Janez Svoljšak Youth World Champion

This weekend, February 8 and 9, 2014, the second Youth Ice Climbing World Championships took place in the French town of Champagny.

The UIAA organized the championships in three age categories, U15, U18, and U21, specifically in lead and speed climbing. Our representative Janez Svoljšak dominated the entire competition in the under-21 category and won convincingly!

The U15 category includes competitors aged 13 to 15, U18 those between 16 and 18, and U21 those 19 to 21 years old.

In the latter, our representative of the Slovenian national team in competitive ice climbing, Janez Svoljšak (AO PD Kranj), competed.

Janez achieved an excellent 3rd place at the first Youth World Championships in 2013 in Switzerland, but this year he swept the competition. In the men's U21 competition, 13 competitors from five countries participated, with the largest teams from Russia and France. Among the 8 finalists, he was the only one to reach the top in the final as well, receiving the gold medal and the title of Youth World Champion of this year's Youth World Championships. Janez has once again proven to the world how strong and promising an ice climbing competitor he is. Swiss climber Kevin Huser placed second, and Frenchman Mathis Dumas took third. The Youth World Championships were organized for the second time by the International Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) in collaboration with local organizers in France.

STATEMENT by Janez Svoljšak, Youth World Champion:

"The competition took place in three categories. I competed in the oldest one (U21). In the qualifications, we climbed two routes.

The routes were not difficult, as seven out of eight finalists climbed both to the top. The final route had no difficult moves,

but only 7 minutes were available for climbing, so it had to be climbed quickly. I was the only one to climb the route to the top, reaching it

two seconds before time expired. Before the qualifications, I was a bit nervous because the routes were not difficult and I knew

that both had to be climbed to the top for the final. In the final, I started as the second-to-last and climbed the route without major mistakes.

My goal for this year is to be placed among the top ten in the overall World Cup standings among seniors. So far,

things look good, as I am currently sharing seventh place."



The Youth World Championships were introduced last year as part of the UIAA's efforts to include competitive ice climbing in the Olympic sports family. Competitive ice climbing will also be featured with a competition in the cultural program of the 2014 Winter Olympics, currently taking place in Sochi, Russia.

Who is Janez Svoljšak?

Janez is a first-year student at the Faculty of Sports, a promising athlete, and a member of the Slovenian national team in competitive ice climbing since 2011, an active competitor in UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup events. Mountaineer, sport climber, member of AO PD Kranj. In competitive ice climbing, he competes in lead. Among his goals, he has set to stand on the podium in the Ice Climbing World Cup (WC) and achieve victory in the overall standings of the Ice Climbing WC. He also wants to become a member of the Slovenian youth mountaineering national team.

The art of endurance: "I've been climbing since I was little. I like many sports, but confronting rock/wall is a constant challenge for me.

I can't negotiate with cold, wind, ice, or sun, but they are my daily teachers.

I agree with my climbing partner, with whom we belay each other. We trust each other and trust nature. If I turn back a meter below the top,

I know I'll get a new opportunity. I've felt for a long time that I've found it... it fulfills me holistically. In nature, I discover

new possibilities. I set my own limits," says Janez.

Achievements of Janez Svoljšak

Competitive Ice Climbing – up to 2013

1st place, UIAA Open North American Championships 2013, Bozeman, Montana

1st place, Drytool cup Brno 2013, Czech Republic

1st place, Slovenian-Croatian Cup competition 2013, Bjelovar, Croatia

3rd place, World Youth Championships 2013, Saas Grund, Switzerland

8th place, World Cup competition 2013, Kirov, Russia (qualification to final)

20th place, World Cup competition 2013, Saas Fee

31st place, World Cup competition 2013, Busteni, Romania

4th place, Drytool cup Brno 2012, Czech Republic

3rd place, Glace Glisse competition, Unken, Austria

3rd place, overall standings in Slovenian Ice Cup 2011

1st place, competition in Kötschach-Mauthen 2012, Austria

Competitive Ice Climbing – 2014

- 1st place - World Youth Champion, Champagny, France, World Youth Championship

- UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup (UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup) 2014

6th place, Champagny, France

7th place, Saas Fee, Switzerland

11th place, Busteni, Romania

Achievements of Janez Svoljšak (non-competitive)

Mountaineering:

- Nominated for most promising mountaineer of 2012.

- Free ascent in Obrazu sfinge (XI) in the north Triglav face, free ascent in the hardest pitch represents

the hardest free-climbed section in Triglav.

- Numerous routes in Slovenian and European Alps up to difficulty XI in summer and up to grade six in frozen

waterfalls.

Sport Climbing:

- up to 8b with redpoint,

- up to 8a+ on flash,

- up to 7c onsight.

About Janez Svoljšak they said:

- Ice Climbing World Cup Kirov 2013, Russia: "We have to mention Janez Svoljsak and his first finals. He was 8th at

the end. Congratulations Janez and we all hope that we are going to see you climbing in finals next season. Janez

is 19 years old and he is competing in Ice Climbing World Cup for second year. He was also 3rd in World Youth

Championship. Janez Svoljšak of Slovenia who is only 19 years old and showing great promise as a competitor

qualified for his first final which is commendable in a field of such strong candidates."

- Rock & Ice Magazine | A Climbing Magazine For Climbers: "After defending champion Will Gadd floated the

route at the U.I.A.A. North American Championships, held in Bozeman, Montana, on December 14, it seemed the

night was over. Then 20-year-old Slovenian Janez Svoljsak strolled it with two minutes to spare."

JANEZ'S PARTICIPATION IN UIAA WORLD CUP EVENTS 2014

DATE LOCATION (country) DISCIPLINE

11.-12.1. Cheongsong (South Korea) lead, speed

16.-18.1. Busteni (Romania) lead, speed

24.-25.1. Saas Fee (Switzerland) lead, speed

31.1.-1.2. Champagny (France) lead, speed

7.-9.2. Rabenstein (Italy) lead, speed – competition was postponed

28.2.-2.3. Ufa (Russia) lead, speed