Slovenia wins gold and two silver medals

Slovenia wins gold and two silver medals at the 2013 youth European Championships in lead climbing.



Last weekend, 27 and 28 July 2013, the IFSC Youth European Championships in Lead Climbing 2013 took place in Imst, Austria, where the 18-member Slovenian youth national team also competed and achieved excellent success with gold and two silver medals.



At the second IFSC Youth European Championships in Lead Climbing, organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing IFSC and the Austrian Alpine Association, there were as many as 492 registered female and male competitors in all categories, including 18 of our best young sport climbers - representatives of the Slovenian youth national team in sport climbing led by selector Borut Kavzar.



After successful qualifications, 5 competitors advanced to the final: Janja Garnbret and Tjaša Slemenšek among older girls, Martin Bergant among cadets, Jera Lenardič among juniors women and Domen Škofic among juniors men, who defended the title of the first youth European champion among juniors men in lead from last year at this youth European Championships, otherwise for the last time in the youth selection, as he will be a senior next year. Domen also achieved the title of world runner-up among juniors men in 2012. In the final, everyone gave their all, and thus Slovenia once again experienced excellent success. Our representatives won 3 medals: gold and two silver medals. With the title of youth European champion, JANJA GARNBRET crowned herself for the second time this year among older girls, adding the noble title in lead to the youth European champion title in bouldering. The title of youth European runner-up in lead climbing was won by MARTIN BERGANT among cadets and DOMEN ŠKOFIC among juniors men. The other two finalists achieved: junior woman Jera Lenardič 5th place, Tjaša Slemenšek 9th place among older girls.



Slovenia has thus once again achieved a new success on the map of sport climbing. The success of our young climbers means even more given that France and Germany, which regularly claim medals, went home empty-handed this time.



RESULTS of our representatives (Source: IFSC):



OLDER GIRLS (youth B, 39 competitors): 1. JANJA GARNBRET (Šaleški AO), 9. Tjaša Slemenšek (Šaleški AO), 16. Larisa Fabjan (AO PD Vipava)

OLDER BOYS (youth B, 52 competitors): 21. Zan Sudar (AK Ravne), 29. Tine Rozmanič (ŠPO PD Radovljica), 33. Miha Hajna (ŠD Proteus)

CADET GIRLS (youth A, 45 competitors): 11. Tjaša Kalan (AO PD Kranj), 21. Veronika Meke (DPČ Šmartno), 23. Julija Kruder (ŠPO PD Celje - Matica)

CADETS (youth A, 66 competitors): 2. Martin Bergant (PK Škofja Loka), 12. Milan Preskar (PK Škofja Loka), 13. Anže Peharc (ŠPO PD Tržič), 21. Tim Unuk (PK Laško)

JUNIORS WOMEN (juniors, 34 competitors): 5. Jera Lenardič (AO PD Kranj), 13. Katja Kadič (ŠPK Andreja Kokalja), 16. Ajda Remškar (ŠPO PD Tržič)

JUNIORS MEN (juniors, 44 competitors): 2. Domen Škofic (ŠPO PD Radovljica), 15. Gregor Vezonik (AK Ravne)



This year, the young representatives still have one major competition ahead: from 15-19 August, the youth world championships in lead will take place in the Canadian town of Central Saanich. Slovenia will be represented by 5 of the best competitors who earned their ticket to Canada with their successes, departing on 12 August 2013. The youth world championships will be attended by: European champion among older girls Janja Garnbret, European runner-up in lead among cadets Martin Bergant, Anže Peharc, current world champion among older boys although he doesn't have the best results this year, junior woman Jera Lenardič and world runner-up Domen Škofic. Domen will join the team in Canada directly after the world games in Colombia (Cali, 3-4 August 2013).



STATEMENTS:

BORUT KAVZAR (selector of the Slovenian youth national team): "Given the competition calendar, this was the only event this year where we entered our team in larger numbers. Since it was the European Championships, these were also the qualifications for the world championships in Canada. Given the number of our competitors in the final, it was evident that it was too much for many; usually we have 8 to 10 finalists. This time the strongest five advanced to the final, but there were another 5 on the verge of such a result. All those in the final were prepared to go for the top places, and Janja succeeded fully, proving that even in her first year among older girls, she has no equal and already shows the level of a top competitor for the future.

