On the wall with Alex Honnold: Sport climbing's new heights

Summary notes created by Deciphr AI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-wall-with-alex-honnold-sport-climbings-new-heights/id1347405249?i=1000661769105
Abstract

Abstract

The Olympics.com podcast delves into the excitement of Paris 2024, highlighting the remarkable speed climbing event, which now surpasses the 100-meter dash as the fastest Olympic event. Featuring insights from climbing legends like Sam Watson, Brooke Rabbitou, Adam Ondra, and Alex Honnold, the episode explores the evolution and allure of sport climbing. The guests discuss the sport's growing popularity, the camaraderie within the climbing community, and the technical and mental challenges of competition. Additionally, the podcast touches on the rich history of the Palace of Versailles, the venue for equestrian events and modern pentathlon at the upcoming games.

Summary Notes

Introduction to Paris 2024 Climbing Events

  • Speed Climbing as the Fastest Event: Speed climbing has become the fastest medal event at the Olympics, surpassing the 100-meter dash.
    • Men's world record: 4.79 seconds by Sam Watson (USA).
    • Women's world record: 6.24 seconds by Alexandra Miroslaw (Poland).
    • Climbers ascend 15 meters (50 feet) vertically, aiming to reach the top as quickly as possible.

"For the first time in Olympic history, the fastest medal event at the games won't be the hundred-meter dash in athletics. Instead, that title now belongs to speed climbing."

  • Introduction of Climbing in Tokyo 2020: Climbing made its Olympic debut with a combined event of boulder, lead, and speed.
    • Paris 2024 will feature separate medals for Boulder and Lead, and for Speed climbing.

"In Paris, climbing will have two medals, one for Boulder and Lead, and one for Speed."

Key Athletes and Personalities

  • Sam Watson: American speed climber holding the men's world record.
  • Brooke Rabbitoh: American boulder and lead climber from a pioneering climbing family.
  • Adam Ondra: Czech climber known for his versatility and five-time World Champion in Boulder and Lead.
  • Alex Honnold: Famous for free soloing El Capitan, subject of the documentary "Free Solo."

"We're going to hear a bit from Sam Watson, the speed climber, later in this episode, as well as Brooke Rabbitoh, another American who recently sealed her second Olympic berth."

Growth of Climbing as a Sport

  • Alex Honnold on Climbing's Popularity: Climbing has seen steady growth over the past 20 years, becoming more mainstream.
    • Increase in climbing gyms and number of climbers.
    • Higher competition levels and better facilities.

"I think it's been popular for climbers to talk about the growth of climbing for the last 20 years. I've been climbing for almost 30 years and I feel like the entire time people have been talking about how climbing is getting bigger and more mainstream."

  • Challenges for Spectators: The difficulty of competitive climbing is hard to grasp without context.
    • Elite climbers make challenging routes look easy.
    • Suggestion for a layperson to compete for perspective.

"I think for somebody watching at home, the thing to remember is that what these competitors are doing is almost impossible. Like I wouldn't be able to even get past the starting holds on a lot of the boulder problems."

Impact of Olympic Format Changes

  • Specialization in Climbing Disciplines: Separation of Speed from Boulder and Lead is beneficial.
    • Competitors can focus on their specialized disciplines.
    • Higher standards and more passionate competition.

"It's really good for climate competition that the speed medal has been split out from the lead and bouldering medal. The competitors are much happier about it just because speed climbers typically specialize in speed climbing, that's all they work on."

  • Skepticism Around Combined Format: Initial skepticism about the combined format and the sport's inclusion in the Olympics.
    • Concerns about losing the core essence of climbing.

"In Tokyo, there was a little bit of skepticism in the climbing community partially around the format, the combined. The combined format. But then also just whether or not it was good for the sport to be in the Olympics."

Conclusion

  • Excitement for Paris 2024: Enthusiasm for the upcoming games and the evolution of climbing as a sport.
    • Anticipation for seeing specialized events and high-level competition.

"Welcome into the olympics.com podcast. I'm Nick McArville and it gives me great pleasure. It actually gives me goosebumps to say the Olympic Games, Paris 2024, are merely days away."

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the key themes and ideas discussed in the podcast transcript, ensuring a detailed understanding of the topics covered.

Growth and Evolution of Competition Climbing

  • Climbing has gained significant recognition with two medals in the Paris Games.
  • The standards in competition climbing are continuously rising, with competitors becoming younger and more talented.
  • Older climbers are also becoming fans due to the high level of skill exhibited by current competitors.

"It's been great to see the growth of competition climbing. It's been great to see the rising standards in competition. I mean, the competitors are honestly getting younger and more talented, and it's incredible."

