Oriane Bertone (15) interview

Oriane Bertone did her first 8A boulder at age 9 and with 70 up to 8C, she has been one of the best female boulderers for a couple of years although born 2005. On the competition scene, she has won almost every youth comp she has participated in.

When did you start climbing and what is it that attract you the most climbing routes and boulders?
Since I started climbing 7 years ago, my desires and my way of climbing have changed a lot. In the beginning, everything was beautiful to climb and I loved the feeling of arriving at the top of an object or obstacle, whatever it was. Over time, after visiting magnificent gyms and incredible natural sites, I began to find pleasure in the beauty of sites, lines, rocks, or holds. I also started to take an interest in the history of sites, roads, boulders, route setters, etc. Now I choose more what I climb and how to climb it, but what has not changed is the motivation and the pleasure to find myself at the top of my projects.

What is it you like the most in your climbing life?
What I love most about my climbing life is traveling. I love changing places, lifestyle, meeting new people. The natural sites are incredible, but I also like going to Turin, Milan, Stuttgart, Darmstadt, Innsbruck, etc. to discover incredible gyms, even if the private gyms in Reunion Island are great too.

Are there any challenges you have never tried but are looking forward to?
To be honest the next challenge that excites me particularly is to participate in senior competitions. I loved so much the ADIDAS Rockstar and the Studio Bloc Master last year. I look forward to competing in other competitions with super strong girls and super hard boulders and routes to try.

How is the climbing scene where you live?
In Reunion Island, we are a few climbers, but we all know each other and we are very united. Competitors are followed with great attention by clubs, the climbing league, private gyms. Some older climbers continue to bolt routes and brush boulders all over the island. It’s great to come back to Reunion after each trip!

Who has meant most for your climbing life?
It’s hard to say. My father and my mother, of course, are not climbers but who do everything to train and follow me in my travels. But I don't forget my first trainer François Baux, and my current trainers at the club, Vincent Etchar, and at the climbing pole in La Réunion, Philippe Gaboriaud. Many other people count and have counted in my life as a climber and which it's impossible to quote here.

Any specific goals in the short and long time perspective?
There are few short-term goals in the competition as the world championship should be canceled. Naturally, my goals are simply to progress by taking pleasure in climbing what I like. For example, in Saint Léger I had a very hard project that seemed feasible, but I preferred to abandon it because I did not want to spend my 15 days on one route. I will take the performances when the opportunity arises. In the longer term, I am thinking of Paris 2024 of course, but there is so much that can happen that it is more of a dream than a goal at the moment.