| The 5th stage of the European Youth Cup came to a close in Aprica, Italy yesterday. Over 100 young athletes took part in the Junior, Youth A and Youth B categories, coming as far a field as Mexico and the USA. France, as usual, did not take part in what has become the most important continental youth event without a doubt this incongruence is somewhat perplexing to many. Women The Slovian team left its mark, literally dominating the event: Lucka Franko, provisional leader of the EYC, beat her teammate Nastja Guzzi (2nd ) and Isabella Ritsch from Austria (3rd). In the Youth A category Katja Vidmar (SLO) won ahead of Nadine Ruh (GER) and her teammate Maja Vidmar 3rd. Ana Kosmac (SLO) won the Youth B category ahead of Terez Kysilkova (CZE) and K. Saurwein (AUT). Men With the French team absent, the strong favourite Tomaz Mrazek from the Czech Republic won the coveted Junior event, adding this title to his joint victory at the Rock Master 2001. Timo Preussler (GER) and Tomaz Valjavec (SLO) placed s2nd and 3rd respectively. Cédric Lachat won the Youth A event ahead of Christoph Huber (AUT) and Jorg Verhoeven (NED), while the Youth B was won by Gabriele Moroni, Helmut Wörz (AUT) 2nd and Daniel Winkler (SUI) 3rd. The competition, organised by Climber Aprica, proved to be a great success and preparations are in full swing for the 3rd stage of the World Cup Difficulty this weekend. The next stage of the EYC will be held in Birmingham 7-9 December 2001. Results Junior Men ('81 - '82 ) 1 Mrazek Tomaz CZE 2 Preussler Timo GER 3 Valjavec Tomaz SLO 4 Becan Klemen SLO 5 Brunner Stefan AUT Junior Women ('81 - '82) 1 Franko Lucka SLO 2 Guzzi Nastja SLO 3 Ritsch Isabella AUT 4 Lau Katrin GER 5 Hnizdilova Sona CZE Youth A Men ('83 - '84) 1 Lachat Cédric SUI 2 Huber Christoph AUT 3 Verhoeven Jorg NED 4 Heinrich Robert GER 5 Lau Johannes GER Youth A Women ('83 - '84) 1 Vidmar Katja SLO 2 Ruh Nadine GER 3 Vidmar Maja SLO 4 Moosburger M. AUT 5 Schranz Barbara AUT Youth B Men ('85 - '86) 1 Moroni Gabriele ITA 2 Wörz Helmut AUT 3 Winkler Daniel SUI 4 Sommer Remo SUI 5 Sapey Anthony SUI Youth B Women ('85 - '86) 1 Kosmac Ana SLO 2 Kysilkova Terez CZE 3 Saurwein K. AUT 4 Marcovic Mina SLO 5 Fender Karoline AUT | | Top: the winner Mrazek Tomaz Bottom: climbing through the large roof Info A. S. Climber Aprica www.climber.it Press Office Antonio Stefanini | | |