After qualifications, Martin was second, and in the final he climbed to that result with exceptional desire and climbing almost at the limit of his abilities. Domen was still very fresh up to the point where he fell. At the point where he fell, he had an issue with the rope. He was capable of much more, but I think he's satisfied with the result. I'm glad for Jera that after a year absent due to injury, she managed to pull herself together and reach super form, with which she was already very competitive in the final and secured her way to Canada.

Regarding the competition itself: The circle of top competitors vying for podiums is expanding. Surprisingly, neither the French nor the Germans managed to get any medals. We are very satisfied with 3 medals. Even in younger categories, we have climbers reaching the top - this is a good guarantee for the next generation that can also aim for top places in senior ranks. Unfortunately, I'm sorry that the IFSC can't organize well enough to properly support the European youth competition segment. With the system as prepared this year, I'm afraid the progress of the youth, on whom we've worked so intensively in excellent rhythm in previous years, will be hindered."



Gorazd Hren (coach of winner Janja Garnbret and finalist Tjaša Slemenšek): "I'm very happy that Janja won again - I didn't know what to expect from her after the European Championships in bouldering also in lead. I knew she was well prepared, and Janja proved it herself by convincingly winning and becoming youth European champion among older girls in both disciplines. Plans ahead: now she'll have a few days off, then finishing preparations for the world championships mid-August. Since we don't know the world competition, she'll give her all and we'll see how far it takes her. Praise also goes to Tjaša Slemenšek, who with qualification to the final showed she can follow the best."



JANJA GARNBRET (older girl, GOLD, title of YOUTH EUROPEAN CHAMPION in lead climbing): "This is my second European Championships competition and the first in lead. Qualifications were demanding, as both qualification routes required strong concentration to climb them best. The competition was very strong, but I gave my all to qualify among the top 10 finalists. The final route was also not easy, I gathered all my strength and won the gold medal. I'm very happy with my success. Now I'll take a little break, then at the end of the week start preparations for the youth world championships and hope for the best."

How do you combine competitions in bouldering and lead climbing? "Depending on which discipline comes first, we prepare for that. Plans ahead are good preparation for the world championships and to climb as best as possible at the world championships."

For Janja, who is entering 9th grade of OŠ Šmartno pri Slovenj Gradcu in the fall and is considering sports high school in Velenje, a great role model is our best sport climber and two-time overall World Cup winner in lead and combined Mina Markovič.



Achievements of 14-year-old Janja: Youth European Champion 2013 in bouldering and lead climbing among older girls, winner of Arco Rock Junior overall 2010 (1st lead, 1st bouldering and 1st speed), 2nd in Arco Rock Junior overall 2011 (1st lead and 1st bouldering) and winner of Arco Rock Junior 2012, national champion in bouldering 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 (chicks, young girls), national champion in lead 2010, 2011 and 2012 (chicks, young girls), elementary school national champion 2012 and 2013; On rock: her hardest red-pointed route is 8b, flash 7b+.



MARTIN BERGANT (2nd place among cadets, title of youth European runner-up in lead climbing): "I felt very good, I was also well prepared, and the competition itself was excellently organized. There was perhaps a bit less competition than last year when I was among older boys. In qualifications I felt maybe a bit better, I climbed one route, didn't reach the top of the second, fell a bit before the top. In the final, I didn't feel the best, maybe some nervousness was present and I didn't show everything I'm capable of. I'm very satisfied with the success also with second place. Plans: my plan is to qualify for semifinals again at the World Cup among seniors and to reach the podium at the world championships in Canada. We've been preparing for Canada all season, now we just need to maintain this form for these three weeks to show what we've done."



DOMEN ŠKOFIC (2nd place among juniors men, title of youth European runner-up in lead climbing):

"I'm satisfied with the result, but not with the climbing itself. Up to the point where I fell, I was still very fresh. Unfortunately, then in one move it went wrong, the rope got around my hand .... and the fall followed. Second place is of course great, but if there hadn't been the mistake, I could have gone much higher. My plans: On 1 August I depart to Colombia (Cali), where world games follow, then on 5 August directly to Canada, where I'll be alone until 12 August when the other representatives arrive for the world championships. My goal is to climb as I know how at all competitions and to enjoy it, then the result follows. World games will be the first for me, so I have no expectations, I just want to climb to my abilities."