Newsletter

Why the diversity of climbing is becoming a problem

Dhe winner of the first sport climbing competition at the Olympics is: Stefan Glowacz. This is not a tip. It is a fact. The competition was, of course, on the fringes of the Olympic Games. It was a demonstration competition that Glowacz won in 1992 – as part of the Winter Games in Albertville (France). They were looking for an additional indoor sport for the Winter Games, and Glowacz knew even then that sport climbing was not the ideal candidate: “It couldn’t work,” he says. Didn’t do it either. It was not until almost 30 years later that Olympic medals were awarded for the first time in Tokyo. “I’m happy that climbing is now Olympic,” says Glowacz, now 56 years old and a renowned professional mountaineer and extreme climber. “Back then I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would have loved to go to the Olympic Games in my heyday. “

Bernd Steinle

Editor in the section “Germany and the World”.

20 women and 20 men made it. “It’s a tight field,” says national coach Urs Stöcker. Mainly because in Tokyo only one set of medals is awarded to women and men. Climbing is a colorful, diverse sport, there are three disciplines in competitive climbing alone, plus the many varieties on the rock, not to mention special forms such as ice climbing. Each of these forms has special requirements, demands different skills, and creates its own experiences. Climbers love this diversity, it is an attraction of the sport. And a problem when you are faced with the task of choosing the best climber in the world in a single competition. Like now in Tokyo.

.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending