Markovič wins 6th World Cup event

Today, October 20, 2013, the sixth event of this year's IFSC World Cup in lead climbing concluded in the Chinese city of Wujiang, where our best sport climber MINA MARKOVIČ won again, her third win in this World Cup season and 15th in her career. Urban Primožič complemented her success with 5th place, equaling his best result in lead World Cup events. Domen Škofic for the first time this year finished outside the final of World Cup events, achieving 11th place.



Slovenian competitors, after Mina's win at the fifth IFSC World Cup 2013 lead event in the South Korean city of Mokpo and Mina's win at the master in Haiyang, China, where Urban Primožič and Domen Škofic achieved 6th and 9th places (women's results, men's), competed this weekend in the Chinese city of Wujiang at the sixth event of the year for the World Cup in lead. Namely, Slovenian colors were again represented by Mina Markovič, Domen Škofic, and Urban Primožič.



Our three competitors added new excellent results to this year's successes: Mina's title as European runner-up in lead, success at the first IFSC World Cup 2013 lead event in Briançon, France, where Mina was silver, Mina's lead win at the World Games in Cali (Colombia) - Olympic Games for non-Olympic sports - and Mina's wins at the second World Cup lead event in Imst, Austria, and at the Rock Master in Arc, Mina's title as European runner-up in bouldering, Mina's silver at the 3rd World Cup lead event in Puurs, Belgium, and Mina's 4th place at the World Cup in Perm, Russia.



All three performed excellently in yesterday's qualifications, Mina and Domen as first-placed (sharing first place with other competitors) and Urban as 14th after qualifications, advancing to semifinals. In semifinals, the best from ours were Mina – the only one to reach the top of the route – and Urban, who was excellent and entered the final as fourth. Domen this time – and for the first time this season in World Cup events – stayed out of the final, finishing the competition in 11th place. In the final, both Mina and Jain Kim, who started the season better than Mina, reached the same height (38+), but Mina had a better semifinal result and completed the Asian World Cup tour with a perfect haul of two wins. Urban achieved 5th place in the final, equaling his best result so far. "I'm happy with this success, it went excellently for me. In the summer I had problems with my finger and couldn't train or compete as much. Today everything clicked for me," said the 21-year-old Urban satisfied.

The 25-year-old Mina Markovič from Ptuj once again proves excellent form. "I'm very happy with the new success, the new achievement. I'm also satisfied with the climbing, though a bit less with the final climb. But I knew I had to climb well from qualifications onwards. I climbed excellently in semifinals and thus gained the best starting position for the final, where I reached the same height as Jain, but it was the semifinal result – the topped route – that decided the winner."



In the overall World Cup standings (W), Markovič is still in second place (515 points) behind Kim (525 points), but after two consecutive wins, she reduced the gap to just 10 points, with Japanese Momoka Oda (fifth in this event) in third. Mina looks forward to continuing the season, "as I have a lot of motivation, I enjoy climbing every time, every day, and I look forward to the next event in France and the World Cup finale in home Kranj." Domen is currently 9th, Urban 14th in the overall men's standings (M).



Mina is defending this year her second consecutive overall World Cup title in lead and combined, fighting for the third consecutive title, which no female competitor has achieved yet.



The next event will again be in Europe, on November 1 and 2, the best competitors including ours will compete in Valence, France.



RESULTS (Source: IFSC)

Women (total competitors: 19)

1. Mina Markovič, SLO

2. Jain Kim, KOR

3. Magdalena Röck, AUT

… Men (total competitors: 22)

1. Sachi Amma, JPN

2. Sean McColl, CAN

3. Jakob Schubert, AUT

…

5. Urban Primožič, SLO

11. Domen Škofic, SLO



Spectators and fans could watch the World Cup event LIVE via the website of the International Federation of Sport Climbing IFSC.



Alongside the lead competition, the World Cup speed climbing event was also held in China, but our competitors do not compete in this sport climbing discipline.



IFSC WORLD CUP 2013 – LEAD

19–20. 7. Briançon (France)

9.–10. 8. Imst (Austria)

20.–21. 9. Puurs (Belgium)

27.–29. 9. Perm (Russia)

12.–13. 10. Mokpo (Korea)

19.–20. 10. Wujiang (China)

1.–2. 11. Valence (France)

16.–17. 11. Kranj (Slovenia) - finale