Solveig Korherr

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

My dad introduced me to climbing when I was really young. When I was six years old, I mainly started climbing indoors. From age nine to 18, I focused mainly on competition climbing. In 2017, I started to travel and climb more outside, and since then, I've found a much bigger passion for rock climbing.

Climbing has brought me so much in life. It is one of the best feelings for me to be on a wall and I can forget everything around me. It can simply be about movement, but it is also a wonderful vehicle for traveling and for finding a welcoming community. I can challenge myself, set goals, train hard for them, be in nature and visit the most beautiful places. Climbing gives me purpose in life.

Who was your childhood hero and do you consider yourself a role model now? Does it influence you at all that other people look up to you?

I don’t think I had a specific childhood hero, but I do look up to, for example, Babsi Zangerl. I find it very impressive how she is such a strong all-rounder, excelling in different disciplines. I find it very inspiring because I also want to branch out into other disciplines and become a more diverse climber.

I don’t consider myself a role model, but sometimes I receive feedback from others that people enjoy watching me when I’m climbing and trying hard. If I can inspire people through my climbing, that means a lot to me.

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?

One of the most significant milestones in my life has been climbing 9a and my progression in rock climbing in itself. Over three to four years, I advanced from climbing at the 8b level to reaching the 9a level. I've learned a lot and improved in different styles of climbing. Sometimes, I forget to feel proud of what I've accomplished, but I'm trying to remind myself not to take it for granted.

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

Recently, I had a highly successful climbing trip to Southern France and Spain. I was experiencing an extreme high in my performance; I felt immense joy and endorphins from my successes, reaching a state of happiness. Despite sensing that my body was becoming tired, I didn’t take much rest in between because I couldn't control my excitement. I continued climbing, pushing my body too hard, and as a result, I ended up feeling extremely exhausted and powerless. I had no energy left. I returned home earlier than planned and finally gave my body the much-needed rest it required.

Reflecting on this experience, I recognize my tendency to exceed my own limits. I hope I can listen better to my body in the future. There is nothing more important than listening to your body and mind and finding a healthy balance between the psych and the limits of the body.

What is your favorite climbing related story / experience? 

Trad climbing in Indian Creek in Moab was one of the wildest experiences I have had so far, being deep in the desert with no internet and an unlimited amount of crack climbing. Before I went there, I didn’t have much crack climbing experience. One of my goals was to be able to hand jam and feel more comfortable placing protection and leading pitches. I have to say, I definitely struggled in the first few days. I hadn’t climbed any proper cracks before, and the style is very unique. Once I set aside my ego a little and gave myself some time to learn the technique, I wouldn’t have thought in those first few days that I would eventually be so hooked on it. It was so cool for me to see that even after climbing for most of my life, there is still so much in climbing for me to learn