As the IFSC World Cup returns to action after the Paris 2024 Olympic adventures it seems almost poetic that Slovenia should play host, and the sports only two-time Olympic champion Janja Garnbret is definitely putting on a show for the home crowd.

Koper is hosting the Lead discipline once again and Garnbret has picked up where she left off in competitions as the only climber to top two of the qualification routes.

Garnbret tops the standings and leads the way in the competition, but she also leads a strong Slovenian contingent into the semi-finals that includes two 2024 Youth Worlds champions, Rosa Rekar and Jennifer Eucharia Buckley, who both claimed their new titles last month in China.

The top three in the women’s competition has a very Olympic feel to it with Garnbret first, an American in second – this time Annie Sanders – and Austria’s Jessica Pilz in third.

Also progressing to semi-finals is the new Lead European champion Laura Rogora of Italy. Rogora won the Europeans in Villars just a few days ago and was joined on the podium by Netherlands’ Lynn Van Der Meer, who also joins the Italian in the semi-finals.

Japan’s Kotake Mei won the last World Cup in Briançon and she is once again in with a medal shot making the semi-finals. Austria’s Mattea Pötzi and Flora Oblasser were also in that Briançon final with Pötzi picking up the bronze.

Oblasser was also in the final at the Youth Worlds so is on a good run of finals form. Another climber on a run is Heloïse Doumont of Belgium who after a World Cup break has returned to the circuit with some consistency.

Talking about her comeback Doumont said: “This season I made semi-finals in all the events I was in which is crazy for me because I had three years out of World Cup competitions. Next year I want to do more finals, that is my goal.”

On her performance in Koper qualification, she said: “It was good. I think I made a good job of qualification. My second I think I could do better, but the venue is really nice. I just want to climb well, focus on the routes and do my best.”

Find the women’s Lead qualification results here: ifsc.hopp.to/kp24wlr

The men’s competition sees recent champions and medallists through to the semi-finals.

The 2023 IFSC World Cup Series winner in both the Boulder and the Lead, Japan’s Anraku Sorato is safely through in top spot just ahead of the man that beat him to Paris 2024 gold, Great Britain’s Toby Roberts.

Japanese teammate and World Cup Briançon winner Murashita Zento progresses in ninth, just one spot behind the new European champion Sascha Lehmann in eighth.

The Swiss climber said: “Two nice routes with two good fights today. I felt kind of heavy today, especially with the European Championships last week I’m mentally quite tired, but it was fun to climb. I’m looking forward to semis now.”

Talking about the rest of his World Cup year Lehmann said: “I plan to do the rest of the season. I’ll see how it goes. As I said I’m a bit tired now, it’s been a long season already, but I think I will just enjoy some time with friends at comps and see how it goes.”

The IFSC World Cup 2024 season culminates in the season ending competition in Seoul, South Korea in October where the Series winners will be crowned, talking about his Lead chances Lehmann said: “That’s not really on my mind at the moment. I have no idea where I’m standing so it’s not in my mind. Don’t get me wrong, if it comes it will be super nice, but there is a long way to get there, and I need some good comps.”

Joining the European champion in the semi-finals will be USA’s Ross Fulkerson who is competing in his first Lead World Cup since July 2022.

Find the men’s Lead qualification results here: ifsc.hopp.to/kp24mlr

Lead semi-finals and finals will be live streamed on the IFSC YouTube channel, Geographical restrictions will apply., for more information on where to watch and follow the IFSC World Cup Series 2024 click here.

News and updates about the IFSC World Cup Koper 2024 will be available on the IFSC website and the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin and Weibo.