The most successful sport climbers, alpinists, ski mountaineers...

The most successful sport climbers, alpinists, ski mountaineers and ice climbers in 2023.

The Alpine Association of Slovenia awarded recognitions for outstanding achievements in alpinism, sport climbing, ice climbing and ski mountaineering for the year 2023 at the alpinism-climbing evening on 1 February at the Gospodarsko razstavišče in Ljubljana. In sport climbing, the laurels were again won by Janja Garnbret and Luka Potočar, for lifetime achievement in alpinism they paid tribute to Kazimir Drašlar - Mikec, the most successful female alpinist is Anja Petek and male alpinist Gašper Pintar, the most successful competitive ski mountaineers are Karmen Klančnik Pobežin and Klemen Španring, and the most successful competitive ice climbers are Maja Šuštar Habjan and Marko Guna.

The gathered were initially greeted by Tomaž Jontes, general secretary of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia - Association of Sports Federations, proud to be among athletes who push boundaries. The vice-president of the Alpine Association of Slovenia Miha Habjan also proudly congratulated them: "The successes of our female and male athletes are the result of talent, but even more so of truly hard, dedicated, often grueling work. In today's fast and instant society, we forget this and often turn up our noses if our athletes are not at the very top. We forget that a possible podium is just the tip of the iceberg of an athlete's life. How many hours of training, dedication, sacrifice, patience, discipline, desires, passion, as well as pain, tears, fear, missed opportunities, injuries... are an integral part of every athlete's life. How much life energy is needed for a small breakthrough for the better, how much for a possible summit. Your sports paths can serve as a model for all of us in our life paths. For this, we can all be very grateful to you."


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 to the public the most prominent achievements in these sports disciplines.

The most successful in sport climbing in 2023
The most successful female sport climber for the seventh consecutive time is Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO), who returned to the top even after her first more serious injury in her competitive career. World champion 2023 in bouldering and combined, and vice-champion in lead, she also secured an Olympic ticket for this year's Summer Olympics in Paris. The fourth-time Slovenian female athlete of the year strung together four gold and one silver medal in five World Cup appearances and, despite a shortened season, won overall second place in lead. The most successful male sport climber for the third time is Luka Potočar (ŠPO PD Radovljica), finalist of two World Cup competitions - in Koper and Chamonix, and with consistent performances in bouldering and lead secured a place at the qualification tournament for this year's Olympics.



Recognitions for outstanding achievements in competitions were received by Vita Lukan (ŠPO PD Radovljica), who achieved her debut victory in the World Cup in lead in Briançon, also stepped onto the third podium place at the WC in Koper and rounded off the season's overall ranking in lead in third place, Mia Krampl (AO PD Kranj), who won fourth place in lead at the World Championship in Bern, and in the World Cup climbed four lead and one bouldering final, and Lucija Tarkuš (AK Impol Slovenska Bistrica), who won third place in bouldering at the European Games in Krakow.

Recognitions for promising athletes for results at the world and European youth championships were received by Sara Čopar (ŠPO PD Celje-Matica), youth world champion in lead and vice-champion in bouldering as well as youth European champion in lead, Jennifer Buckley (Društvo za razvoj plezalne kulture), cadet world vice-champion in bouldering and European vice-champion in lead, and Rosa Rekar (PK FA) for bronze at the youth European championship in lead among youth women.

The most successful in alpinism in 2023
The most successful female alpinist for the third time is Anja Petek (ZAK Rinka). Among domestic winter repetitions stands out the rarely repeated route along the lower ledge in Prisojnik, which she climbed with Krištof Frelih continuously for 30 hours. At the camp in the Tatras in March she climbed several harder routes, among them the longest in that area (Polnocno-Wschodni Filar, 1200 metres, 20-hour ascent with Urša Kešar). In summer stand out first ascents in domestic walls, most of them with promising Alina Ledinek (Sledi metulja, Just bite it, Orion), Petek's shift with Silvo Karo, When the body suffers, the soul blooms with both partners. With Sara Jaklič she also climbed Labodji spev in the Eiger. She concluded the calendar year with the first female winter repetition of Čopov steber, which is officially attributed to the 2024 season.



The most successful male alpinist of the past year is Gašper Pintar (AO PD Ljubljana-Matica). The alpinist with a climbed 9a transfers his high climbing level to high rock walls and very demanding winter routes - last year stood out the Lesueur route in the north face of the Dru and the English route in the north face of Piz Badile. At home, the first solo repetition of Čopov steber in winter conditions was the most resounding, with additional emphasis on the sustainable approach to the adventure - by public transport and on foot. A true alpinistic adventure in polished style at the highest level is undoubtedly the expression that best summarises the list of Gašper's ascents in 2023.

