Mina Markovič in Kranj for the third title...

Today, November 13, the Alpine Association of Slovenia held a press conference in its premises ahead of this year's eighth and final Lead World Cup event 2013. On Saturday and Sunday, November 16 and 17, 2013, Kranj will host the Lead World Cup event for the 18th time in the Zlato polje sports hall, and this time again the World Cup FINAL.



The 2013 Lead World Cup in sport climbing, organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing IFSC, will once again conclude in Kranj, where the event will be of age this year, as it will be the 18th Lead World Cup in Kranj. The successes of Slovenian sport climbers this year also demonstrate the high level of Slovenian sport climbing, and our top competitor Mina Markovič is fighting for the third consecutive Lead and Combined World Cup crystal globe.



Markovič has qualified for the final in all World Cup events this year, has stepped on the podium in six, won three times, was second three times, and fourth once. Before the final event, she is currently second in the Lead World Cup overall standings. She trails the current leader, Korean Jain Kim (625 points), by only 30 points, so the Kranj final will again decide the overall Lead World Cup winner. In third place is Japanese climber Momoka Oda (403 points), who can no longer contend for first or second.



The 17-member Slovenian team for the Kranj World Cup final consists of: Mina Markovič, Maja Vidmar, Tina Šušteršič, Jera Lenardič, Katja Kadič, Tjaša Kalan, Anja Šerbinek; in the men's category: Domen Škofic, Urban Primožič, Jure Bečan, Klemen Bečan, Jure Raztresen, Sergej Epih, Jernej Kruder, Gregor Vezonik, Martin Bergant, and Gašper Pintar. Slovenia has practically never had such a large team at Lead World Cup events. More about Slovenian competitors at SP Kranj 2013.



The press conference was attended by PZS General Secretary Matej Planko, who greeted everyone and emphasized the importance of the World Cup in Kranj; head of the 2013 Kranj World Cup Tomo Česen, coach Roman Krajnik, and top Slovenian sport climbers Mina Markovič, Maja Vidmar, Domen Škofic, and Urban Primožič.

This event is one of the most popular Lead World Cup events, as it always attracts a large number of competitors, even more this year than last, 106 (92 last year). Tomo Česen, head of SP Kranj 2013, presented the competition, features, schedule for Saturday and Sunday, routes prepared since November 3, wall changes, space for journalists and photographers, accreditation pickup (press center in Zlato polje sports hall, Kranj, on the day of the event). "The competition is ruthless, this event – the World Cup final – will decide the overall winners among both women and men. And I like that, tension until the end. Only one wins, the best. And that's right. Surely due to this tension and expectations, it will be even more exceptional to see and experience the outstanding audience in the hall again, which in recent years has been unmatched, as they simply carry the competitors to the top. I expect a full Zlato polje hall, as our competitors need encouragement, and our fans create excellent atmosphere. On Saturday at 9 a.m., men's qualifications start, at 2 p.m. women's, then the same evening at 8 p.m. semifinals follow, the final will be on Sunday at 5 p.m. with live broadcast on TV Slovenija, channel 2. The entire event will also be streamed live on the International Federation of Sport Climbing website and YouTube."

Coach Roman Krajnik presented the 17-member team: "With the head coach of the Slovenian senior sport climbing team Simon Margon, we decided to give a chance to all who are prepared and capable of major competitions. 10 men and 7 women will compete. Yesterday we had the last team training, and all are well prepared for the Kranj World Cup final and expect good results accordingly."



Mina Markovič will defend her double consecutive overall Lead and Combined standings win from 2011 and 2012 in Kranj, when she confidently beat all rivals. Markovič qualified for the final in all World Cup events this year, stepped on the podium in six, won three times, was second three times, and fourth once. Before the final event, she is currently second in the Lead World Cup overall standings. She trails the current leader, Korean Jain Kim (625 points), by only 30 points, so the Kranj final will again decide the overall Lead World Cup winner. "The results in this year's World Cup are really good, they could perhaps be even better. For Kranj, I expect to gather myself and focus only on the competition, to climb every route maximally from start to finish. On the event, I want to climb my best, as I know how, then – whatever happens. I want to push everything else to the background, including possible pressure from the overall standings, and focus solely on climbing in the competition. The season is quite long and packed, but I look forward to every event. I can hardly wait for the Kranj audience, which is great; every year I feel better at the home event. Welcome to Kranj!"



