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FEATURE
problem solving, improvement
and physical challenges are
addictive! Soon enough, you’ll be
falling asleep thinking of different
sequences to help you get the blue
slab done!ANDREA: I think it’s often scary
to try anything new, especially as
adults. But if you can break down
the components of rock climbing
and find enjoyment in it, then it’s a
very rewarding experience. There
are a lot of new indoor bouldering
gyms opening that are a great
starting point. You get to learn how
to climb without the complexities of
heights and ropes. Once that feels
more comfortable, you can progress
to indoor route climbing. Then,
eventually climbing outdoors and
if you want, trad. There really is no
need to force it. It’s about enjoying
the process and overcoming a fear,
usually bigger in your head.“The best climber at the cliff is the
one having the most fun.” Does this
sound like you?
AMANDA: Yes, even if its type 2 –
suffer first and reflect on the fun
later. I try to find the fun in every
day. The older I get, the more I
see that life is the perspective you
have on it. I feel very lucky to have
been born into the life I have, and I
definitely try to see the fun in it.TOM: I always try to keep smiling
when I’m out climbing or in the gym
training. Sometimes I’m not that
good at it, pushing your personal
limits can be difficult. But I try
to catch myself when I’m in that
headspace and change it as quickly
as possible. The days I remember
the most are the ones where I
smiled the most!ANDREA: I agree having fun is a
very important aspect of life, andespecially climbing. But honestly,
I strongly believe in delayed
gratification as well. Sometimes
in the moment of being tired,
scared, uncomfortable and failing,
you might not be having the most
fun. But pushing through those
situations puts you in good stead
to be the best climber you can be
later on. So, I suppose, I eventually
do have a lot of fun in most aspects
of climbing, like training, being
scared and falling, so that puts me
in an advantageous position to be
persistent.What scares you? Have you had any
close calls?
AMANDA: The baby bear that was
living at the base of Half Dome in
Yosemite was pretty scary! Even
though it was only interested in
our food and not us. We hiked up
during the day, so we could sleep
at the base and then climb the
route in a day, starting at 4am. The
bear kept walking along the little
mini glacier below the route during
the night and I don’t think I slept a
wink. Overall, I am not a huge risk
taker when it comes to my climbing
and since I had our daughter, my
biggest goal is to live a long healthy
life with her. Aside from freak
things happening, most variables in
climbing are controllable.TOM: Bad falls scare me. I’ve taken
a few and have seen a few. Gravity
acts quick! Always double-check
you’re tied or clipped in. Always
make sure your spotter or belayer
is paying attention, and always
be aware of a crazy curve ball!
Someone on the route next to you
at the gym might swing into you, or
you might land on someone walking
underneath you as you boulder!
Accidents happen quickly, and there
is often no warning!ANDREA: Climbing on soft,
unstable, or overgrown wet rock
and slabs in the dark scare me.
When you combine those things, I
climb horrendously poorly. When
Lee and I tried to free El Corazon
in Yosemite there were several
moments where I genuinely feared
for our safety.What do you think the future holds
for the sport?
AMANDA: The impact of climbing
in the Olympics will be interesting
to watch. A national training
institute and some funding would
be huge for the performance of
Australian climbers internationally
and for the development of the
sport. Hopefully, we will have the
opportunity to have an Australian
on an international podium soon.
Outdoors, I am keen to see how
the boundaries of adventure get
pushed.TOM: It’s going to be very exciting
to see where the sport goes. Even
in the last few years, it has exploded
in a way I don’t think many of us
saw coming. Climbing is soon going
to become a mainstream sport like
football and cricket. I also think
we will be seeing many Australian
climbers standing on world cup
podiums.ANDREA: There has been a large
amount of growth in numbers in
climbing in the last 10 years and a
greater interest in specific training.
I think with the recent inclusion
of climbing in the Olympics and
increased population there will be
an emergence of strong children,
and adults pushing the grades. It’s
hard to predict how much higher
than 37 sport climbing will go, but I
believe the standard as a population
will increase with more people
climbing these higher grades than