European Climbing Championships

Uznik

Nicolai Uznik feels at home on the bouldering wall

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Nicolai Uznik (24) from Rosental is probably done with rope climbing. He will be defending the bouldering title at the European Championships in Switzerland from Tuesday - and doesn't have a good opinion of the Olympic mode: "Nobody really cares!" 

Climbing has still not really arrived at the Olympic Games. Although the events in Paris were very popular, the athletes were particularly displeased with the format: in the combined event, points from bouldering and lead are added together.

Olympic champion skips European Championships
The Olympic format will now also be held at the European Championships in Villars (Switzerland) - with only six (!) starters. The top stars from Paris, such as Olympic champion Toby Roberts and Austria's bronze medal winner Jakob Schubert, are not even there. The remaining climbers prefer to focus on bouldering and lead as individual disciplines.

Won European Championship gold in Munich in 2022: Nicolai Uznik

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Because there are also medals for this at the European Championships. "That's how it should be at the Olympics! Nobody in the climbing scene is actually interested in the combined event. Everyone only does it because of the Olympics," emphasizes Nicolai Uznik from Rosental, who himself was a "victim" of this mode.

There have to be individual medals at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. I am confident that we athletes will be listened to.

Nicolai UZNIK, Boulder-Ass

"The fun was gone"
The bouldering specialist, who won European gold in Munich in 2022, had completely changed his training just because of the Olympics. "I lost weight from lead climbing in bouldering - the fun was also completely gone." The low point: missing out on the Olympic qualifiers two months ago in Hungary!

"I haven't had a rope in my hand since then. I've gone back to doing what I enjoy - the fire for bouldering is back," emphasizes the 24-year-old.

At the European Championships - the qualifiers start on Tuesday - Nicolai will of course be focusing purely on bouldering, leaving combined and lead to the left. "The fact that so few athletes are competing in the combined is a signal - there have to be medals in all individual disciplines at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. I am very confident that we athletes will be listened to," emphasizes Uznik.

Mattea Pötzi will only be competing in lead at the European Championships.

(Bild: Wallner Hannes)

Pötzi consistently stayed on the lead wall
Mattea Pötzi is also hoping for this. The athlete from Villach has established herself in the top 10 in the Lead World Cup this year and didn't even try to qualify for Paris. "I'll only tackle Los Angeles if there are medals in the individual disciplines." At the European Championships, she starts with the lead qualifier on Wednesday.

She has fond memories of Villars - last year she climbed into a World Cup final for the first time and finished eighth. Since then, her form has steadily improved, culminating this year with her first World Cup podium in third place in Briancon (Fr). "Of course you have that in your head when you've had a great run in one place. But all the walls are actually similar, it's more about the route construction."

If everything works out, a medal is possible.

Mattea PÖTZI, Lead-Kletterin

In the absence of some of the favorites - Olympic champion and dominator Janja Garnbret (Slo) is missing, as is teammate Jessica Pilz - Pötzi is now hoping for the big coup at the European Championships in the mountain village with its 1200 inhabitants. "If everything works out, a medal is possible!" Qualifying starts today. The semi-finals and final are scheduled for Saturday.