Skiing club Branik Maribor

Skiing is a national sport in Slovenia. That can be proven by thousands of skiing lovers, waiting for the first snow to fall. The beginnings of this sport and the first ski-tracks, that represent a real ski-paradise, go far back in the history.

The Skiing club Branik Maribor brought up numerous competitive skiers, national winners, Olympic skiers, successful skiing coaches and active officials, therefore the club is one of the most successful clubs in Slovenia.

After 44 years of successful presiding and managing of the "Golden Fox World Cup ", Dušan Senčar in 2000 gave the presidency to the skiing expert and official Gorazd Bedrač.

Furthermore, after several successful years the world acknowledged trainer Filip Gartner returned to the club in the beginning of the season 2002/2003. With his knowledge he is providing advice for our club trainer Vojko Debevc, who is now in charge of the expertise council.

After Slovenia declared its independence, the Ski Club Branik has become the best skiing club in Slovenia according to the sum of the points of our competitors in all categories. 87 alpine skiers have regular trainings and exercises within the club. The club has its own alpine ski school, yearly visited by approximately 180 children. 18 professional and honorary coaches are in charge for the development of the competitive sport in the club.

17 competitors have been selected into the national team of the Skiing Association of Slovenia for the season 2003/2004. The competitors of the Ski club Branik regularly classify for the team of the Olympic games, member and youth World Championships as well as for the international children's competitions. For the last 12 years the competitors of Ski club Branik have repeatedly won important points in the World and the European Cup and have achieved many impressive results in FIS competitions.

At national championships competitors have won several medals in all categories – juniors as well as members.

The most remarkable result of the recent period is the bronze Olympic medal of the competitor Katja Koren at the Olympic games in Lillehamer (Norway) in 1994 and her very good performance at the World cup in Flachau (Austria).

The top results in World Cup in the last 10 years have been accomplished by Rene Mlekuž, Drago Grubelnik, Peter Pen, Andreja Potisk-Ribič and Miran Rauter. Mitja Dragšič and Primož Skerbinek have joined the group lately.

The Ski club Branik notably contributed to the entire development and growth of the alpine skiing in Slovenia, as many very good coaches of the Skiing association of Slovenia originally worked for the Skiing club Branik, among them world experts: Tone Vogrinec, Filip Gartner, Herbert Jurič, Jože Gazvoda, Stojan Puhalj. Very successful coaches for many years are: Igor Popenko, Dušan Jaunik, Vojko Debevc and Karel Šegula.