The 2024 Slovenian national Snow Volleyball championships recently took place at the Krvavec Ski Resort. The reigning men`s champions, a team comprising Tadej Boženk, Danijel Pokeršnik, and Denis Robida, with Matej Rapnik joining them this year, successfully defended their title and claimed another gold medal. In the women`s competition, Špela Marušič, Polona Marušič, and Anja Mazej celebrated their first-ever championship victory.
This fourth national Snow Volleyball championship, jointly organized by the Volleyball Federation of Slovenia (OZS) and RTC Krvavec, garnered exceptional interest, with a record 27 teams registering for the competition. Matches were played concurrently on as many as four courts across the snowy surface.
In the men`s grand finale, the experienced national champions Tadej Boženk, Danijel Pokeršnik, and Denis Robida, who welcomed Matej Rapnik to their 2024 team as a replacement for Alan Košenina, faced off against the promising young team of Klemen Mohar, Urban-Urh Jakše, and Benjamin Gašpar. The more seasoned side secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory (15-12, 16-18, 15-12) after three thrilling sets.
Urban-Urh Jakše, whose team finished in second place, shared his thoughts: “The competition was incredibly strong, and our strategy was built on sheer determination. We fought for every single ball as if it were our last, and that relentless effort is how we managed to reach the final, where we, unfortunately, fell short due to a few minor mistakes.”
The third place and bronze medals in the men`s category were awarded to the championship`s youngest team: Miha Kosanec, Lan Juvan, and Benjamin Mugerli. They impressed with their strong performances, defeating the more experienced team of Gregor Felkar, Jernej Borlinić, and Nejc Berčič in the bronze medal match with scores of 15-13 and 15-9.
In the women’s category, Špela Marušič, Polona Marušič, and Anja Mazej, with Mazej making her debut in Snow Volleyball, proudly claimed the gold medal.
Last year’s champions, Sara Valenčič, Anastazija Žnidar, and Teja Kolbl, had to settle for second place after losing in the final by 8-15 and 9-15. Valenčič commented, “Congratulations to the winners. The teams are noticeably stronger than last year, and the quality of play is improving annually, which is truly excellent. We will move forward, and next year will present another opportunity, and we will certainly be aiming for gold again. A medal is still a medal, and we are content with second place.”
The bronze medal in the women`s event was secured by Maša Margon, Maša Knific, and Ana Marija Grabec, who triumphed over Eva Pavlič, Kaja Gimpelj, and Anja Mitrovič with scores of 15-8 and 15-9 in the small final.
The Volleyball Federation of Slovenia expressed great satisfaction with its ongoing collaboration with RTC Krvavec, which has now hosted Slovenia`s top Snow Volleyball players for the third consecutive year. According to RTC Krvavec director Janez Janša, high-level matches at the “Krvavec Beach” are expected to return next year.
