KRAMPL SET FOR HOME EVENT IN KOPER: “I WANT TO SHOW WHAT I CAN DO”
The Slovenian city hosts its fifth consecutive World Climbing Series event as the battle for the 2026 Lead titles enters its penultimate round
The ninth stage of the World Climbing Series 2026 takes place in Koper, Slovenia, on 4 and 5 September. The event marks the fifth consecutive year that the city has hosted a World Climbing Series competition, and the 30th Lead competition to be held in Slovenia, following 25 editions in Kranj.
KRAMPL SET FOR HOME EVENT
Among the home favourites is Mia Krampl, the 26-year-old Slovenian who represented her country at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Her fifth-place finish at last week’s World Climbing Europe Championship in Laval, France, was her best result of the 2026 season.
“I can’t say I am completely satisfied with my season,” Krampl said. “Physically, I felt strong, but in a field of so many strong women, you really need to have everything aligned for a good result. I would say my mental game was not where it should have been.”
Krampl has seen the women’s field continue to grow in depth during her career.
“Climbing hasn’t just gained popularity, the field of athletes has grown as well,” she said. “The sport has become more serious, and the more serious athletes are about the sport, the higher the level is.”
Looking towards LA28, she concluded: “Three-time Olympian sounds better than two-time Olympian. That’s all I’m going to say for now!”
SERIES LEADERS ENTER THE FINAL STRETCH
Koper is the second-to-last stop of the Lead Series 2026, with the top three athletes in both the women’s and men’s rankings set to compete.
USA’s Annie Sanders leads the women’s standings with 3,805 points after gold-medal performances in Wujiang, China; Prague, Czechia; and Chamonix, France. South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun is second on 2,875 points, having reached the podium at all four Lead events contested this season.
Japan’s Suzuki Neo leads the men’s standings with 3,130 points, having won in Wujiang and Innsbruck, Austria. Spain’s Alberto Ginés López follows closely in second, while Indonesia’s Putra Tri Ramadani remains in contention after his victory in Prague.
THE PROGRAMME
The World Climbing Series Koper 2026 begins tomorrow, Friday, 4 September, with Lead qualifications at 09:00 (UTC+2:00), Lead semi-finals will follow at 20:00. The men’s Lead final opens day two on Saturday, 5 September at 20:00, followed by the women’s final.
News and updates about all World Climbing events will be available on the World Climbing website, and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.