The most promising female alpinist is Eva Dana Vidmar (AO PD Ljubljana-Matica) and the most promising male alpinist Urh Primožič (AO PD Tržič). In addition to several good ascents by Vidmar in long bolted routes in Paklenica and Verdon stand out the Dolomites Gelbe Mauer (Mala Cina) and Sognando Aurora (Tofana di Rozes), among domestic Čingul Maki and Za prijateljice in Rušica and Na drugi strani časa in Triglav; except the last in a team with Blaž Karner. Primožič's diverse range of ascents shows his alpinistic breadth, interest and overview - from the expedition to Kyrgyzstan to shorter winter ascents in the Mont Blanc range, in domestic walls stands out the first ascent Femme Fatale in Zadnjiški Ozebnik in a team with Andrej Jež and Gregor Kristan.

Recognitions for special achievements in alpinism were received by Luka Lindič and Luka Krajnc (both AO PD Celje-Matica), who concluded the 20th anniversary of their rope team with the hardest rock route in the Slovenian mountains - Lepotica in zver in the north face of Rjavina (X, 700 m), Bor Levičnik (AO PD Ljubljana-Matica), who dedicated the 2023 season to hard rock routes, primarily the challenge of the three hardest routes in the north face of Triglav (Obraz Sfinge, Korenina and Ulina smer), also entering numerous excellent ascents in Slovenian walls, Paklenica and Verdon, and Jernej Kruder (ŠPO PD Celje-Matica), who last year climbed excellent routes: Panaroma and Španska smer in Cima (both X+ and 500+ metres), first (with Jakob Bizjak) repeated Navidezna preobrazba in Ajdovska deklica (rated X-), Malega princa and Korenina climbed with Bor Levičnik.

This year's recipient of the Alpine Association of Slovenia recognition for lifetime achievement in alpinism is the alpinist, caver and biologist Kazimir Drašlar - Mikec, in recent years president of the Committee of Veteran Alpinists within the Commission for Alpinism of the Alpine Association of Slovenia. One of the leading alpinists from the 1960s first climbed Sfinga in the Triglav north face with Aleš Kunaver, with Stane Belak - Šrauf they first climbed the Bonatti pillar in the Dru, stepped on the unconquered peak Lunko in the Hindukush, and with Matija Maležič stood on the summit of Annapurna II, which was the first summit success of Slovenia in the Himalayas.

The most successful in competitive ski mountaineering in 2023
The most successful competitive female ski mountaineer is again Karmen Klančnik Pobežin (TSK LiMa), 13th in mixed relays with Luka Kovačič at the world championship in Boi Taull, at home national champion in vertical and individual. The most successful competitive male ski mountaineer for the first time selected is Klemen Španring (TSK LiMa), at the world championship 10th in pairs with Luka Kovačič, among younger seniors 9th in vertical and 13th individual; at home also national champion individual and vice-champion in vertical. The promising recognition received Maj Pritržnik (TSK LiMa), fifth in sprints at the world championship among juniors, in the youth world cup achieved 9th place in sprints, 11th in vertical and 15th individual.

The most successful in competitive ice climbing in 2023
The most successful competitive female ice climber of recent years is Maja Šuštar Habjan (AO PD Domžale) with bronze at the 2022/23 European Cup competition, where she won fourth place overall, eighth at the European championship, also national champion and winner of the Slovenian-Croatian-Serbian cup competition. The most successful competitive male ice climber 2023 is Marko Guna (AO PD Rašica), eighth overall in the European Cup, 14th at the European championship, also national champion and winner of the Slovenian-Croatian-Serbian cup competition.

The recipients of the recognitions said...

JANJA GARNBRET, most successful female sport climber 2023: "Last season was mainly different, a new experience, but in the end no less successful than the previous ones. Actually, I am grateful for the injury too, as it offered me a new experience, new lessons, and from it all I emerged even stronger and better. I try to take something positive from every lesson. Although there were difficult periods and doubts in between, which is logical, I proved to myself that I can overcome them. Therefore, I could say that the results were even sweeter in the end. After the season came time for vacation and planning some projects I want to realise this year in several areas. In November I started preparations for the new season, which are in full swing. So far, touch wood, everything is going according to plan."

