Favorite type of climbing:
Trad multipitch but I mainly sport climb
Interview
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Climbing
When and how did you get into climbing? What keeps you interested? What fascinates you?
My parents don’t climb but for my 7th birthday they threw me a party in a local climbing gym and I was instantly hooked. I love how limitless climbing is and how everyone can make it their own. Two completely different people can climb the same route in completely different ways. I love figuring out the puzzle part of climbing (even though it sometimes frustrates me )!
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?
Lynn Hill, Brooke Rabatou and Basbi Zangerl. These women have proven time and time again that women are just as strong as men and they are just so badass!
More and more I get people asking my opinion on climbs or even straight out saying to me that I inspire them and it humbles me. I still feel like I have so much to learn in climbing but if I can inspire others to take up the sport and share what I have learnt then it makes me very happy and proud.
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?
Two years ago my partner and I decided to leave our jobs and live in a converted van and travel around climbing! It was a big decision but at the time it just felt right! I wouldn’t change it for anything.
What were your greatest failures / setbacks / injuries? How did you cope with them and how did you come back from them?
I am fortunate to have not suffered any big injuries so far. I am a qualified physiotherapist and I think that helps to listen to my body and recognise signs of fatigue before they turn into injuries.
As for greatest failure I feel it’s any day where I’ve allowed myself to get too frustrated and not have fun climbing. At the time all I can think about is how upset I am but afterwards I feel silly for missing things or simply not appreciating being out doing what I love. With my mental coach we have talked about trying to find three positives or happy things every single day. It can be anything from seeing a cute flower on the approach to a really good burn. I have worked with her to try and focus less on the black and white of did I send or not.
What is your favorite climbing related story / experience?
When we went to Picu Uriellu with some friends to do a multi pitch and it turned into a 14h non stop epic. We topped out by headlamp, had to help the couple behind us who in turn showed us the way to the rappels down. We finally stumbled back well into the early hours of the morning, I think it was about 4am, we had only booked one night in the refuge but luckily they had left the door open so that we could retrieve our things, and so we crawled into the last vacant windbreak and slept as well as we could with our summer sleeping bags and cold temperatures. It was an amazing experience! I can’t wait to go back!
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Training
Do you have a strict training schedule for when and how you train throughout the year?
I am extremely lucky that I get to climb outside the entire year so I do not have a training schedule whatsoever. Sometimes on rest days I might do a bit of stretching or try and work on my life goal of doing a one arm pull up but that’s about it.
What advice can you give to somebody looking to improve their training routine?
Make sure you are enjoying yourself or at least training with a clear objective in mind. Not just “get better” but maybe “climb this particular route” or “improve my finger strength”. I find it easier to stay motivated and really see the improvements if you have a clear objective.
What do you think of indoor climbing gyms in relation to climbing on actual rock?
I think indoor gyms are a great way to learn the basics in a more controlled environment. I also think that people need to be aware that when they climb outside it is their responsibility to look after the nature surrounding them, always check the gear they are climbing on and to be respectful towards other climbers and the wildlife. When we climb outside no-one is going to clean up after us and our actions and bad practices can lead to climbing areas being restricted or banned.
Are you able to do a one-arm pull-up? How about a single finger?
I am working on my one-arm! Almost ! And yes I can do single fingers with both hands. If you’re asking about a single solitary finger then no way!
How much of the success as a pro climber is due to show and how much due to actual climbing skill?
I think it all depends on how you interact with other people. A lot of people look up to pro climbers and anyone can become a pro climber either by inspiring people or climbing really hard. However success is very difficult without a bit of both.
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Psychology
Is it possible for anybody to eventually perform a one-armed pull-up or get to the top of the Eiger/Matterhorn, or do you really have to be born for it?
The human body can be trained to do ANYTHING. It’s all about motivation.
How important is it to set goals in professional sports? What are your goals / targets you are working towards in climbing and in life?
Goals in professional sports and in life help you to stay focused and get you through the harder times. Progress is never linear and there are a lot of setbacks, having a goal or many keeps your spirits up and the determination high when all you want to do is sell all of your gear and take up knitting.
In climbing I am constantly pushing to climb harder and harder routes. It would be amazing to be the first UK girl to climb 9a+. And in life my goals are pretty much to be happy and to one day own a small farm to keep chickens and goats.
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?
It’s a constant juggle. I am a bit of a shorter climber so sometimes routes or sections can feel incredibly hard and reachy but I also enjoy figuring out how I can do them despite all of that. I think if it frustrated me too much I would have given up climbing long ago. One has to accept that in climbing you fail more than you succeed. But you also have to be kind to yourself and remember to have fun. If I feel like I’m spending too much time on a route or too much mental energy I will often leave it for a bit, come back when I’m feeling better, or sometimes even give up and not try it anymore. Giving up I think is the hardest, sometimes it can motivate me to work on weak points and come back stronger but normally it leaves me feeling like I failed, or that I’m not a very good climber. When this happens I will try and ramp up the fun by climbing easier grades or a multi pitch or just simply doing something completely different.
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Future of climbing
Is there anything you would like to change about the current developments in climbing?
I think there needs to be better communication between developers/bolters and officials. Often new areas appear but have not been approved by the owners of the nearby lands, this then leads to tension between the respective groups and entire climbing areas can then be banned or restricted or even monetized. Hikers on an average Sunday stroll can often leave a lot more litter behind than most climbers and I feel that more dialogue and more understanding from both collectives would greatly benefit everyone.
I also feel that from a business side women still struggle to be heard, considered and respected. Climbing is such a diverse sport and it baffles me that even in the official climbing competitions there are still a huge amount of male setters and hardly any females. This needs to change.
Where do you see the sport going in the next years, what will change and what is your role going to be in it?
I hope to continue to do my bit to bring something to the climbing community and as for where the sport is going I think it will go wherever we want it to! Climbing shoes might get stickier, clip sticks longer but at the end of the day it is always going to be us against the rock.