Vertical-Life
Alfons Dornauer Interview
The young and wild take over more and more in climbing. Whether Ondra, Oddo, Tito Traversa or however they are called. They all climb with ease, in an already early age what many of us would define as a life goal.
The Austrian scene is especially well represented in the competition and is benefiting from a very good youth work. However, beyond the plastic circus there are a bunch of young and strong climbers. One of them is Alfons Dornauer. Alfons made his first routes not indoors but oudoors. His father took him to the rock to make his first attempts. Thus, Alfons joins perfectly with the above mentioned list of young climbers witch are celebrating their first success on the rock. . The following interview is ment to introduce you the person Alfons Dornauer.
Hi Alfons, where are you from and how old are you?
Hi, I'm from Finkenberg, Zillertal, Tyrol, and am 18 years old.
Since when do you climb?
For the first time I've tried it when i was about 7 years. With about 12 years I started to train.
How did you start climbing? Who or what was the trigger?
It all started at the rock. I actually got to climb through my father, who still does alot in the mountains. He often took me with him in the mountains, in light alpine routes, as well as for sport climbing. Later I then often had the chance to go climbing with some locals from the Zillertal. Ever since I started with the regular training, both on the rock and in the gym.
Concerning the early days, how did climbing went for you? Did you had to train a lot, or happend it all in a more natural way?
It certainly was more or less a natural process. I always had some locals from the Zillertal as role models. Sometimes i would just sit there and watch them climb, learn from them how to move. I always wanted to climb as well as they did. When I was 13 years old I did my first routes in the 7c-8a area and that inspired me more and more. I just wanted to go climbing every day (if the skin would allow this). In the gym or on the rocks, it did not matter but Obviously I would prefer nature.
What excites you about climbing?
The versatility. The many different "disciplines" and the variety of movements. Above all, rock climbing, is what excites me the most. When I try a serious project with my friends, we push each other and just have fun.Then in the evening, enjoy a well-deserved beer after work (or 2) and the day is saved. Above all, the climbing in many different areas (various rocks), is what increases the versatility and the fun in climbing dramatically.
Are you going to the plastic? How about competitions?
Up to date I actually climbed as much as possible on the rock, which I will continue to remain.
Of course I go to regular training in the gym, especially in winter and after school, where the time is too short for outdoors. Usually for 2-3 hours with my colleagues.We then train either on campus board, in the boulder room or we do some lead climbing, but not according to plan or system. In the spring I want to get a taste of the competition circus, although I have already participated in a few competitions, but that was just for fun. So I want to specialize my training for this winter a little more, to get prepared and to minimize my weaknesses. Then we'll see whether the competition scene speaks to me or not.
You are strong in both, sport climbing and bouldering. Do you prefer rope or crash pad on the road?
Basically, I like both very much. The mixture is what makes it interesting. To reach a high level in sport climbing, the maximum force is a major factor. Especially in the style of the routes as they occur in the Zillertal. So proper endurance hammers won´t be found in the Zillertal, rather more powerful routes (some hard moves than a latching position, ...). If I had to decide now, I would prefer route climbing. What I miss after a long phase of bouldering, is the fighting spirit which does happend to be more in rope climbing . When it´s too cold for rope climbing (winter), I do prefer going bouldering.
Was the 8c level in sport climbing for you a great barrier?
I had, until recently, quite a lot of respect for hard routes (or grades). I often thought, that it´s better if I climb three 8b `s on a day than to invest the time in an 8c. Important for me was, to expand my routebook (not the one on 8a.nu) with as many routes as possible. My colleagues had hard times forcing me to get started with a heavy route. From this attitude, I got more and more deviated. Since then I immediately realized how much more capable I was and I wanted to push my limits more and more. I climbed my first 8c relatively quickly and lost the respect for hard graded routes. I could see some of my few 8c `s climbed faster than some 8b or 8b +. From this I learned that the difficulty of a route, the grading, is hardly meaningful.
In Bouldering you could already do 8B. Was that a big deal for you?
Mhmm. The Boulder I climbed, was at the end of my six-month injury break. So I was for sure not in top form and I actually did not trained hard in that time. But somehow I was able to climb it within two days. Maybe it´s just 8a+, I have no idea. The extent or the limit in bouldering in my
opinion is always a bit tricky. Come one, if the moves or the boulder fits you, you can very quickly rip a heavy boulder. I also tried 7c boulders in the same area, where I thought, WTF, what's going on! Again the grading is not always meaningful. However, all the 8a+ and the 8b boulder I did up untill now showed me, that i was not at my full limit. I think i can do harder.
Tell us something about your climbing-year. How was it for you so far?
Eh ... there is not much to report, due to my finger injury.
After your injury you're soon climbing again strong. Was it hard for you to come back to the "old form" or was the break not that bad at all?
