Kranj, 16-18 November
5° Difficulty World Cup 2001
(di Oscar Durbiano)
In November takes place the usual Slovenian appointment in Kranj, the end of the international difficulty season. Another time the competition organized by Tomo Cesen closes the season and, like always, he tries to make it in the best way. Great style organization, attention to the details and remarkable presence of media. It is about an international event, and the young Slovenian country is attentive to give a positive image of itself, and of the new direction that they are following, that nears it always more to the European community. In this contest the competition becomes a symbol, a reason to communicate efficiency and professionality. The competition is important because fundamental to determine the women's ranking, and partially, the men's ranking. Partially, because the first position, with a competition in advance, has been already conquered by Frenchman Chabot. And then, like in all competitions, there is always a competition in the competition. Each of the participants has something to demonstrate, particularly to him/herself. There are the less good climbers who try to understand if they have the qualities to do well next year, the old glories who want to fight the incumbent senility and the youngsters strongly willing to reach the top. A true competition, in short, of the ones with atmosphere, and the show announces to be of first quality. The start on Friday afternoon, men's quarterfinal. The surprises arrive straight away, like the exclusion of François Petit and the near miss of the reigning World Champion Pouvreau. Among the Italians Luca Giupponi doesn't qualify. On Saturday morning the girls start. No problem for the usual competitors, who top out the route easily. Exclusion for Luisa Iovane and Mirella Frati. A few hours afterwards, the more interesting part of the competition begins: at 6 PM the half final begins. The beautiful Sandrine Levet is rejected by the final stalactite, which means to renounce also to the fight for the second place in the general ranking. Among the excluded ones also Jenny Lavarda 10°, Gros 11°, Lisa Benetti 19°. Shortly afterwards the men begin. Unfortunately the qualification route isn't very effective for the selection, as a too hard bouldering move concentrates ten athletes along three holds. Result: many ex-equo and several Italian barely excluded: Zardini, Lagni, Gnerro and Brenna. Good news also for the regenerated Legrand, who conquers the first final of the year with a smart dyno. Conclusion on Sunday night, with the two finals and the live broadcasting. The women start, with a long endurance route that traverses diagonally the wall, from right to left. Epic combat between the local hero Martina Cufar and the usual Sarkany. Chain for both and consequent superfinal, after the men's final, where the vertical "New Age" continues. This time the Czech phenom Mrazek comes back and signs the second victory of the year, and confirms his predisposition for the big endurance routes, like it happened in Aprica. The defender of the honor of the old guard is François Legrand, always competitive on very continuous routes, designed in the old style, with a few rest possibilities along the route. Third position for another "desaparecido", Russian Maxim Petrenko, not very successful this year. Just following, the young French phenoms, Chabot and Pouvreau, less performing on this type of routes, but always dangerous. At this regard, we should note that Chabot and Pouvreau this year have been the only athletes of the international circuit to be present in all finals, sign of all-round capabilities, and particularly of a complete basic training. Following, the women's superfinal, where Martina Cufar wins the competition and recovers precious points in the general ranking. At the end the prize giving ceremony, of the competition and of the world circuit. Regarding the Cup, Muriel Sarkany wins by a large measure, she had a huge recovery in the second part of the season. Silver for Martina Cufar and bronze for the talented Sandrine Levet. In the men's field the trophy is in the hands of Chabot, silver for Pouvreau, and bronze for Mrazek. It is significant that none of them is twenty- year-old yet. In this way finishes the 2001 season, a year rich of any kind of surprises. It began with important absences, starting with Liv Sansoz, who has been obliged to skip the entire season, because of an injury that compromised her preparation. The generation change, that began last year, has been almost completed. Youngsters who advance, new names in the higher places of the rankings, the historic must make a big effort to keep track of all. A year rich of changes, we said. Also behind the stage. The international top has changed. An Italian, Marco Scolaris, has conquered the Presidency of ICC (International Council for Competition Climbing), the maximum authority in the world of sport climbing. Also the top of the FASI (Italian Federation) is new. News also regarding the competition formats. After the (negative) experiments of Rock Master, in the specialty "difficulty", the proposal of Jacky Godoffe arrives, applied with success in Bloc Master in Grenoble (as described in a previous article) and finalized to make a show of the sport event, in the complete respect of the ethic rules of the activity. There are ideas, in short, to look with confidence in the future, and there is will to work. A new, dynamic world, in continuous evolution. Next season looks already promising and rich on events. The forecast is of eight World Cup events. The past season has just been put on file, and somebody is already working on the next one. The objective is to create an always more international circuit, and "credible" for the world that counts. They want to bring climbing to the Olympics and to reach that we need a winning image. There is still a lot of work to do, in every field. For the next season many wish to see a competition among the five "sisters" Sansoz, Sarkany, Cufar, Levet, Bodet, logically troubled by aggressive emerging rivals, like Minoret, Schultz and may be also our Jenny Lavarda. Among the boys there is a lot of expectation to see in action again the three "under twenty", Pouvreau-Chabot-Mrazek, but also to see the return of Brenna, Hirayama, Legrand, Petit, Lagni and all others. In the meantime the wagon of the World Cup reenters the box. The difficulty athletes go on holiday, before starting again with the new preparation. We have nothing left but wait for the end, the last Bouldering World Cup, in Birmingham on 7 and 8 December