Maja Vidmar was an excellent third at last year's World Cup final in Kranj. About this season and especially the last event, she said: "Last year I was really bronze in Kranj. This year I didn't compete in all events, but I was very happy with 6th place in Valenca. In Kranj, I want to climb my best, as I know how, and enjoy it."



Domen Škofic – he had an exceptional season this year: he competed for the last time as a junior and fully as a senior. At the European Junior Championships, he became vice-champion in Lead, 3rd at the World Junior Championships, qualified for the final at the World Games in Cali where Mina won, achieved 8th place, and qualified for almost every final at the World Cup events he entered. "The hardest for me is to compete at home, as so far I always had my worst result in Kranj. I don't know what happens , but I want to surpass that and climb every route maximally well."



Urban Primožič achieved the best result in the men's category at last year's World Cup in Kranj, 9th place, and in 2011 he qualified for the SP Kranj final and also achieved the best Slovenian result in men's, excellent 5th place – his best Lead World Cup result, which he repeated this year at the Asian event. Urban joined the Lead World Cup caravan later due to injury. The injury is healed, and about the Kranj event he said: "On the Asian World Cup tour, I exceeded my expectations and achieved 5th place, unfortunately I was worse in Valenca, 14th. For Kranj, I won't set high expectations, but I must say that the home event and home audience always give me energy, the atmosphere is excellent, it always carried me to the top ."



OVERALL Lead World Cup standings:

This final World Cup event will decide the Lead World Cup winners in men's and women's categories. In the women's overall standings (W), before the last World Cup, Markovič is second (595 points), led by Korean Jain Kim (625), third is Japanese Momoka Oda (403), who can no longer contend for first or second. Tina Šušteršič is currently 18th, Maja Vidmar 21st. In men's, Domen Škofic is currently 9th, Urban Primožič 13th in the overall (M). Japanese Sachi Amma still leads (507 points), followed by Austrian Jakob Schubert with 443 points, and the Kranj final will also decide the winner.

CURRENT order in Lead World Cup overall standings: WOMEN, MEN (Source: IFSC).



SP Kranj 2013 in numbers:

Registered for the event

- Eighth and at the same time last event of this year's Lead World Cup in sport climbing

- 106 competitors, of which 44 women and 62 men, all the best are registered.

- From 24 countries (92 competitors from 20 countries last year): from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, up to Russia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine, and home Slovenia.

- 17 members of the Slovenian national team – 7 women and 10 men.

List of registered for SP Kranj event: IFSC website and SP Kranj 2013 website.



COMPETITION PROGRAM (Source: SP Kranj 2013 website)

Saturday, November 17

9.00 men's qualifications

14.00 women's qualifications

20.00 semifinals Sunday, November 18

17.00 final



Event website: http://www.worldcupkranj.com/, where all detailed information is available and all results after qualifications, semifinals, and final will be published, as well as photos.

We will also publish everything on our PZS website, www.pzs.si, and PZS Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PlaninskaZvezaSlovenije.



Spectators can buy tickets at the entrance to Zlato polje sports hall in Kranj, Kidričeva 55 a, Kranj, qualifications and semifinals: 4 EUR, final: 8 EUR.



The event can also be watched LIVE via the International Federation of Sport Climbing IFSC, and the final on Sunday, November 17, also via Slovenian TV Slovenija, channel 2.



Excellent successes of Slovenian sport climbers from youth to seniors confirm good, planned, and persistent work of teams, coaches, and of course the climbers themselves, their strong motivation and desire to be the best in the world. Let's give them our strong support in the hall itself.



WELCOME TO KRANJ! The atmosphere will be excellent as always, and you can contribute to it too.