Sean McColl. In the men's competition, Austrian Jakob Schubert climbed the highest, while in women's, South Korean Jain Kim and Belgian Anak Verhoeven placed 2nd and 3rd.



After an excellent performance in qualifiers where she placed 4th, a mistake in the semifinal cost Tjaša Kalan (26th overall) a chance for the final, but Urban Primožič (14th), Rebeka Kamin (17th), Tjaša Slemenšek (18th), and Veronika Meke (25th) performed better in the semifinals. In qualifiers, Martin Bergant (30th), Jure Raztresen (31st), Julija Kruder (39th), Kaja Skvarč Božič (40th), Milan Preskar (41st), Anže Peharc, and Tim Unuk (both 44th) also competed.



Janja Garnbret topped both qualifier routes and the semifinal route in her debut Kranj semifinal, beating all competition and achieving 1st semifinal result. "It was really great. The audience cheers so loudly that you just hold on to the wall and can't fall, so a big part of the thanks goes to the fans. The routes were in my style, I climbed them and gave my all. I always try to climb through and not look at what's hard. I hope it will be the same in the final. My goal was to first reach the final and then try for the podium, but the main goal is to enjoy and not look at others. May the best win," smiled the barely 16-year-old Carinthian, this year's world and European youth champion in lead and bouldering, and European runner-up in lead.



Mina Markovič, leading the overall Lead World Cup standings and 4th in the Kranj World Cup semifinal: "I'm very happy about the final. With one less mistake, it could have been better in the semifinal, but I decided on a few moves and went for it, which is good preparation for the final. You have to prepare extra for Kranj each time, both mentally and in climbing, as the routes are a bit different, so it's a challenge, but I think I'm handling it well. In the final, you have to climb full out and uncompromisingly," realizes the 27-year-old from Ptuj, this year's European lead champion, who has already won in Kranj three times.



Domen Škofic, 4th in overall Lead World Cup and 3rd in combined, finished the Kranj semifinal in 2nd place. "I was very relaxed and climbed as I know how. At the end, I rushed a bit because I had enough strength left and chose a bad option, but no worries. I'm in the final and tomorrow is a new story. The best feeling is climbing in the final at a home event," rejoices the 21-year-old from Radovljica at the Kranj final, who this year reached a new milestone with his first World Cup win.



"To be honest, we expected at least four finalists, but that's sport. Bad luck for Tjaša, who was really well prepared, Urban unfortunately didn't climb as he could have. Great for Janja, who climbed as she knows how, same for Mina, who had some extra pressure today, so I hope she breathes and climbs relaxed tomorrow. Domen perfect considering the illness in the last fourteen days. I'm more than satisfied with the finalists, so I can't wait for the final," assessed the performances of his charges Roman Krajnik, selector and coach of the Slovenian sport climbing team.



Results after semifinals World Cup Kranj 2015



women – 43 competitors (source: World Cup Kranj 2015)





men – 66 competitors (source: World Cup Kranj 2015)



1. Janja Garnbret (SLO)

2. Jain Kim (KOR)

3. Anak Verhoeven (BEL)

4. Mina Markovič (SLO)

...

17. Rebeka Kamin (SLO)

18. Tjaša Slemenšek (SLO)

25. Veronika Meke (SLO)

26. Tjaša Kalan (SLO)

39. Julija Kruder (SLO)

40. Kaja Skvarč Božič (SLO)





1. Jakob Schubert (AUT)

2. Domen Škofic (SLO)

2. Sean McColl (CAN)

...

14. Urban Primožič (SLO)

30. Martin Bergant (SLO)

31. Jure Raztresen (SLO)

41. Milan Preskar (SLO)

44. Anže Peharc (SLO)

44. Tim Unuk (SLO)



Current standings in overall Lead World Cup



women (source: IFSC)





men (source: IFSC)



1. Mina Markovič (SLO) – 467 points

2. Jain Kim (KOR) – 434 points

3. Jessica Pilz (AUT) – 410 points

...

7. Tjaša Kalan (SLO) – 207 points

11. Janja Garnbret (SLO) – 160 points





1. Gautier Supper (FRA) – 400 points

2. Adama Ondra (CZE) – 390 points

3. Jakob Schubert (AUT) – 378 points

4. Domen Škofic (SLO) – 362 points

...

12. Urban Primožič (SLO) – 139 points

38. Martin Bergant (SLO) – 14 points



Current standings in overall Combined World Cup



women (source: IFSC)





men (source: IFSC)



1. Jain Kim (KOR) – 428 points

2. Yuka Kobayashi (JPN) – 282 points

3. Aya Onoe (JPN) – 212 points





1. Adam Ondra (CZE) – 617 points

2. Sean McColl (CAN) – 406 points

3. Domen Škofic (SLO) – 393 points

4. Jakob Schubert (AUT) – 391 points





Tickets for Sunday's final (8 EUR) can be purchased by spectators before the start of the competition at the entrance to the Zlato polje sports hall in Kranj.



The final will be broadcast on Sunday, November 15, at 19:00 on TV Slovenia's 2nd channel, and can also be viewed live on the IFSC website. The media sponsor of the World Cup Kranj 2015 is Val 202.



The successes of Slovenian sport climbers, who have been shaping the world top of sport climbing for years, are the result of good, planned, and persistent work of teams, coaches, and climbers, their passionate dedication and effort, so they deserve our strong live support on home soil.



Cordially invited to the final event in Kranj!