LUKA POTOČAR, most successful male sport climber 2023: "2023 was definitely a year full of obstacles. I admit that over the last years I got used to good results and especially constant good form and good climbing. Unfortunately, that was not the case last year. Most of the time I struggled on the wall and it was hard to enjoy it. I don't know exactly what the reason for the worse season was, but I know I learned a lot from it. I have some excellent seasons behind me and also some quite bad ones, I think that's an excellent recipe for continuing my sports career. To be successful, besides yourself you need successful individuals and I have them, these are the guys who together with me perhaps didn't show everything in the past season, but I believe good results will come for all. Thanks go to them too and of course to the coaches. I am happy to be the most successful male individual, and that is definitely motivation for the season whose preparations are already in full swing."

KAZIMIR DRAŠLAR - MIKEC, recipient of the recognition for lifetime achievement in alpinism: "The question is whether I would be today what I am without the chronic infection with alpinism. Probably not. I was shaped by the environment I come from, the profession, and all the companions and contemporaries I met and meet. In the mountains among alpinists I met many. Those who write books and literature, who sing, make music and compose, draw and paint, forge, drill, plan big things or for whom climbing is just sport and fun. Behind each of them a trace remained in me. What is it to be an alpinist? Let me borrow the answer, the thought, from a good friend, one of them. You are an alpinist when you dare to freely walk your paths, with head and body, when you dare to let go and leave the safe stance, when you dare to decide yourself and - most importantly - take full responsibility for your decisions yourself. Somewhere here is the answer what alpinism means to me. You don't deal with alpinism, you live alpinism! Every recognition, especially if it is for lifetime work and awarded by my organisation, the organisation I have belonged to since childhood, is more than pride, joy and satisfaction a reason for deep, sober reflection. When some work is done, say well done, when all plans are fulfilled, wishes realised and the thing finished, the entire story becomes history, dead history. The more important question I ask myself after this recognition is what I could still do, differently or better, but didn't, although I could or even had the opportunity."

ANJA PETEK, most successful female alpinist 2023: "My alpinistic year 2023 was most marked by letting go and having fun. I didn't burden myself with what I should climb, I entered every route unburdened, with great desire to see what the route offers. Relaxation, enjoyment in climbing, listening to myself - this definitely helped me with good ascents, in combination with multi-year desires smoldering in me, and having partners beside me whom I trust and who had the same desires."

GAŠPER PINTAR, most successful male alpinist 2023: "Last alpinistic year was definitely marked by the ascent in Čopov steber. I was looking for a good project for soloing in winter at home. During preparations I learned self-belaying, soloed the Jesih-Potočnik route in Debela peč and the Ginat route in Les Droites. Since I don't have a car, I go on tours more often by train or bus. Abroad it is more noticed and established that alpinism would become greener, although with our lifestyle it is just sand in the eyes. I am happy for the recognition. Last year was indeed a year of pickles in the Himalayas, but the competition was still strong, although alpinism is not a competition, everyone is good at something."



KARMEN KLANČNIK POBEŽIN, most successful competitive female ski mountaineer 2023: "I still vividly remember the joy when exactly ten years ago I first became national champion in ski mountaineering and with this joy and enjoyment in every training I collected titles year after year, up to today. In the past season after a few years' pause I again competed in World Cup competitions and at the world championship, where I placed in the top thirty in vertical and sprint disciplines, and with Luka we took high 13th place in pairs. The renewed title of top ski mountaineer means a lot to me. I am grateful that my effort and passion for the sport is noticed and passed on to younger generations."

KLEMEN ŠPANRING, most successful competitive male ski mountaineer 2023: "For me the highlight of the season was definitely the world championship in Spain, a week of good competition, especially the performance in vertical and pairs, where I achieved the best placements. In the future I want to progress further with the goal not only to compete at the Olympics, but to fight for medals there. The recognition means confirmation that I am working in the right direction and that the experts see it too. It has even greater meaning because last year I first competed in senior competition, meaning I made a good jump from youth categories."

MAJA ŠUŠTAR HABJAN, most successful competitive female ice climber 2023: "I am really proud of the 2023 season results, as I honestly earned them. I will never forget the World Cup competition in Champagny, to which I drove alone 12 hours in a snowstorm, accompanied by my daughter, and the next day almost climbed the final. Of course, with work and family such grinding took its toll and in 2023 the first signs of burnout appeared. Consequently, I am slowly withdrawing from competitions, so this is probably my last title..."

MARKO GUNA, most successful competitive male ice climber 2023: "When I review the entire season, first I think of socialising and really nice bonds we wove with some competitors, especially the Slovak team. In memory also the first final performance in the Czech Republic, actually the feeling of focus and determination, presence of some lightness in the moment, being here and now. With the title I somehow smile, but I would like to emphasise that this is for competitive ice climbing on artificial walls, in actual ice climbing I am still gaining experience and actually just properly entering this wonderful winter world."