Janja, Mina, Vita and Domen in SP Kranj 2017 final

In Sunday's final of the 22nd World Cup (WC) lead climbing event Kranj 2017, which will take place at 4:45 PM in Zlato polje hall, four Slovenian representatives qualified: overall WC winner Janja Garnbret as the leader after semifinals, Kranj record holder Mina Markovič with fourth place, newcomer to Kranj final Vita Lukan with eighth place, and Domen Škofic who was seventh. This year in the capital of Gorenjska, 113 competitors from 19 countries competed, including 20 Slovenians.



Kranj has been an indispensable stop for the best sport climbers for 22 years before the end of the season. At the eighth and final event of this year's World Cup, organized under the auspices of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) by the Alpine Association of Slovenia led by Tomo Česna and his team, 52 women and 61 men from 19 countries competed, and it was given a special touch by the accompanying program - children's workshops and mini olympiad with Foksi, climbing films from the Mountain Film Festival, and finger strength competition. The Gorenjska capital will also crown the overall World Cup winners. The exceptional teenager Janja Garnbret, also the current world champion in lead, has secured a double victory in the overall standings for the second year in a row even before the final event - both in lead and combined, while she is second in bouldering.



Slovenian colors were represented by a 20-member team under the leadership of selector Gorazd Hren and coaches Luka Fonda and Urh Čehovin, with 12 women and 8 men. Ten Slovenian representatives advanced from qualifications to semifinals, and four qualified for Sunday's final: leading Janja Garnbret, the only one with tops in both qualifications and semifinals, Mina Markovič, who with her semifinal top and fourth place climbed her thirteenth consecutive WC final in Kranj, newcomer to Kranj final Vita Lukan, who achieved the eighth semifinal result, and Domen Škofic, who finished semifinals in seventh place. Second among women was Belgian Anak Verhoeven and third South Korean Jain Kim, both also with the top of the final route. In men's competition, Jakob Schubert (AUT) leads, second and third are Italians Stefano Ghisolfi and Francesco Vettorata.



In semifinals, Urška Repušič (10th), Mia Krampl (19th), Martin Bergant (19th), Jernej Kruder (21st), Katja Kadić (22nd), and Lučka Rakovec (23rd) also performed well. In qualifications, Tjaša Kalan (29th), Lana Skušek (30th), Milan Preskar (32nd), Veronika Meke (33rd), Tjaša Slemenšek (41st), Kaja Skvarč Božič (43rd), Anže Peharc and Zan Sudar (both 46th), Luka Potočar (51st), and Klemen Novak (52nd) also competed.



Sunday, November 12

4:00 PM short films: Plošča, Fanta v Bugabujih,

Wonderful Nature - Common Chameleon

4:45 PM presentation of finalists and route preview

4:55 PM official opening of the competition with acrobatic show

5:00 PM men's final, followed by women's

(followed by medal ceremony)



Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO) is the only one who excellently topped both qualification and semifinal routes, which is a good omen for the Kranj final, where she was third last year and the year before. "Qualifications in Kranj were harder than at other events, they could already be compared to semifinals or finals, semifinals were easier, but I was a bit nervous because I knew I had to reach the top to defend a better position tomorrow if we fall at the same move. The atmosphere is phenomenal, the audience holds you on the wall, encourages you! So far I haven't succumbed to Kranj pressure, I have no expectations for the final, but I certainly know it will be great to climb in the final, there will be even more audience, everyone will cheer - and I think I will really enjoy it," rejoices the 18-year-old from Koroška, who is already the second consecutive overall World Cup winner in lead and combined.



Mina Markovič (ŠPK Plus), Slovenian record holder of Kranj event, also topped in semifinals, competing here for the fourteenth time, qualifying for the final for the thirteenth consecutive time, and has tasted Kranj victory four times (2009, 2012, 2014, 2015). "I'm very happy with the good climbing in semifinals, especially happy that I composed myself and performed as needed even in front of the home crowd. I really wanted to make it to the Kranj final, which I did again, I wanted to climb well in front of the home audience because I know I'm capable, and I think with today's performances I showed it confidently. I claim I've been ready all year, at least as now or perhaps better from event to event, so I'm satisfied that I managed to show it in the route. I enjoyed it and want to do the same tomorrow," was satisfied the 29-year-old from Sežana, entering the SP Kranj 2017 final with the fourth semifinal result.



