Mia Krampl bronze at youth European Championships in lead...

Mia Krampl bronze at the youth European Championships in lead climbing.

At the youth European Championships in lead climbing in Austrian Mitterdorf, Mia Krampl climbed to the bronze medal in the cadet girls category on September 3rd, after being the world youth runner-up in lead last year among older girls. Kaja Skvarč Božič also competed in the final, finishing 5th among junior women, and Lučka Rakovec 6th among older girls. The Slovenian youth sport climbing team returns home with three medals, as Luka Potočar won 1st place in the overall European youth cup standings in the older boys category, and Lučka Rakovec was 3rd among older girls.



At the European youth championships in lead climbing, which took place in Mitterdorf from September 2 to 4, 2016, fifteen members of the Slovenian youth sport climbing team represented Slovenia. The most successful was Mia Krampl (AO PD Kranj), who climbed to the bronze medal in the cadet girls category up to 18 years, after being the youth world runner-up in lead last year among older girls. "After falling from the top in the second qualification route, I started the semifinals from 7th place. I improved my climbing and secured the final with the top. Although the final route was not exactly my style, I climbed relaxed and secured third place. I am satisfied with my performance in the final route," assessed the 16-year-old from Gorenjska. The winner was Austrian Eva Maria Hammelmüller, second was Swiss Michelle Hulliger.



Two more Slovenian sport climbers competed in the final. Kaja Skvarč Božič (ŠD Proteus) took 5th place among junior women. In the age category up to 20 years, Swedish Kajsa Rosen won ahead of Swiss Alena Ring and Andrea Kümin. In the older girls category up to 16 years, where Italian Laura Rogora won ahead of second- and third-placed Austrians Sandra Lettner and Celina Schoibl, Lučka Rakovec (ŠD Proteus) finished 6th.



The Slovenian youth sport climbing team, led by selector Anže Štremflj, returns from Mitterdorf with three medals. The competition also counted as the final event of the European youth cup, where Luka Potočar (ŠPO PD Radovljica) won 1st place in the overall standings in the older boys category, and Lučka Rakovec (ŠD Proteus) was 3rd among older girls.



"We went to the European Championships in Mitterdorf with a younger team and without some individuals who focused on bouldering this season. With slightly fewer mistakes in the semifinals, there could have been another representative of our team in the final, but the fact is that the competition at this event was greater than at the European cup races. I am happy with Mia's third place, but I also hoped that a similar result would succeed for someone else from our team," said national team selector Anže Štremfelj and added: "It is pleasing that Luka Potočar won the overall European youth cup standings in the youngest boys' category and that Lučka Rakovec complemented his success in the older girls' category."



In Mitterdorf, Petra Glušič (16th), Ema Stopar (31st) and Saša Brodej (37th) also competed among older girls, Andrej Polak (15th), Žiga Zajc (20th), Luka Potočar (23rd) and Aljaž Resnik (40th) among older boys, Vita Lukan (13th) among cadet girls, Matic Kotar (26th), Maks Bogolin (32nd) and Klemen Novak (34th) among cadets, and Igor Primc (29th) among juniors.



Congratulations to the young sport climbers, who from November 7 to 13, 2016, await the youth world championships in China (Guangzhou), where they will compete in both lead and bouldering.