Heli Kotter

When and how did you get into climbing? What keeps you interested?

At the age of 14 we used to climb barefoot in quarries, do more technical stuff on the sides of the Inn bridge above the river and climb easier alpine faces. Back then, it was all about having an adventure! Then both the scope of my climbing and circle of friends grew quickly and I found myself, aged 17, climbing the Schleier waterfall with Alex Huber.

Who were your childhood heroes?

They were constantly changing, but Batman was pretty awesome!

What have been the most important milestones in your life so far, both in climbing and in everyday life? And did you recognize them immediately as such or only later on?

Funnily enough, it was not the 9a's ...

The real milestones always involve specific circumstances, such as weather conditions, unique locations, climbing partners.

One particular milestone was the Hotel Supramonte in Sardinia. We had to set up an emergency bivvie on the 400m high wall because of a storm. It came howling through the very narrow gorge and we had to sit it out in our little nook for 15 hours!

And then there are all the wonderful landscapes I still have in my mind's eye.

There are also the first ascents that I bolted myself, when I realised they would go, that they were super cool and that they suited me down to the ground. It is discoveries like these, in addition to my career, my family and other projects, that keep me motivated to train.

What were your greatest failures / setbacks / injuries? How did you cope with them and how did you come back from them?

When I was 20 years old I got an infection in my right knee joint and was on crutches for 14 months. Back then, I was always on vertical rock. In the three months before I got the infection, I still climbed 13 routes between 8b+ and 8c+ and then suddenly from one day to the next, I was a complete invalid. It took me a while to get used to the change in pace...

Do you have a strict training schedule for when and how you train throughout the year?

As much as I can fit it into my schedule...I no longer have to be scared of overtraining these days :)

What advice can you give to others looking to improve their training routine?

Less is more and always focus on your weaknesses!

What do you think of indoor climbing gyms in relation to climbing on actual rock?

Indoor climbing walls are like a superior type of gym where I can meet up with lots of friends! Great places :)

Are you able to do a one-arm pull-up? How about a single finger?

A one-arm pull-up on a ledge or a sloper – no problem. But as for those darned one-finger pockets! Who invented them?! Man, oh man ...

How much of success as a pro climber is due to self-marketing and how much due to actual climbing skill?

Pro climbers have to be highly skilled. However, if they don't market themselves, then they are not interesting to companies... so I reckon 40% climbing skills and 60% marketing skills.

Can anyone train to be able to do a one-arm pull-up or reach the summit of the Eiger/Matterhorn? Or do you have to be born for it?

I think pretty much anyone can do it! Often it is not strength that is lacking but the body's resilience. Injuries start to creep in when you train hard. It is a potential pitfall for those with less talent.

How important is it to set goals in professional sports? What are your goals? What targets are you working towards for your climbing and in life?

Without goals I have no drive to train. Goals are the foundation blocks for success.

This year I don't have as much time for climbing. I wanted to tick off Underground 9a and Martin Krypon 9a in preparation for my spring project and then nail that. Underground is in the bag :)

I'd like my everyday life to continue as it is, our child to grow and our house to grow too :)

How do you deal with extremely hard climbing problems? Do you ever get frustrated and give up on them? Or do they motivate you even more?

If all the sequences are straightforward then a route is not really that interesting. Making progress in a project is what I really enjoy. Often more than actually completing a route.