Slovenians successful at the World Championships...
2.03.2017
At the World Championships in ski mountaineering, held from February 23 to March 2 in Alpago and Piancavallo in Italy, four Slovenian competitors took part: Karmen Klančnik, Nejc Kuhar, Luka Kovačič, and Anže Šenk. Among their results in strong competition already gearing up for the 2022 Olympic Games, the standout achievements include Klančnik's 10th place in the sprint, Kovačič's 10th place in the individual event and 12th place in the uphill among U23, and Kuhar's 18th place in the uphill race among seniors.
The Slovenian national team in competitive ski mountaineering, led by selector Iztok Cukjati under the auspices of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, performed successfully at the 2017 Alpago-Piancavallo World Championships, where around 300 competitors from 25 countries participated. On Friday (Feb 24) the individual race was scheduled, featuring experienced Nejc Kuhar (TSO PD Jezersko) and newcomer to major events Luka Kovačič (TSK Olimpik); on Tuesday (Feb 28) the sprint race, where Karmen Klančnik (TSK Olimpik) was among the fastest; and yesterday, March 1, the uphill race, where Anže Šenk (TSO PD Jezersko) also competed alongside the trio.
The two male representatives broke the ice on February 24 in the opening individual race, won by Italian Damiano Lenzi. "The course with 1900 meters of vertical demanding four ascents and descents was such that it definitely put the world's best ski mountaineers in the forefront. From the results alone, it's clear that better skiers had the advantage this time, gaining many minutes downhill with their skills and higher risk tolerance," wrote Nejc Kuhar on his blog, securing 23rd place: "In the end, I achieved 23rd place among 75 competitors from 25 countries. At a time when all foreign national teams are methodically preparing their athletes for the 2022 Olympics, this result is certainly satisfactory." Young Luka Kovačič also tackled the same course, earning an excellent 10th place among U23. "Behind me is the first event of this year's World Championships, the individual race. I managed to reach the elite top ten among U23 – awesome! Some technical issues again, but that's part of it," wrote the 21-year-old from Kranj. Full results are available on the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) website.
On Tuesday, February 28, the sprint race took place amid rain. Karmen Klančnik represented Slovenian colors, celebrating an excellent 10th place at her first World Championships; among 40 competitors, Spain's Claudia Galicia Cotrina won (results). The next day, Slovenia's most successful ski mountaineer also competed in the uphill race, reaching 22nd place; the fastest among 49 women was Austria's Andrea Mayr (results). "The World Championships were the main goal of this winter season, with most attention on sprint training. Tuesday went brilliantly. I breezed through qualifications, and in the quarterfinals, fully focused and confident, I won my heat against very strong girls. In the semifinal, bad luck struck as my rear binding jammed right after the start, ending my shot at the final. 10th in the world is a top result, and I'm thrilled with it. I expected higher in vertical, but with elite competition, no disappointment over 22nd. I've never pushed so hard before. Preparations, performance, and experience matter, and it will stay in my memory positively," said the satisfied 26-year-old from Gorenjska.
On March 1, in the uphill race, the Slovenian team had three contenders in the men's category. The 570-meter vertical gain over 3.5 km, crowning Spain's Kilian Jornet Burgada among 66 competitors, earned Slovenia's ace Nejc Kuhar 18th place among seniors. "After this championship, I have mixed feelings. Honestly, I expected more, though realistically, results are on solid ground. Unless ski mountaineering in Slovenia changes significantly soon, we'll miss the train we can't catch later. Since ski mountaineering's inclusion in the 2022 Olympics became clear, top teams train athletes – especially youth – at a level our 'recreational' approach can't match," concluded Slovenia's top ski mountaineer.
Among U23, Luka Kovačič again succeeded, placing 12th. "This is my first ski mountaineering season at the top world level and thus my first World Championships, so I'm very pleased with my performances and results. I can't yet match the best in the classic race due to lacking experience and training volume in real mountains and 'off-road' terrains, but it'll come. The uphill is my showcase discipline, where I expected the most. Though I wanted a higher place, competition was fierce; I gave everything, crossed the finish exhausted, and ended where I belonged today," summed up Kovačič, adding: "I look to the future with great optimism; I'm progressing rapidly, youth is my edge, but I know every higher spot at this level will be harder with such tough rivals. Over 80% are pros, so to keep pace, Slovenia must think similarly." Jezersko's Anže Šenk finished 56th.