The third Slovenian finalist is Vita Lukan (ŠPO PD Radovljica), to whom judges later awarded the reached height, bringing her the eighth final result. "I'm really happy to have made the final, it was worth waiting. It feels a bit uncomfortable that I had to protest, but I held the hold, which the judges saw and awarded me the height. The feelings are phenomenal when I finally made it to the adult competition final, even better because it happened in Kranj, so I can't wait for the final," did not hide her enthusiasm the 17-year-old from Radovljica, who this year won the European youth champion title in lead.



Slovenia's ace in men's competition remains Domen Škofic (ŠPO PD Radovljica), finalist of Kranj event for the fourth time. "Qualifying for the final at home event is always an exceptional feeling, so one goal is achieved, I always look forward immensely to the final. I felt really good on the wall and lately, since we started training with Roman again (Krajnik, note), my condition is improving, I enjoy it a lot, so on one hand it's a pity that the season is ending. I'm very satisfied with today's climbing, if I had chosen another variant in the semifinal route, it would have been even better, there was still enough strength, but I'll save it for the final. I'm already looking forward," summed up his thoughts the 23-year-old from Radovljica, last year's overall WC winner in lead.



"I'm very satisfied. We climbed qualifications well, three semifinalists was the wish, for girls I expected six or seven semifinalists, but some could have made it, especially Tjaša Kalan comes to mind. Semifinals were excellent, dreamlike for the girls, we have three finalists, Janja leads, Mina is fourth, Vita eighth, plus very good result of Urša Repušič in tenth place, Domen is finalist among men and I think we'll have a really good show on Sunday, and I believe we'll achieve very good results," assessed the performances of his charges Gorazd Hren, selector of the Slovenian sport climbing team.



Results after semifinals SP Kranj 2017

women - 52 competitors (source: IFSC) men - 61 competitors (source: IFSC)

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO)

2. Anak Verhoeven (BEL)

3. Jain Kim (KOR)

4. Mina Markovič (SLO)

5. Molly Thompson-Smith (GBR)

6. Julia Chanourdie (FRA)

7. Shauna Coxsey (GBR)

8. Vita Lukan (SLO)

...

10. Urša Repušič (SLO)

19. Mia Krampl (SLO)

22. Katja Kadić (SLO)

23. Lučka Rakovec (SLO)

29. Tjaša Kalan (SLO)

30. Lana Skušek (SLO)

33. Veronika Meke (SLO)

41. Tjaša Slemenšek (SLO)

43. Kaja Skvarč Božič (SLO) 1. Jakob Schubert (AUT)

2. Stefano Ghisolfi (ITA)

3. Francesco Vettorata (ITA)

4. Marcello Bombardi (ITA)

5. Jan Hojer (GER)

6. Dmitrii Fakirianov (RUS)

7. Domen Škofic (SLO)

8. Alexander Megos (GER)

...

19. Martin Bergant (SLO)

21. Jernej Kruder (SLO)

32. Milan Preskar (SLO)

46. Anže Peharc (SLO)

46. Zan Sudar (SLO)

51. Luka Potočar (SLO)

52. Klemen Novak (SLO)



World Cup 2017 lead overall standings (before last event)

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

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO) 565 pts

2. Jain Kim (KOR) 445 pts

3. Anak Verhoeven (BEL) 404 pts

...

6. Mina Markovič (SLO) 253 pts

23. Mia Krampl (SLO) 68 pts

25. Vita Lukan (SLO) 66 pts

42. Urška Repušič (SLO) 18 pts 1. Romain Desgranges (FRA) 440 pts

2. Stefano Ghisolfi (ITA) 362 pts

3. Keiichiro Korenaga (JPN) 339 pts

4. Domen Škofic (SLO) 270 pts

...

62. Martin Bergant (SLO) 2 pts

67. Jernej Kruder (SLO) 1 pt



World Cup 2017 combined overall standings (before last event)

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

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO) 1035 pts

2. Shauna Coxsey (GBR) 560 pts

3. Jain Kim (KOR) 546 pts

...

17. Mina Markovič (SLO) 253 pts

20. Katja Kadić (SLO) 227 pts

61. Vita Lukan (SLO) 80 pts

65. Mia Krampl (SLO) 68 pts

84. Julija Kruder (SLO) 44 pts

116. Urška Repušič (SLO) 18 pts 1. Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) 565 pts

2. Jongwon Chon (KOR) 555 pts

3. Kokoro Fujii (JPN) 471 pts

...

19. Domen Škofic (SLO) 272 pts

23. Jernej Kruder (SLO) 202 pts

77. Anže Peharc (SLO) 62 pts

131. Gregor Vezonik (SLO) 14 pts

188. Martin Bergant (SLO) 2 pts