SlovenščinaCombined, Lead Season Champions Crowned in Kranj - a record season for Janja Garnbret
The 2017 sport climbing season concluded in Kranj, Slovenia, hosting the
8th IFSC Lead World Cup. The finals were a riveting show of Lead
climbing and decided the last podiums of the season.
Janja Garnbret (SLO) is the first athlete to win nine IFSC World Cup events in a single season (photo by Stanko Gruden)
After clinching the Combined and Lead season titles in China last month, Janja Garnbret concluded
her historic season in thrilling fashion. The 18-year-old from Slovenia
was the last athlete to climb in finals and maintained her composure in
front of her home crowd, surpassing the high point of Jain Kim (KOR)
and falling at the very top of the route. She is the first athlete to
win nine IFSC World Cup events in a single season, and her 1,135 points
in the Combined this year is also the most ever accumulated in a single
season. Kim finished in second place in the Lead season rankings,
followed by Anak Verhoeven (BEL).
Jakob Schubert was also on point all weekend long, staying at the top of the results every round. The two-time Lead season champion and three-time Combined season champion won his 18th IFSC World Cup on Sunday with the only top in finals. Alexander Megos (GER) fell at the last move to place second in Kranj, and Dmitrii Fakirianov (RUS) earned the bronze medal at his first IFSC World Cup of 2017.
Semi-finals on Saturday decided the winners in the Combined and Lead season rankings for the men. Romain Desgranges just missed the finals cut, but his 9th place clinched the season victory in Lead. The French star won the most IFSC Lead World Cup events this season among male athletes (3). Stefano Ghisolfi (ITA) finished in second place in the Lead season rankings, followed by Keiichiro Korenaga (JPN).
Bouldering season champion Jongwon Chon (KOR) and runner-up Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) soared in the Combined season rankings last month in China. With a small edge heading into the weekend, Narasaki stayed close enough to Chon in semi-finals to win the Combined season title by 7 points. Kokoro Fujii (JPN) also competed in Kranj and rounded out the podium.
Athletes from Slovenia, France and Japan climbed well all season long in Lead. Slovenia defended their spot atop the Team rankings by excelling at the final event in Kranj, sending four athletes to finals, the first for Vita Lukan. France placed second, led by Desgranges and Julia Chanourdie, and Japan – winner of the Bouldering title - finished in third place in Lead.
Jakob Schubert was also on point all weekend long, staying at the top of the results every round. The two-time Lead season champion and three-time Combined season champion won his 18th IFSC World Cup on Sunday with the only top in finals. Alexander Megos (GER) fell at the last move to place second in Kranj, and Dmitrii Fakirianov (RUS) earned the bronze medal at his first IFSC World Cup of 2017.
Semi-finals on Saturday decided the winners in the Combined and Lead season rankings for the men. Romain Desgranges just missed the finals cut, but his 9th place clinched the season victory in Lead. The French star won the most IFSC Lead World Cup events this season among male athletes (3). Stefano Ghisolfi (ITA) finished in second place in the Lead season rankings, followed by Keiichiro Korenaga (JPN).
Bouldering season champion Jongwon Chon (KOR) and runner-up Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) soared in the Combined season rankings last month in China. With a small edge heading into the weekend, Narasaki stayed close enough to Chon in semi-finals to win the Combined season title by 7 points. Kokoro Fujii (JPN) also competed in Kranj and rounded out the podium.
Athletes from Slovenia, France and Japan climbed well all season long in Lead. Slovenia defended their spot atop the Team rankings by excelling at the final event in Kranj, sending four athletes to finals, the first for Vita Lukan. France placed second, led by Desgranges and Julia Chanourdie, and Japan – winner of the Bouldering title - finished in third place in Lead.
