The 2024 Slovenian national Snow Volleyball championships recently concluded at the Krvavec Ski Resort. In the men`s competition, the defending champions Tadej Boženk, Danijel Pokeršnik, and Denis Robida, joined this year by Matej Rapnik, successfully secured another gold medal. Meanwhile, Špela Marušič, Polona Marušič, and Anja Mazej celebrated their inaugural championship title in the women`s event.
This year`s edition, the fourth organised by the Volleyball Federation of Slovenia (OZS) and RTC Krvavec, attracted significant attention, setting a record with 27 teams participating. Matches were played simultaneously across four courts on the snowy terrain.
In the men`s grand final, the experienced defending champions (Boženk, Pokeršnik, Robida, Rapnik) faced the younger team consisting of Klemen Mohar, Urban-Urh Jakše, and Benjamin Gašpar. After a hard-fought battle and three exciting sets, the more seasoned team triumphed with a 2-1 victory (15-12, 16-18, 15-12).
Denis Robida, Slovenian national champion and Most Valuable Player of the competition
Urban-Urh Jakše, whose team finished second, remarked, “The competition was very strong, and our strategy was based on our determination. We fought for every ball as if it was the last one, and that is how we managed to reach the final where we, unfortunately, lost due to a few minor mistakes.”
The bronze medals went to the youngest team in the men`s championship, Miha Kosanec, Lan Juvan, and Benjamin Mugerli. They impressed throughout the tournament and defeated the more experienced team of Gregor Felkar, Jernej Borlinić, and Nejc Berčič 2-0 (15-13, 15-9) in the third-place match.
In the women’s tournament, Špela Marušič, Polona Marušič, and Anja Mazej, participating for the first time in the Snow Volleyball championships, secured the gold medal.
Špela Marušič, Newly crowned Slovenian national champion and Most Valuable Player of the women`s tournament
Last year’s champions, Sara Valenčič, Anastazija Žnidar, and Teja Kolbl, finished as runners-up, losing the final 2-0 (15-8, 15-9). Valenčič commented, “Congratulations to the winners. The teams are much stronger than last year, and the quality is improving every year, which is excellent. We will move on, and next year there will be another opportunity, and we will be aiming for gold again. A medal is a medal, and we are happy with the second place.”
The women`s bronze medal was claimed by Maša Margon, Maša Knific, and Ana Marija Grabec, who defeated Eva Pavlič, Kaja Gimpelj, and Anja Mitrovič 2-0 (15-8, 15-9) in the small final.
The Volleyball Federation of Slovenia is highly satisfied with its collaboration with RTC Krvavec, which has now hosted the national championships for the third consecutive year. According to RTC Krvavec director Janez Janša, top-level matches at Krvavec Beach are planned to return next year.
Torin Vale