Slovenians double two-time Balkan champions in...

Slovenians double two-time Balkan champions in mountain orienteering.



Slovenian teams at the Balkan championship in mountain orienteering, held from 11 to 13 October on Igman in Bosnia and Herzegovina, achieved two first places and two second places, as well as the team trophy for overall second place. In four age categories, mountaineers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia competed. PD Poljčane celebrated two Balkan champion titles, runners-up in the juniors category were mountaineers from PD Borovnica, and among seniors members of PD Šoštanj.







After the Alpine Association of Slovenia hosted an international mountain orienteering competition on Pokljuka three years ago, and mountaineers competed in Serbia the year before last and in North Macedonia last year, this year's championship under the auspices of the Association of Balkan Mountaineering Organizations (BMU) was organized by the Mountaineering Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On Igman above Sarajevo, at the end of the second October weekend, 23 teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia tested themselves in mountain orienteering, from where six teams qualified for the Balkan championship, the most successful at the Slovenian mountain orienteering competition held in May in the area of the municipalities of Nazarje, Mozirje, Šoštanj and Velenje.







The competition, which represents a combination of knowledge, experience and use of technical devices for movement in nature, especially in the mountains, took place in the form of team competition in four age groups: pioneers (up to 15 years), juniors (up to 18 years), seniors (18 to 45 years) and veterans (over 45 years). Competitors with maps and compasses in hand competed on Igman plateau in day and night challenges, and in addition to mastering terrain reconnaissance, they had to add theoretical knowledge of first aid and mountaineering content.







Mountaineering Club Poljčane, nearly unbeatable in mountain orienteering in Slovenia in recent years, also showed good preparation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and celebrated two Balkan champion titles in mountain orienteering. In the juniors category, Klemen Španring, Jernej Rupnik and Žan Skerbiš, this year's Slovenian national champions, triumphed. "Participating in the competition was an interesting experience. The way to the venue was long, but the competition course was the opposite. It was short, less demanding in terms of orienteering and largely along roads. I especially liked the landscape, their food and friendly hosts. We also visited the ski jump on Igman, the venue of the 1984 Olympic Games, and briefly Sarajevo," high school student Rupnik summed up his impressions.







Also from PD Poljčane come the winners in the seniors category Nejc Belec, Jaša Gričnik, Špela Belec and Rok Skerbiš, who summed up the events on Igman: "Based on the test results, our team hoped for at most third place, as we are a team that plays on speed in orienteering. The day race was about ten kilometers long, less than expected, the night one about four, as anticipated. We also liked the scoring system, which in our opinion is fair - the fastest gets 100 bonus points, second 80 ... There was no lack of fun either, and overall the competition went relaxed and in a sportsmanlike spirit."







The Poljčane team had Slovenian company at the top, with PD Borovnica's second-placed juniors team consisting of Klara Levec, Anže Mali, Gašper Mali, Franci Suhadolnik and Gašper Suhadolnik, while among seniors, PD Šoštanj members Mitja Domajnko, Žiga Kugonič, Jan Ostervuh and Janez Kugonič celebrated the Balkan runners-up titles in mountain orienteering. Janez Kugonič said: "We are very happy to have been able to participate in the Balkan championship in mountain orienteering, so thank you to PZS, and praise to the organizers too. The race took place in a friendly atmosphere among all teams. The course itself was not too demanding, so we had no problems on it and the result followed. We hope to qualify next year too." Third place among juniors went to a team from Serbia and among seniors to a team from Montenegro; in this category, the other Slovenian team from PD Borovnica was sixth.







Among pioneers, where Slovenes had no representatives, young mountaineers from Bosnia and Herzegovina triumphed, among veterans Serbs did, and the third Slovenian team from PD Poljčane placed fifth in the oldest category. Slovenia also won the team trophy for overall second place, which was accepted by Ana Suhadolnik from PD Borovnica, head of the Youth Commission of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, under whose auspices we have more than 60 years of tradition in mountain orienteering competitions on the sunny side of the Alps. "This was my third time at the Balkan championship in mountain orienteering, but the first as head, which was a big change for me. I felt greater responsibility and care for the participants, their well-being and safety. I am grateful to them for all the support, and otherwise proud of them. They performed great," Suhadolnik added the final touch. Team victory went to Serbia, third place to North Macedonia.