Being a competition climber doesn't sound so bad

"Baku didn´t have to offer any climbing gym for a little training session, so we went on a playground again to do some pull-ups and core-exercises again. The playground was on a schoolyard so it became quite busy when the kids came out for there lunch break. They wanted to take photos with us, we needed to conciliate their love stories, and the little boys challenges big boys to pull-up-duels.
The other day we did some yoga in the fitness room of our hotel, from where we had a impressive view over Baku."

From Juliane Wurm (video above from their playground activities in China :)

 

But then again, there's always the other view which gives an interesting perspective(!):

"Yesterday I read that Baku was hoping to hold a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2016. This both surprised me and amused me in turn. Anyone that knows Formula 1 knows of Bernie Ecclestone the legendary boss of the sport.

The simple truth is Bernie would not tolerate a fraction of what the IFSC tolerated in Baku this previous weekend. Here is a man that grew Formula 1 from niche sport to where it is today by expecting a high level of professionalism wiIth every event organizer contracted, one not afraid to walk away if the event didn’t meet the standard expected as a top echelon professional sport. The onus is on the IFSC to exact the same high standards of organizers of World Cup climbing events to ensure the growth and development of competition climbing."

Strong words from The Circuit Climbing Magazine (my review of the magazine 1st issue is here). Great review of the competitors caps off a good write-up too.

Neal McQuaid