Already towards the end of last season,(November) I had constant pain when climbing on the middle finger. I then climbed until the first winter day´s and then made a three week break. I wanted to know what's going on with my fingers, so I went to a doctor in Innsbruck. It was the epiphyseal joint that had not yet completed the process of growth and staggered me in the six-month climbing retirement. These were the months of January to mid-July. Four months had passed and I just wanted to start climbing again. I wanted to do some easy stuff but unfortunately I could not resist and soon the holds und my fingers got smaller and smaller.
But it has not lasted long and I had to face it, I just needed the break to get back to climb properly. I tried it with a kind of therapy, but somehow I just needed this break.
Since mid-July I am now fully on gulls. At first it was very difficult, I had to admit that even a 6c and 7a route can be difficult. So at the beginning it was very difficult to motivate yourself. But somehow it all happened very quickly, from one day to the next I felt better and better. The motivation was back and climbing
again felt much better. After 3 weeks, I was back and with my form already more than satisfied. Somehow I feel stronger now than before the break, even though I did not train much in the last six months. It seemed as if this break was necessary to be successful in the near future. I think that this pause was personally not too bad for me. I saw that not everything can always go according to the plan. Only when you have to really stop, you realise how valuable it actually is when you can exercise your sport. Often I watch climbers around whining due to poor conditions. This I can often
no longer understand. Instead of complaining, try to make the best out of the situation.I actually planned a trip to South Africa, over the summer holidays, for bouldering in Rocklands. But I injured myself and could not do the trip. At first, I was a bit frustrated. But i knew i would climb hard again this year and my projects I want do do can still be done. I'm just glad that now I can climb again without pain! My biggest highlight´s
yet surely are the 2 8c `s that I was able to do this year.
Can you tell us something about your last hard routes?
So certainly the coolest route in this season was "Almrausch" in Rofangebirge / Klobenjoch. Not only the route, but also the area is really nice. The climb is actually pretty short (maybe 15m) and requires maximum power on some pretty sharp holes. I had not to work on the route for too long since i was there with Gerhard Hörhager (a legend),the first person to climb this pitch. That saved some time. I could climb the route in 7 attempts, spread over 2 days. But it was for sure not a walk in the park, a little bit of luck was needed for this relatively rapid ascent!
A highlight was the "Linke Generation" (Left Generation) Monkey Iseland, Jochberg, Zillertal.This is a combination of some routes and hence a different style as in "Almrausch", more endurance-heavy. It served me with the best endurance training I could ever get because the key point is just before the anchor. Furthermore, I was recently able to flash my hardest route to date. It´s called "Babylon" an 8b (8a + / 8b) and is located on Berglsteiner lake in Kramsach.
What is important for you while trying a difficult route? Do you get obessesd with the climb or are you trying routes beside that one?
Never work for too long a single climb, since I lose motivation. So far I was able to do all the routes i wanted to do relatively quickly. In the Zillertal it´s unfortunately already the case that I have only a few routes left to do and they are all at least 8b + / 8c. Repeating routes was never attractive to me. But in Zillertal it does not bother me having to project routes, since this area is so close to my home. When I go into other areas of Tyrol, I usually have a project. After I climbed my project I like to do other routes for training. It also happens that I´ll go out and "just" do some routes in the 8a area. A little success now and then is what i need to feel relaxed and this brings me in theright headspace to finish up a hard route.to work on a same project for years, I can not imagine myself right now. However, to invest a little time in a more difficult route does not bother me.
What are the next projects? Any bills yet to be paid?
In recent years, I'm pretty much in the Ziller Valley, but also in different regions of Tyrol traveling. (Schleierwasserfall, Nassereith, Ötztal ...) I actually have to do in each area still plenty. In Zillertal, as I said before, from 8c and up! Goal for this year is 8c +, but we'll talk about that another time.
What are you doing beside climbing, or is it the only hobby for you?
As compensation in addition to the climbing I go running regularly, (mountain) which I think is very important for the endurance and for general fitness. Furthermore, I also like to go skiing in the winter or freeriding.
Climbing is of course # 1 hobby!
Are there any climbers who inspire you?
There are already climbers who inspire me because of their benefits. (Schubert, Fischhuber Ondra, Sharma, ...)
However, I will go my own way. To copy anyone I find stupid.
What would you suggest people who want to try climbing?
Don´t wait, just try, the sooner the better!
In conclusion, a question to philosophize;-). You are a new generation of climbers. Where do you think is climbing moving into? Where are the main problems?
The increasing amount of climbers, I see as the biggest problem (Especially with respect to the Zillertal). Still there is no concept for the
Implement visitor management, I mean the creation of campsites, parking, ...
Thanks Alfons for the casual interview! Some last words for the poeple out there?
Rock on Rock!!
Ensuring there are still a few moving images, here's the video from the ascent of "Generation Next" 8b+ in the Zillertal/ Monkey Island: