The great Kazbekovs

Jenya onsights at Kalymnos

 As a whole, we have a very busy week. Jenya as well as all children goes to school 5 times a week till 3 P.Ì. (7-8 lessons). She trains 5 times a week and does 2 and 3 day cycles, about 4 hours per day. Jenya also goes to music school 2 times a week, she is in 7th grade. She plays the piano, and since this year she has 2 lessons more for the guitar. Jenya is a rather musical girl and she does it well. Besides, Jenya is engaged in standing English 4 times a week and, consequently, there is practically no free time.

Serik works, he is engaged in development of climbing in our region, he also collaborates with the sity and region sports committees. He trains children who have reached some level of climbing. I (Natasha) spend time with a younger daughter Rafi, she is 2,8 years. But we go in for trainings too. I also run small equipment shop which is in the Crimea, in this building the second floor is also constructed and rooms for climbers near the famous rock Red Stone are to be rent. http://runa-ua.com/basaredstoun.htm For us the Crimea is the best rock-climbing area of the former Soviet Union. Many sportsmen of the former Soviet space come to train in the Crimea, there are a lot of rocks and the sea is nearby.

 What is the differences on the local climbing scene?

 The level of climbing in Ukraine is various. Because of the difficult economical situation in the country, only very strong sportsmen can support themselves by sports and afford to do it professionally. Only 6 best sportsmen are supported by the sport committee of Ukraine. The sport comittee pays them a small grant and their Championships and sometimes World Cups are paid. All the rest should work to earn, so climbing for them is rather a hobby than a sports.

We have two very good rock areas in Ukraine. It is the Crimea near the Black sea. The Rocks are limestone, with a small overhang, there we usually put technics for young sportsmen. We like to leave to the Crimea very much and to train there, especially in the spring before the season beginning.

And there are also Carpathians in the west of Ukraine, the rocks Dovbush. It is sandstone. There are boulder areas which are very similar to Fontainebleau, but the sandstone is softer. There is three-dimensional climbing due to very interesting rocks and beautiful nature. Still a new area of granit in the city of Kamenets – Podolsk closer to the West of Ukraine is developing. Thanks to the sponsors, companies Scarpa, Camp and Milo, it is possible to take Jenya not only to competitions, but also to different rock areas.

Do you do any special training?

  There are no special trainings, but it is important to keep to some systematic way the result will be. Well, we train by the same program, only the level of loadings is individual. Certainly we spend more time on warm-up exercises not to be traumatized and decided to include yoga elements.

What was the best thing being a competition climbers like 10 years ago?

  As it seems to us, to raise it’s a good idea the prize fund because it is very hard for sportsmen to earn at competitions. Perhaps, even more than 10 years ago, the prize fund was higher at World Cups, and someone even told us that for the first place it was possible to win a car. :) 

We very much liked the competitions in bouldering in L`Argentiere la Bessee. There was a very spectacular system. In the final 6 persons had 3 attempts and they took turns to try the boulder. It was very interesting and clear for the fans. We have always liked competitions in Arco, there a special atmosphere, thanks to the organizers. If competitions are organized at high level it’s pleasant to participate in them. Everything depends on organizers, on how much time and energy they put to the preparation.

How do they see the future climbing scene?

 Climbing is a very spectacular and entertaining kind of sport, it can attract strangers by its beauty, extremity and originality. More advertising is probably necessary to this purpose. Getting to the Olympic Games can somehow help promotion of climbing, but all depends on what kinds will get in the Olympic program, it would be good if all kinds were presented there. It is desirable to see climbing in the future as more popular, more impressive and richer sport. We wish professional 
Sportsmen could live and do their favourite sports, instead of thinking where to earn additional money.