Romain Desgranges of France will bid to defend his European lead title in Edinburgh ©Getty Images

Romain Desgranges will bid to retain his lead title as the International Federation of Sport Climbing European Championships get underway in Edinburgh tomorrow.

The Frenchman outscored world champion Adam Ondra of the Czech Republic and Austria's Jakob Schubert to win the European title in Campitello di Fassa in Italy two years ago.

At Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA), Desgranges will come up against Ondra and Schubert again, with the lead qualification round scheduled for Saturday (October 5) morning.

Anak Verhoeven of Belgium is in Scotland as she also aims to defend her 2017 title.

Slovenian Mina Markovič relinquished her 2015 European gold in Italy and will seek to reclaim it in Edinburgh.

Slovenian Janja Garnbret has not travelled to Scotland for the International Federation of Sport Climbing European Championships ©Getty Images
Slovenian Janja Garnbret has not travelled to Scotland for the International Federation of Sport Climbing European Championships ©Getty Images

Women's lead world champion Janja Garnbret from Slovenia suffered a fall at the IFSC World Cup in Kranj last weekend and does not compete in Scotland.

Marcin Dzienski of Poland and Russian Iulia Kaplina will begin their speed championship title defences when the action begins tomorrow evening.

Aleksandra Miroslaw claimed the speed World Championship gold in Hachioji in August and is likely to feature in the medal shake-up, while men's world champion Ludovico Fossali from Italy is also on the start list.

The speed qualification round is scheduled for a 6.30pm local time start with the finals running on Saturday afternoon.

The lead semi-finals and final will be contested on Sunday (October 6).