Sport Climbers with High Goals for the New Season

The Slovenian national team in sport climbing presented its lineup, plans, and goals for this year on April 11 at a press conference in the premises of the Alpine Association of Slovenia in Ljubljana. The 2025 World Cup begins on April 18 in China, with the season's highlight in September being the World Championships in South Korea, which will again be only in individual disciplines - just like the 2028 Olympic Games, where competitors will compete for three sets of medals for the first time.

The Slovenian national team in sport climbing also made history last year. The world's best sport climber Janja Garnbret climbed to the top of Olympus for the second time, and in addition, she won all the competitions she participated in. Mia Krampl also competed at the Olympic Games for the second time, while Luka Potočar represented Slovenia at the Olympics in sport climbing as the first male representative. In addition to the Olympians, the youth world champions Jennifer Buckley and Rosa Rekar impressed, and at the European Championships, besides Potočar, Sara Čopar, Katja Debevec, and Anže Peharc also excelled.



In addition to the mentioned, in 2025, the Slovenian national team under the leadership of selector Gorazd Hren and coaches Luka Fonda, Domen Švab, and the new reinforcement Anže Štremfelj also consists of female sport climbers Julija Kruder, Vita Lukan, Lučka Rakovec, Lana Skušek, and Lucija Tarkuš, as well as male sport climbers Lovro Črep, Milan Preskar, Timotej Romšak, and Zan Lovenjak Sudar. "Ahead of us is a post-Olympic year, perhaps for some Olympians from Paris a somewhat shortened calendar and focus on selected competitions, like for Janja, but not for all, as half of the medal winners will be at the first competitions (missing Janja Garnbret, Brooke Raboutou, and Jakob Schubert). Competitors can again focus only on their disciplines, which gave them additional motivation. The season will be classically long with six boulder competitions and six in lead climbing, and it will end with the World Championships in Korea. The main goal for this year will be a good performance at the home competition in Koper and of course the World Championships at the end of September," selector Gorazd Hren presented this year's season and goals.

"We will open the season with bouldering, and if the competitors climb as well as they did in the preparatory period on simulations we had with some foreign national teams, we can be very optimistic, but of course, it's key that they show this preparedness in the competition," Hren is aware before departing to Asia and adds: "In lead, we are always good, but we are not quite where we need to be yet, but we must realize that the main part of the season is only in the summer time." For the first boulder competition, which will be from April 18 to 20 in Keqiao, China, Debevec, Buckley, Čopar, and Peharc are traveling, while a slightly larger team for lead. In China's Wujiang from April 25 to 27, Krampl, Lukan, Rekar, Čopar, Buckley, and Potočar will compete, and at the competition in Bali, Indonesia, Črep will join them.

The highlight of the season will be the World Championships, which will again be only in individual disciplines this year - just like the 2028 Olympic Games, where competitors will compete for medals in all three individual disciplines for the first time. "Finally! Although I am a big critic that this didn't happen earlier, but very happy that it is at least now. Some things are still unclear and we need additional information regarding qualifications, quotas ... 76 competitors may sound like a lot, but when we divide it between genders into three disciplines, according to my prediction, there will be only 12 spots per gender in bouldering and lead, which is unfortunately few. In any case, this is happy news for us, Janja alone will thus automatically be a candidate for two medals, and all the others will finally be able to fully focus on their discipline and thereby increase chances for success," Hren assesses.

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has introduced a series of changes for this year's season, mainly in boulder competitions. "The first big change is scoring in bouldering, as from the previous variant with zone and top in attempts, points are now collected - on each boulder we have 10 and 25 points, which decrease with the number of attempts. In bouldering, the quota of competing athletes in the semi-final and final is also increasing, so it equals lead. From the previous 20 (semi-final) and six (final), there will now be 24 semi-finalists and eight finalists," explained the assistant selector and coach Luka Fonda and assessed this year's preparations for the season as quality: "In our training center, there was a lot of setting and good trainings, we also trained in Germany (in Augsburg and Munich), classically in Innsbruck and home Koper. We tried very hard for quality and constructive trainings, we invited and collaborated with foreign setters and I think we are heading into the season well prepared."

The two-time Olympic champion Janja Garnbret (Šaleški AO), who was crowned sportswoman of the year for the fifth time last year, has set up this year's season more relaxed, with fewer competitions. "I will compete at the competitions in Innsbruck, at the home competition in Koper at the beginning of September, and then at the World Championships in Seoul. I want to maintain contact with competitive climbing, the biggest goal of this year's season is the World Championships. I want to come to Seoul in good form and prepared to attack the highest places. That's what I'm working for and actually that's nothing new. At every competition, I go for the win," the eight-time world champion and two-time vice-champion is determined, who was delighted by the news of three disciplines at the next Olympic Games: "Los Angeles is still far away, although we just received wonderful news these days that more sets of medals will be available, and that is definitely additional motivation. But at this moment, I am dedicating myself to the projects and season ahead. There will be enough time for preparations and thinking about LA."

