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Aiming high? An outlook on my bouldering challenge

22.1.2019

Translation: machine translated

Kevin Huser and I meet up at Gaswerk Schlieren for a bouldering challenge. The 23-year-old sport climber still trains ten hours a week or more. Even though he retired from the national team some time ago.

"Thank goodness it's not ice climbing," is my first thought as I enter the pleasantly warm entrance area of the Gaswerk. It's freezing outside, but cosy inside. I've arranged to go bouldering with Kevin Huser. Originally, I wanted to try my hand at a frozen waterfall. Luckily, it's now the climbing centre in Schlieren. And that's quite enough of a challenge for me

The challenge

Bouldering is climbing without a rope or harness on boulders, rock faces or artificial climbing walls at jump height. Okay, it can't be that difficult, anyone can do jump height. Kevin has selected a purple B route for me. I'm yet to find out exactly what that means. You'll find out on Thursday whether I can get up there and complete the challenge. But you can already vote on it today:

Patrick's great bouldering challenge

Will he make it to the top?

No problem, it's better than Spider-Man.
12%
Spider-Man? I'd say more like a sack of potatoes!
59%
Barely.
29%

The competition has ended.

What looks loose and easy in Kevin Huser's video above is in fact the result of years of hard work. The sport climber was a member of the Swiss national team and regularly won medals at Swiss championships during his career. Huser also made headlines at international competitions. At the World Youth Ice Climbing Championships in 2013, he won the World Championship title in the lead and came third in the speed discipline. Kevin has since retired and works as a route setter at the Schlieren climbing centre, among other things. Or he tries to teach beginners like me how to climb.

So I literally climb, or at least I try to. Spiderman or wet potato sack - what's it going to be? Stay tuned and follow my author profile here.

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Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

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Aiming high? An outlook on my bouldering challenge

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