Winter News from Rock Empire Team Member Iva Vejmolová

23.01.2012, 11:42, Rock Empire s.r.o.

Hi folks,
Now, during the time when there are no big races and the rocks are not climbable unless you head to where it is warm (I am not one of those hardy types who climb until their drinks freeze in their thermoses), you might wonder why I am writing when there is nothing to write about! I thought some of you might enjoy reading about how I started climbing. If so, sit back, put up your feet, have some popcorn (or gingerbread), and get ready to enjoy my story.

At about 3 years old, I started scrambling over the rocks thanks to my parents. Do not think that it was serious. We went perhaps once a month to the rocks at Stransky, we packed slippers, climbing shoes, and snacks and we did a few steps. For whom were the slippers and for whom were the climbing shoes? Well, the slippers were for me :0) Even today, I think slippers are the best shoes for climbing ;0). In those slippers, one feels everything! And the climbing shoes were for my dad.

I am not from the current group of climbers who came to climbing through the indoors walls, some that even look like rock. I climb thanks to my dad, who has been climbing for a couple of years ;). I started on real rocks and only got to know the indoor walls later in life. At that time, my dad was in Brno at Freesport, but more about that later… During that time, I don´t think it occurred to my dad that I would grow up, and I think that he wanted me to be a boy ;). And now, I can write my own memories…

I was playing in the sandbox, making mud cakes and heard, „Iva, Daddy is here for you!“ And it was a clear signal for me. When my dad came to pick me up at nursery school, it meant that we would go climb. In those years, we went climbing on the rocks more frequently, and my dad discovered that I was beginning to enjoy myself. We started climbing with ropes, and I climbed Stransky rock, and it was great. My dad and I had a tradition that he would secure me from the top, and once I was up there, we would shake hands.

As climbing became funner, I wanted to climb more often. We couldn´t always drive to the rocks (as my dad had to go to work), and so we moved to a local bouldering spot – FREESPORT.
Even now, I hear the voice of the owner in my ear, „ I hope you remember later where you started!“ I could never forget. There, I watched Tomas Mrazek, one of the best climbers in Czech and maybe in the world. I sat on the bench, drinking my juice and watched him climb here and there, circling back and forth. It is indescribable and incomprehensible when one sees the possibilities of today…

It is important to write something about my mother. She never climbed and said that she would never climb. But I owe her a huge thanks. I remember people asking her, „ Aren´t you afraid for your daughter?“ And my mother would answer, „I am afraid, but I trust my husand to take care of her and himself!“ She always supported us and still does today. I am very grateful to her.

When I was 7 years old, I decided to try racing. I will finish for today because my climbing racing career is for another article on another day smiley

I hope that others have the opportunity to start climbing on the rocks, without training and to know the beauty of such climbing. smiley