Aris and Katie are two people synonymous with Kalymnos, and their latest guide is the eighth edition to the island, marking twenty three years since their first. We recently caught up with them and they were kind enough to share with us the backstory to producing a guide to one of climbing’s most revered destinations as well as the evolution that Kalymnos has undergone over the last two decades.

When did you guys first climb on Kalymnos?
Aris: In the spring of 1999. I was with my friend Thomas Michaelides, and I remember climbing at sector Arhi and being entirely alone. There was nobody there except some goats observing us from a safe distance, and it felt like there was nobody else on the whole island. When we finally ran into another pair of climbers on our fourth day, we were elated.

Katie: Summer of 2008. I’d only started climbing a few months earlier at the Acharnes Alpine Club’s indoor wall in Athens, where Aris and I met. I didn’t really like indoor climbing and was ready to jump ship, but Aris insisted that I quit my job and spend the summer on Kalymnos with him. Best decision of my life!

When did it first occur to you that you could make a guidebook and that one was needed?
Aris: Almost immediately after my first visit in 1999. The first guidebook was made a little over a year later, in October 2000, for the first Kalymnos climbing festival. I was already in close contact with the municipality and established a set of safe bolting guidelines (10mm stainless-steel bolts, dense bolting, [safe distance between bolts] two-bolt anchors with [proper lower] carabiners). It was obvious that Kalymnos had enormous potential and the local community was very keen to help revive the island. That first guidebook feels very retro now. We still get the occasional email from guidebook geeks looking for a copy to add to their collection!

What was putting the first guidebook together like?
Aris: Thankfully there weren’t that many routes on Kalymnos yet, and my friends and I had already climbed or re-bolted most of those early routes. A bigger challenge at the time was tracking down the other equippers, finding out the names of routes, etc. Remember that this was pre-smartphone, pre-widespread internet. I often had to put together information based on whatever the other equippers had scribbled on the back of a napkin or a piece of paper and left at their rental studios or one of the few cafes in Masouri at the time. Language was more of a challenge, too (I didn’t have Katie and her fluent English by my side yet; she joined in 2010), but luckily other climbing friends from Italy, Germany, the UK, and France volunteered to translate the guidebook into their respective languages.

How many routes were featured in the first guidebook, and how many are featured in the 2023 edition?
The first edition (October 2000): 80 pages, 200 routes, five languages (Greek, English, Italian, German, French). Eighth edition (June 2023): 624 pages, 4216 routes, English only.

You partnered with Vertical-Life to print and distribute this latest guide, why did you choose this path and what are the advantages to working with Vertical-Life?
Aris and Katie: Vertical-Life has created the digital version for all of our guidebooks since 2015 (Kalymnos, Leonidio & Kyparissi, and Greece Sport Climbing: The Best Of), so we have known and worked with them for years. We’d chosen to collaborate with Vertical-Life in the first place because, among the many app developers approaching us, we felt that V-L were the ones who respected our work the most by working directly with local guidebook authors and not copying content or cutting corners. So we trust that our work is safe. For the 2023 Kalymnos guidebook specifically—our most important and labor-intensive work to date—we wanted to ensure both outstanding printing quality and wide availability. Printing quality in Greece had been rather poor lately, the astronomical rise in the cost of paper was making it nearly impossible for us—two authors—to handle the production of a 624-page book on our own, and shipping/handling costs had become prohibitive. We turned to our friends at Vertical-Life because we already trusted their handling of our work, they have access to high-quality printing (this book has been printed on plastic-free paper) and a wide distribution network, and our guidebook continues to be produced entirely in Europe by climbers for climbers.

When did you realize that Kalymnos had the potential to become one of the world’s premiere climbing destinations? Was there a specific turning point?
Aris: The moment I set foot on the west coast of Kalymnos and saw the pure virgin cliffs above Masouri and Arginonta. Can you imagine? It was an utter revelation and a personal turning point for me. Almost immediately, I devoted all my energies to the island—including transitioning to sport climbing after years and years of long trad routes and yearly pilgrimages to the Alps. I believe the specific turning point for the island was Petzl’s 2006 Roctrip, which brought to Kalymnos 20 of the world’s best climbers alongside about 1000 visiting climbers, a big number at the time. The publicity and subsequent popularity of Kalymnos exploded after that.

Do you have a favorite route, and/or a favorite sector?
Katie: “Resista” at sector Ghost Kitchen; “Delicatesse” and “Harry Hole” at sector Poets; “Le Bleu du Ciel” and “Provatina” (brand new!) at sector Arginonta Valley; “Monolith” at sector Arhi; “Silver Spurs” at sector Summertime, to name a few routes. Favorite sector: it’s a tossup between Poets and Arhi. Both crags have the full range of grades and rock types, Poets is right above our house (no need for wheels), and as for Arhi and all other crags above Arginonta Bay, the rock and water colors at sundown are irresistible.

