SLOJanja Garnbret wins Climbing World Cup in lead for second time
Slovenian sport climber Janja Garnbret placed third in the penultimate World Cup event in China's Xiamen on 15 October. She secured the overall Climbing World Cup victory in the women's lead discipline in what is her second feat of its kind in a row.
Janja Garnbret
placed third in the penultimate World Cup event in China's Xiamen on
Sunday, while her closest rival in the overall rankings, Jain Kim of
South Korea, only placed eighth. Today's event was won by Anak Verhoeven
of Belgium, ahead of Ashima Shiraishi of the US. The 13 top climbers
from the qualifications went straight into the finals after the
semi-finals were cancelled due to rain. Another Slovenian finalist, Mina
Markovič, placed 5th. Garnbret slipped on an anchor that proved
problematic for most other climbers.
Garnbret first won the Climbing World Cup in the women's lead discipline last year, succeeding her compatriot Mina Markovič,
who accomplished the feat in 2011, 2012 and 2015. The 18-year-old from
Slovenj Gradec also won gold in the same discipline at the 2016 Climbing
World Championships in Paris.
The
Slovenian teenage sensation has proven to be the most versatile climber
in the world, having also secured the overall combined win in the World
Cup, which also includes bouldering and speed competitions. The latter
discipline will feature at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo.
The Climbing World Cup season will conclude in Slovenia's Kranj on 11 and 12 November.