Last year, after the exhausting Olympic Games, she treated herself to a disconnect with climbing in natural crags, from where she came almost straight to the competition in Koper - and won. "Climbing in nature represents a completely different environment, which is the biggest difference and added value, mainly in terms of mental relaxation. Changing the environment brings even greater drive when I once return to the gym on plastic. In recent years, there hasn't been much time for rock climbing, so I want to dedicate more to it now. But climbing has developed so much that combining both is very demanding, so you need to find the right balance," explained the 26-year-old from Koroška, who has big projects in natural walls, even with grade 9b+. This milestone was achieved as the first woman in the world a few days ago by American Brooke Raboutou, Janja's friend and Olympic vice-champion in Paris: "I'm happy for Brooke. It's no secret that I also have plans for feats in natural walls. But I always learn something new in the rock, every lesson is valuable and I gladly accept it. I definitely don't lack motivation, I take care of that myself, I don't need others. After all, such are also the experiences of all these years in competitions, when I'm always in the role where I defend something and have to drive myself forward."

Mia Krampl (AO PD Kranj) last year, just like Janja, competed at the Olympic Games for the second time and was also a two-time World Cup finalist. This year, she will be able to dedicate herself again to her primary discipline - lead. "I expected a substantially calmer season for the head, but it's not. It seems I can't completely get out of my skin and need a bit of competitive stress and pressure," joked the 24-year-old from Gorenjska and continued: "I started training a bit later than usual and too quickly it hit me how much I'm lagging behind the others, which slowed my progress. In addition, the thought that I can train only lead and prove myself in my discipline is good at the same time, but it also carries some weight, as it means I can give 'all in' to my discipline and really want to prove myself - mainly to myself. I must admit that this year's preparatory season was mentally quite tough for me."

The competitive break was used by the Slovenian Olympian, now from Vransko, mainly for rest and vacation, she took a slightly longer break from climbing, so that upon returning to training she "really felt that spark on the wall", and in her free time she helped her boyfriend with assembling furniture and furnishing the house. "The news about three sets of medals of course delighted me, as I still think I can make a better result if I give everything to lead, but LA is still far away and I wouldn't think too much about it already now. I think I can afford one year without thoughts about rings in my head," she concluded.

Sara Čopar (ŠPK Plus), who last year passed the maturity exam and with a double fourth place at the European Championships achieved the success of her career, won in lead at the World Military Winter Games at the end of March. Among others, she defeated Olympians Jessica Pilz and Mia Krampl and showed that she is aiming high this season as well: "I'm very happy that at the first more serious competition this year I climbed well and got confirmation that I'm on the right path. I repeated my routine before and during the competition, which were excellent preparations for the first World Cup competition. I also saw what I can still improve in the last days before departing to China. This year I decided to compete in both disciplines, but the emphasis will be on lead, to which I also dedicate more time."

As the only one from the national team, she will compete at all first three competitions in Asia, in both disciplines, and in her second season among seniors, a novelty for her is also the study move to the coast, consequently also changing club and coach, which the 19-year-old from Laško assesses as one of the better decisions. "Honestly, at the beginning of these changes, I was a bit afraid, but it seems to me that Luka and I combined this the best possible. I'm very happy that I'm training with him now, and it seems to me that we collaborate well, that we prepared a very good plan and trained well. I have progressed a lot compared to last season, consequently I also have higher and clearer goals for this year. A big plus is also training in such conditions as I have in Koper."

Boulderer Katja Debevec (PK Scena) also returned from the World Military Games in Switzerland with a medal, silver in bouldering, and last season showed consistent form as a regular World Cup semi-finalist and sixth at the European Championships. The year before, she was limited by shoulder and finger injuries, last year's was her best season since 2021 and this year she wants to show good climbing for farewell from the biggest competitions. "This will be my last season of World Cup competitions, so I mainly want to enjoy the moment. The preparatory period went according to plans and now it's on me to show this with the accumulated experiences and training also in competitions. But I'm going into the season nice competition by competition and focusing on each round separately," predicts the 29-year-old from Ljubljana, who remains pragmatic about the novelties in boulder competitions: "I'm not exactly a fan of changing rules that work and are probably present from the very beginnings. But I don't burden myself with that and now I'll just try to collect as many points as possible in each round."

At the military boulder test, Anže Peharc (PK FA) also won silver, who in mid-March also won the boulder competition Studio Bloc Masters, which for him is "an excellent provision and I could hardly wish for a better start, as I thus confirmed good form this year". He is satisfied that this year he will be able to fully focus on boulder climbing. As he says, there is always room for improvements, but at this time he can do the most on self-confidence and repeating often seen coordinations in competitions, as before the first World Cup competition he would like to have as large a 'dictionary' of moves as possible.

The 27-year-old from Tržič was fourth at the European Championships in boulder climbing last year, in addition once a finalist, otherwise a regular semi-finalist of World Cup competitions. As one of the most experienced national team members, he admits that he finds it quite hard to follow the trends of changes in this discipline: "Certain changes don't suit me and I have to force myself into this specific training. The basis of boulder climbing hasn't changed much in recent years, there is a lot of jumping and various coordinations, in which I've been good for some time. So it's more about repeating and learning the move by heart, so you can then execute it in four or five minutes when it's important. Otherwise, it still doesn't go without hard work, which I really master."

The most successful Slovenian sport climber Luka Potočar (ŠPO PD Radovljica) last year represented Slovenia at the Olympic Games in sport climbing as the first male representative, and concluded the European Championships as fourth in combined and fifth in lead. "This year's season will certainly be quite different, with me focusing only on lead, also somewhat easier. But it's hard to say it will be more relaxed, as we have many important competitions and at the end of the season also the World Championships. Probably a relaxed season is one that doesn't include competitions," believe the 23-year-old from Jesenice, who in 2021 became world vice-champion in lead climbing.

The climber from Gorenjska won a bronze medal in lead at the World Military Winter Games, and assessed the competition as an excellent training for the upcoming World Cup: "There is always room for progress, which I also saw and was aware that the level needs to rise until the first competitions. Since then, some time has passed and the form is much better." His biggest challenge in the upcoming season remains "to get back to the level from my best seasons and regularly qualify for the final and also pick up medals there".

For excellent results last year, the Slovenian youth national team under the leadership of selector Ajda Remškar took care again: "The main goal of the season is as every year the youth World Championships, which this year is already at the end of July in Helsinki, where we intend to take candidates for the final. We started with boulder trainings in December, now we are just before the first European Cup competition, we are also looking towards the European Championships in bouldering in Milan in mid-May. The autumn part of the season is dedicated to lead, namely with the European Championships in Žilina at the end of August, followed by two more European Cup competitions. In the youngest U17 category, we want to enable as many members as possible to compete at the international level, so they gain experiences and develop as competitors, at the same time enable the most promising ones the best possible conditions for winning medals at championships. With the abolition of the junior girls and boys category at youth competitions, the senior European Cup competitions have somewhat come to the forefront, which serve 17- to 21-year-olds as a springboard for joining the senior ranks."

The boulder team of the Slovenian youth national team (for lead it will be known on June 10) in the 2025 season consists of juniors (up to 21 years) Zala Mlakar-Starič, Lina Funa, Gorazd Jurekovič, Jaka Jaki, Luka Jerman, Samo Golob, and Matevž Margon, cadets (up to 19 years) Neža Zajc, Lana Gorič, Tinka Rakar, Maruša Podobnik, Teja Bobnar, Lan Čreslovnik, Anej Koštomaj, and Nace Sedmak, and older girls and boys (up to 17 years) Eva Škrlec, Naja Isak, Tia Brnot Mrak, Tina Bobnar, Neva Pirš, Liza Babič, Gal Pavel Pengov, Matej Rajšek, Lovro Tomažin, Martin Stanovnik, Jakob Cigale, and Tadej Hren.

The year 2025 also brought changes to the Slovenian paraclimbing national team, which now operates under the leadership of selector and coach Marko Guna, and the Slovenian colors will be represented by a six: Manca Smrekar, European vice-champion 2024 and recipient of the Bloudek plaque, Tanja Glušič, Matej Arh, Nataša Privošnik, Gorazd Dolanc, and newcomer Rok Močnik.

The Slovenian national team in sport climbing operates under the auspices of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, whose president Jože Rovan emphasized: "At the Alpine Association of Slovenia, we are extremely proud and always rejoice anew at the successes of our national team members in sport climbing. In recent years, we have also got some new climbing centers, in which youthful energy is boiling. And a new generation of climbers is already knocking on the door, which again promises a lot."

Slovenian sport climbers make sure they are always first again - just as their general sponsor, PRVA, stands by them for the eighth season. "The PRVA brand has been co-creating the story with the team of top climbers since 2018 - a story that embodies excellence, courage, and perseverance. In this time, our athletes have stood on the podium 111 times, more than half on the highest, gold. We are proud that with the new four-year contract we remain the general sponsor of sport climbing and thereby continue to support the development of this exceptional sport, which is achieving ever greater recognition in Slovenia. Also in this year's season, we will enthusiastically follow the performances of all Slovenian athletes - especially our personal sponsored Luka Potočar, who as Prva's ambassador for health successfully represents our insurance solutions and values in which we believe," highlighted Nataša Hajdinjak, president of the board of PRVA Personal Insurance.

"We are glad that as Toyota we can also this year stand by the Slovenian national team in sport climbing, which is bravely preparing for the challenges ahead. We concluded the year 2024 in partnership with PZS and Slovenia Climbing Team in style - together we went to the top, literally and symbolically. And together we step into 2025. Not only as sponsors, but as a team that shares the same values. We believe in every individual, in his unique path, style, and character. Just as each of our cars has its power, its purpose, and its character, each of you contributes something special to the mosaic of this national team. And that's why we believe this season will be full of exceedances. You can get to the goal faster alone - but together you get farther is something we also believe in at Toyota. Every training, every competition, every kilometer is a step closer to the goal. Together at the top - also this year," said Gregor Mauko, director of Toyota Slovenia, sponsor of the national team in sport climbing, who also takes care of mobility on its paths.