BIOGRAPHY

JOSUNE BEREZIARTU

Josune Bereziartu is a Basque climber who was born in Lazkao in 1972. She started climbing when she was seventeen. She remembers watching a TV programme called “Al Filo de lo Imposible” (translation: “nearly impossible”) where two women were climbing a very difficult rock. From that day on she started dating some people form the climbing community in the Basque Country because her sister’s boyfriend knew them very well and it was easy for her to get to them.

Josune thinks that training is essential in any sport and so it is in climbing. That is why she practices everyday about six or seven hours.

She thinks that there are 8 steps a climber must follow when practicing the sport:

1. Always warm up and stretch before you start climbing.
2. Preview and read the route before you climb it.
3. Use only the degree on you grip as necessary to steady your balance.
4. Develop your sense of balance.
5. Keep your body close to the wall.
6. Use your legs to hold your weight, not your arms.
7. Develop the right techniques.
8. Watch and learn from other good climbers.

She usually uses a rope, proper shoes, slcd devices, some protection and harnesses.

Josune Bereziartu has never won a championship but she has become the first woman in the world climbing a 8c wall.

GENERAL INFORMATION

DEFINITION

Rock climbing ia a sport in which participants climb up or across natural rock formations or man-made rock-walls. The goal is to reach the summitof a formation or the endpoint of a predefined route. Rock climbing is similar to scrambling ( another activity involving scaling of hills and similar formations), but climbing is generally differentiated because of th euse of hands to support the climber's weight as well as to provide balance.

Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, one that often tests climber`s strength, endurance, agility, and balance along with his or her mental control. It can be a dangerous sport and knowledge of proper climbing techniques and usage of specialized climbing equipment is crucial for the safe completion of routes. Because of the wide range and variety of rock formations around the world rock climbing has been separated into several different styles and sub-disciplines that are described below ( * see rock climbing styles).

ORIGIN

The history of climbing is a recent history. Unlike many sports, climbing does not date back to ancient times. People tended to climb the steep faces of rocky cliffs only when they had to and now they do it because they want to do it.

It was not until the latter part of the 19th century that rock climbing was first seen as a sporting activity. It seems to have emerged in three distinct European areas around this time. The first was in Germany in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in the southeastern part of the country near the Czech border. By 1903, there were almost 500 climbers active in this region and climbing clubs were being formed.

It is generally thought that the sport of rock climbing began in the last quarter of the nineteenth century in various parts of Europe. Rock climbing evolved gradually from an alpine necessity to a distinct athletic activity.

ROCK CLIMBING STYLES

Traditional climbing: itraditional climbing involves taking rock clims in routes wgich do not have permanent anchors to help climbers while ascending.
Sport climbing: involves the use of protection or permanent anchors.
Bouldering: this is a type of climbing wher you don't need to leave more then twelve feet off the ground.
Solo climbing: this climbing type involves climbing alone, without a partner and rope protection.
Deep water soloing: involves having to climb a rock and fall on deep water.
Mountaineering: involves hiking or trekking in higher altitudes.
Ice climbing: climbers should deal with ice and cold.
Indoor climbing: invilves climbing indoor.


HOW TO CLIMB: ROCK CLIMBING TIPS

Although there are two main techniques to perform climbing, static climbing technique and dynamic climbing technique, there are several things that you should take into account at climbing rocks.

1. Always warm up and stretch before you start climbing.
2. Preview and read the route before you climb it.
3. Use only th edegree on your grip as necessary to steady your balance.
4. Develop your sense of balance.
5. Keep your body close to the wall.
6. Use your legs to hold your weight, not your arms.
7. Develop th eright techniques.
8. Watch and learn form other good climbers.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED


Although it is possible to climb rock without equipment, it is difficult to do so safely. All of the equipment named below is exclusively for safety except shoes. Climbing shoesenhance climbing ability much lik erunning shoes enhance running ability.
So you would need:

• A pair of shoes
• A rope
• Some solid aluminum carabiners
• Harnesses to attach yourself to the ropes
• Belay devices, which are objects capable of stopping the rope passing it through smoothly
• Protection, objects that can be placed securely in rock and later removed. For Example tapered wedges and hexes
• SLCD, a spring-loaded camming device, which is an object use to inlay on the rock. Obviosly it is used to prevent falls.

MOST POPULAR  ROCK CLIMBERS


Josune Bereziartu, Po anaiak ( photo) and Lynn Hill.

CHAMPIONSHIPS
World rock climbing championship, ( indoor rock climbing).