Aris: It is impossible to pick just one route. I have at least two dozen favorite routes on permanent rotation. My favorite sector, and a model crag in every way, is Secret Garden. I have equipped most routes there, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but I think a lot of climbers would agree with me!

Is there any advice that you would give to climbers visiting the island? Is there anything that you think often gets missed or overlooked?
Aris and Katie: Don’t skip the guidebook introduction! There’s a reason why all that info is there in the first place. We would particularly like to emphasize the proper use of lower-offs on Kalymnos. Climbers must know how to top-rope and lower from the anchors using their own gear. The fixed clippable carabiners have greatly contributed to the safety record of Kalymnos climbing, but they are somewhat of a luxury: they are expensive, require maintenance, and become damaged when thousands of ropes grind through them when lowering or top-roping from them directly. Also, be considerate at the crag. Say hello, clean your chalk marks, keep your voices down, bury your poop, pack away your toilet paper. These simple behaviors go a long way. That being said, the global climbing community of Kalymnos is like no other, and we are ever grateful for people’s offers to help, words of encouragement, and active support of Kalymnos climbing every time a climber buys our guidebook. Thank you, all!

To see more of one of this year’s most anticipated guidebook releases check out, climbkalymnos.com/guidebook You can secure your copy here, as well as at dedicated outdoor retailers and booksellers worldwide in addition to any number of spots on the island of Kalymnos. Photo courtesy of Hanna Jordan.

Elias Arriagada Krüger, who previously had one 8c as his hardest route, has done Unendliche Geschichte 1+2+3 (9a) in Magic Wood.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
“Unendlich Geschichte” was on my mind since I have stepped into magic wood the first time. Before even arriving I saw it on pictures and I was instantly impressed but also intimidated. Back then I did not even climb 8a and didn’t dare to think I could climb it someday. From the beginning on I hated the idea of climbing the boulder just into the middle of the wall and then jump down, especially because it’s possible to top it out. So for me it was always clear that if I climb “Unendlich Geschichte”, I had to do it with top-out and then as a route. In fact I checked out the last part even before I climbed the first part.

Last year was the first time I seriously tried to link the parts. I think I had like 2 sessions, came kinda close to link part 1 and 2, but wasn’t successful. This year, right after my competition season ended, I drove to Magic Wood for a few days and put some work into it again. On my last day, after climbing “Voigas” 8a+ and “Dark Sakai” 8b, I was able to link part 1 and 2 but didn’t have the harness on. One week later I came back with my good friend Flo Wintjes for the weekend. He started the day with an ascent of “Mystic Styles” and gave me later the spot a belay on “Unendlich Geschichte”. I warmed up with the link of the second and third part. Then I started giving my first real Go’s with harness and on my 4th Go, I finally came through the second part again and didn’t let go until I was standing on top of the bloc. I was so happy that I did not fall on the last part, because I got so pumped that I still felt my forearms the next day hahah. Incredible happy that I finally climbed this kingline, absolutely a dream come true!

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Jain Kim, who previously has won 29 Lead World Cups, secured her first victory since 2019. The 34-year-old made it five holds higher than Nonoa Kume and Helene Janicot. It should be mentioned that Chaehyun Seo, who won the semi, was called down as she missed clipping one quickdraw. Complete female results

Among the males, Toby Roberts was in a league on his own cruising to the top and he actually turned to the audience and waved two holds from the top. Sam Avezou was runner-up and 16-year-old Sorato Anraku got the bronze. Complete male results (c) Jan Virt

Jain Kim: “I really didn’t expect to get gold as there are so many good young climbers, I’m just happy to stand between them. It’s pretty amazing. Unbelievable. I wanted to make my daughter proud, and I think she will be. I’m sure she is in bed right now but when I get back to Korea I am going to give her my medal.”

Toby Roberts: “It’s absolutely incredible, I’m a bit lost for words right now. I’m still incredibly pumped and my heart is going. There are no words. The crowd was incredible and it felt so surreal up there. For me Lead has always been extra special. I really enjoy the aspect of fighting and giving your absolute maximum and hearing the crowd get behind you when you give everything."

Jonathan Siegrist, who previously has done 70 routes 9a to 9b, has sent Jungle Boogie (9a+) in Céüse. Including also an onsight of Radote jolie pépère (8b) the 37-year-old is #3 in the 8a ranking game. (c) Ryan Deegan
“A total nemesis for me! So hard. I lost track of the days but it was.. a lot. I felt so close for a while now but just couldn't quite get the stars to align. Patience was the key. So proud that I saw it through, especially as the heat has arrived and the pressure was really mounting.”

What was the trick in the end?
It took some time to get the specific strength for it, and then it took a while to keep pushing and hope for the variables to align (skin, conditions, my mental and physical). In the end the ‘trick’ was patience and accepting the idea that I might try forever 😂

The Reusa brothers, Michele and Matteo, who both previously have done two 8c+, have sent TCT (9a) in Gravere.

Michele, in the picture, comments: ”I tried the route for 2 days plus attempts on the 2 routes that make it up (L'Extremacura (8c) and Base Jump (8b+)). The route is very beautiful. It’s a resistance route and the game is to do the 8c very easy in order to arrive on the 8b+ well.”

Matteo, 15, has won two Euro Boulder Cups in 2023 and Michele, 16, was #6 in his only appearance. In the 8a ranking game, the little brother is #4 and big brother is #6.

Ainhize Belar Barrutia, who two months ago did her first 9a, has done Welcome to Tijuana (8c) in , after trying it 4-5 sessions. (c) Javi Pec

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Café solo was one of the few crags that was dry because it has been raining a lot so I decided to try it. It’s a short route with very powerful movements, especially if you are not tall, but I enjoyed it a lot.

What are your summer plans?
Now I want to do some projects that I have close to home and in August I will go to Ceuse and Frankenjura to know other places. I have national competitions after summer (Lead especially) but now I’m more focused on the rock.

Stephan Vogt has done Power of now 8B+ and End of Story (8c+) in Magic Wood. The 29-year-old German has previously done two 9a's and also two 8C's. (c) Friederike Traub

Can you tell us more about these latest sends?
After two very intense months filled with lots of route setting and filmmaking, I decided to return to Magic Wood. A place very dear to my heart. The plan was to focus on a few climbs I always wanted to do. When climbing „Stil for Talent“ (fb8C) and „Never Ending Story 1+2+3“(9a) in 2021 I already saw this beautiful yet intimidating line going from the Jug of Never Ending Story slightly left and up to the top of the Bruno Block. In my opinion, this is the best and most logical ropeless way up, and it seems crazy that no one had climbed it yet. When I arrived here a few weeks ago I heard that Josh Cornah did the first ascent last year. I checked it out on the rope and sent it quickly after relearning the lower parts. This line has about 25+ moves so I think giving it 8c+ as a lead grade makes most sense, for it feels slightly easier than the right exit, which gets 9a. It also feels a lot easier than „Stil for Talent“ so if you were to give it a boulder grade I think 8B+ sounds fair considering that the first two parts are low end 8B+.

Two Years ago I also had a good session on „Power of Now“ in my opinion one of the best boulders in the forest. First Ascended by Giuliano Cameroni. So naturally this one was on my list as well. Pretty happy to see that my winter training with Gabriel Prange seems to have helped with becoming a more powerful climber. In my second session this trip I finally stuck the first hard move which I could not do last time. A few sessions later I found myself on top of this amazing boulder. Good trip so far. Can't wait so see what the next week will bring before returning to Germany.

”During the IFSC Executive Board meeting yesterday, 5 July 2023, the IFSC took note of the resignations submitted by the Medical and Antidoping Commission Chair, Eugen Burtscher (AUT) and member, Volker Schoeffl (GER) and thank them for their service to the sport and athletes’ health. The Executive Board gave full support to the remaining members of the Medical Commission and to the IFSC Sport Department to deliver on approved IFSC Executive Board protocols.” Here you can read the IFSC statement.

8a asked Volker Schöffl, who just resigned from the IFSC Medical Commission, due to the "non-action of IFSC", in regard to RED-S problems of the athletes, to comment on the new IFSC statement.

"Well, it just shows that they do not get the message, continue the way they treat it and do not take internal consequences. Disappointing. Also, it just causes me to worry even more. We have made a very detailed plan and worked on this for months. Nevertheless, they always delay it… or don't want to take real action. Thanks for taking up the topic.”

Could you say something about the plan especially if it includes something practical which can easily be understood?
The plan was: to screen for low BMI/MI. Athletes under a certain threshold would be considered and needed to hand in medical tests, eg lan, bone mineral density, etc, as well as psychological evaluation and questionnaire for reds and eating disorders. These medical health data would undergo medical evaluation in accordance with a scoring system developed with IOC Medcom guidance. Then they would get graded; Green, Yellow, and Red. Red, meaning the risk for athletes' health or psyche IFSC would be supposed to not allow competing for a certain time. It is quite easy. A lot of work went into establishing the evaluation parameters. Everything was finalised from our side weeks ago. No further action was done by IFSC, delayed the process, and did not communicate. MI is mass index which is a fairer version of BMI. Had lots and lots of external specialist opinions etc considered. While BMI/MI has its flaws it is still the easiest ubiquitous accessible tool, also proposed by WHO. It is not used to disqualify anyone, just a filter to see who may have a problem.