1.02.2018
Most successful in alpinism, sport and ice climbing, and ski mountaineering in 2017.
The Alpine Association of Slovenia awarded recognitions for top achievements in alpinism, sport and ice climbing, and ski mountaineering for the year 2017 at the alpinism-climbing evening on January 31 at the Ljubljana Fair.
For lifetime achievement in alpinism, they paid tribute to Rado Kočevar and France Zupan, Anastasija Davidova became the most successful female alpinist and Aleš Česen the most successful male alpinist, Nives Meroi and Roman Benet were awarded the PZS gold honorary badge. The most successful sport climbing pair remain Janja Garnbret and Domen Škofic, the most successful ice climber Janez Svoljšak and ski mountaineer Nejc Kuhar.
"We are extremely proud of you - to simplify a bit - mountaineers from all branches and disciplines, because you reflect what Slovenianness is - friendship, good and appropriate Slovenian spirit and, most importantly, also in your activity, a proper and valued attitude towards nature. Those who achieve top results express this with even greater self-sacrifice, training and everything needed for a good result. I am particularly pleased that in 2020 you will be part of the Olympic family with sport climbing and I reliably predict an excellent result," said Bogdan Gabrovec, President of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia - Association of Sports Federations, in his welcome address.
The purpose of the selection by the Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) and its commissions for alpinism, sport climbing and mountain sports is to evaluate the highest quality alpinistic ascents, top sport climbing achievements and successes in ice climbing and ski mountaineering and to present the most prominent achievements in these sports branches to the public. The mountaineering-alpinism evening at the Natour Alpe-Adria fair was enlivened by short films from the upcoming 12th Mountain Film Festival, the Slovenian alpinism film Mogoče about the expedition of Česen, Novak and Prezlj to the Indian Himalaya particularly aroused interest.
Most successful alpinists of 2017
The most successful female alpinist of the past year is Anastasija Davidova (AO PD Ljubljana-Matica), who crowned the season of versatile climbing with a successful expedition to Kyrgyzstan, where she made the first female free repeat of the famous Perestroika crack route with Iva Božić. Aleš Česen (Alpine Mountaineering Club), the most successful alpinist of 2017, climbed on expeditions in Canada, India, USA and Morocco last year, his greatest achievement being the ascent of the demanding first ascent route Vse ali nič on the Himalayan six-thousander Arjuna, which he did with Urban Novak and Marko Prezlj (both AO PD Kamnik), recipients of recognition for special achievements in alpinism. The most promising alpinist of 2017 is Žiga Oražem (AO PD Kamnik) with the winter repeat of the Walker Pillar in Grandes Jorasses with Matija Volontar. The PZS Alpinism Commission highlighted for 2017 also the trio - Tjaša Jelovčan (AO PD Kranj), Petra Klinar (Academic AO) and Luka Lindič (AO PD Celje Matica), who each with their climbing season more prominently marked the alpinistic year 2017.
The recipients of the lifetime achievement award in alpinism are Rado Kočevar (PD Gozd Martuljk) and France Zupan (PD Ljubljana-Matica), representatives of the first post-war generation of alpinists, who plowed the field of modern Slovenian alpinism, modeled themselves on masters of Dolomite rock routes, raised the limit of climbed difficulties in rock to the upper sixth grade and for the first time brought some sports spirit into domestic alpinism. In winter alpinism, it advanced in increasingly difficult repeats and more frequently visited granite peaks of the Central Alps. Their great routes are today pure alpinistic classics and even though they have already stepped deep into the ninth decade of their lives, they are still active and dedicated to youthful dreams. >>> more on the PZS website
The Alpine Association at the alpinism-climbing evening also presented Nives Meroi and Roman Benet, who as the first in the world together climbed all fourteen eight-thousanders, with the PZS gold honorary badge for all alpinistic achievements and promotion of alpinism. The Italian-Slovenian pair also presented their inspiring story of perseverance in ascents to the highest peaks of our planet in alpine style at a lecture.
Most successful sport climbers of 2017
The most successful sport climber is for the second time in a row Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO), overall winner of the 2017 World Cup in lead and combined and second in bouldering, who last year collected a record number of points in the World Cup and as the first competitor in history achieved nine World Cup wins in the same season, otherwise standing on the podium fourteen times. In addition, she was European runner-up in bouldering and fourth at the lead championship, returning with silver also from the World Games. Likewise, the most successful sport climber Domen Škofic (ŠPO PD Radovljica) kept the baton, fourth in the overall World Cup lead standings last year. Recognitions for top achievements in competitions were received by boulderer Katja Kadić (PK Škofja Loka), Mia Krampl (AO PD Kranj) for the first senior World Cup final, Jernej Kruder (ŠPO PD Celje Matica) for bouldering achievements, European youth champion in lead and first-time senior finalist Vita Lukan (ŠPO PD Radovljica), European runner-up and multiple World Cup finalist in lead Mina Markovič (ŠPK Plus) and Anže Peharc (AO PD Kranj) for bronze medal at the European bouldering championship.
Recognitions for promising sport climbers for results at European Youth Cup events were received by Dominika Kodra (PK Kamnik), Luka Potočar (ŠPO PD Radovljica), Lučka Rakovec (ŠD Proteus) and Urška Repušič (ŠPO APD Kozjak Maribor). Coaching recognitions were earned by Janja Garnbret's coach Gorazd Hren (Šaleški AO) and Domen Škofic's coach Roman Krajnik (PK Škofja Loka).
Most successful in ice climbing and ski mountaineering 2017
The most successful ice climber remains Janez Svoljšak (AO PD Kranj), fourth at the 2017 Ice Climbing World Championship, Nejc Kuhar (TSO PD Jezersko) was again named the most successful ski mountaineer, sixth at the prestigious Pierra Menta last year and national champion in the individual discipline.
The most successful said ...
RADO KOČEVAR, recipient of the lifetime achievement award in alpinism: "It was a special experience to receive the recognition among the young who are now at the top of world alpinism, I am really proud of them. It is also an experience to hear about their successes in alpinism, which we did not even foresee in our time. In 1946 we started climbing practically from nothing and in one year reached the level of the pre-war alpinistic generation, then we went forward lightning fast, so some accused us of being record hunters. When, for example, I repeated the Aschenbrenner route with Frelih and then with Ciril Debeljak the Čop route in the Triglav North Face in eight hours - few repeaters later repeated it with a bivouac -, it was something special. Those were different times, but I am proud of those years, proud of the recognition, because I was among those who did the hardest climbing tours at that time and we surpassed the predecessors, with the late Ciril Debeljak we made the first route of sixth grade plus in the north face of Dedec, which was then unheard of."
FRANCE ZUPAN, recipient of the lifetime achievement award in alpinism: "I like the recognition, I appreciate it. I thank everyone who did not forget me, and the Alpine Association of Slovenia, without which there would be neither alpinist Kočevar nor alpinist Zupan. I also owe thanks to the pre-war alpinists, whom the war storm scattered to all ends, but in 1945 they returned: Vlasto Kopač from the concentration camp, France Avčin and Dušan Lasič from the partisans, Marjan Keršič - Belač had a dangerous epic after World War II. These were people of different views, but they wanted one thing - to continue Slovenian alpinism, which the second war violently cut off and there was a big gap. At that time there was a committee for mountaineering and alpinism at the Physical Culture Association of Slovenia, they established alpinistic sections in Ljubljana and Jesenice, started organizing climbing courses, and that with historical equipment, since there was no other. At the course at Kamniško sedlo, Rado and I became alpinists and thus advanced in the mountaineering hierarchy, as confident as possible. I had to mention the people who were my instructors, my role models and later even friends. Faced with the achievements I saw today, I feel completely small, something like that was unimaginable for us."
ALEŠ ČESEN, most successful alpinist 2017: "Expeditions are generally always successful in one way or another if the team is right. With Urban and Marko, everything clicked for us, from characters and a bit of luck to the climbed route. We forge expedition plans more individually, together we regularly forge smaller plans in Slovenian mountains. The recognition means a lot to me, but most of all it means when I am in the mountains with the same people."
JANJA GARNBRET, most successful sport climber 2017: "It feels good to receive this award, because your results are visible and everyone appreciates it, which is also my further motivation, so I am really happy. We have already started preparing for the new season, which starts in April, but we are working hard now. After such a record season as last year, I dare not set goals higher. This year there is the world championship and I want to repeat the result from 2016, but I dare not predict the result, because more wins will be hard to achieve. Most importantly, I want to enjoy it."
DOMEN ŠKOFIC, most successful sport climber 2017: "It is really an honor to receive this recognition again, as Jernej and Anže were also top-notch. Last season was quite demanding, not everything went according to plan. For the first time I decided to compete in both bouldering and lead season, but saw that it is not the best, because it is too exhausting. Last season taught me a lot, but gave me momentum forward, because fourth in the overall World Cup standings and fifth at the European championship, plus second place in the World Cup and master are still top results."
NEJC KUHAR, most successful ski mountaineer 2017: "The past season was successful, not the most successful so far, as I strive for this one, but I know that someone will slowly replace me as the most successful ski mountaineer and I am already looking forward to that day. Luka Kovačič is showing himself as a very worthy successor."