  • The evolution in competition climbing has introduced movements that were previously non-existent in outdoor climbing.
  • These new movements expand the possibilities for outdoor climbing, pushing the boundaries of what climbers can achieve.

"Competition climbing really is at the cutting edge of climbing movement. Like, they're doing things that no climbers have ever done before because it's so hard to find movement like that outdoors."

  • The influence of competition climbing extends to the broader climbing community, introducing new skills and techniques.

"The movements that competition climbers do broaden what's possible outdoors because they bring a whole new set of skills to the broader climbing community."

Inspirations and Heroes in Climbing

  • The speaker grew up looking up to the previous generation of rock climbers, known as the stone masters.
  • Influential figures included Peter Croft, John Backer, Dean Potter, and Lynn Hill.

"I grew up in California. So a lot of the Yosemite climbers and people that were climbing in southern California, so there were a few people like Peter Croft, John Backer, people like Dean Potter, Lynn Hill, sort of icons of the previous generation were the heroes that I had as I grew up."

  • The sport of climbing has evolved significantly since the days of these early icons.

"But really, the sport's changed a lot since then because that now feels like ancient history compared to where climbing is now."

Current Influences and Respect in Competitive Climbing

  • The speaker respects older competition climbers like Adam Ondra, Jakob Schubert, and Alex Megos for their achievements both in competitions and in outdoor climbing.

"I think that some of the competition climbers that I personally respect the most now are actually some of the older competition climbers. So people like Adam Andre, Jakob Schubert, Alex Magos, even."

  • These climbers have excelled in the hardest routes and big walls outdoors, demonstrating their versatility and skill.

"They've been elite competitors, and they've used that skill to do all the hardest things in the world outdoors as well. And I really respect that."

  • The speaker anticipates that young phenoms like Suratu will also achieve significant outdoor climbing feats in the future.

"And I'm sure that he's going to wind up climbing the hardest routes in the world outdoors as well. But for now, he's just a competition phenom."

Longevity and High-Level Performance in Climbing

  • Jakob Schubert is highlighted as an example of a climber maintaining high performance despite aging.
  • Schubert's recent accomplishments include climbing one of the hardest graded routes in the world.

"Jakob Schubert is amazing. I mean, he's 30. I mean, he's one of the oldest competitors in the field right now. And he climbed the second hardest route in the world this year."

  • The speaker draws a parallel to athletes like Tom Brady, who continue to excel at an older age.

"It's like seeing Tom Brady or something where you're like, oh, he's 45 and he's still lacing up his cleats and getting out there and you're like, that's cool."

Female Competition Climbing

  • Jana Garnbret is noted for her dominance in female competition climbing, winning consistently over many years.
  • Natalia Grossman is also recognized for her achievements, including qualifying for the Olympics and defeating Garnbret.

"Jana Grandba has been dominant in a way that's rare to see in any sport when somebody just wins consistently for many years, nonstop. Natalia Grossman, who is a qualified American Olympian, is also pretty exciting to watch."

  • The women's field in climbing is described as more wide open with many young competitors emerging.

"In some ways, I feel like the women's circuit is a little bit more fresh than the men's surrogate. A few of the male competitors have been around for a very long time, whereas I feel like some of the most successful female competitors have aged out and retired from competition."

Global Growth of Climbing

  • Climbing has experienced a global boom, with significant growth in popularity in the US and other parts of the world.
  • Countries like South Korea, Japan, and China are seeing a rise in climbing culture and facilities.

"I think climbing has gained tons of popularity in the US, but what we don't really see climbing here in the US is that it's experienced the same boom in the rest of the world."

  • The increase in global participation is contributing to higher standards in the sport due to the larger talent pool.

"The boom in climbing all over the world is really just contributing to this rising standard because there's just more talent, you know, as you suspect, as more people do a sport, you wind up finding more people who are really good at it."

Inspiration from High Performance Athletes

  • Athletes' dedication and effort are sources of inspiration.
  • The experience of witnessing high performance in person is expected to be even more inspiring.

"I like seeing the athletes and how hard they try and how much they've put into their journeys as athletes."

  • Highlights the admiration for athletes' commitment and hard work.

Comparing Average Humans to Elite Athletes

  • The idea of an average person swimming next to an elite athlete like Katie Ledecky.
  • Provides a stark contrast to illustrate the difficulty and skill involved in elite sports.

"I would volunteer to be the random guy in the slow lane next to the swimmers... just to get a sense of how hard it is to be an elite swimmer."

  • Demonstrates the significant gap between average individuals and elite athletes.

Continuous Improvement and Satisfaction

  • The challenge of always striving to improve and rarely feeling satisfied.
  • Continuous improvement as a core motivator, despite the ups and downs.

"The hardest part about always wanting to improve is rarely feeling satisfied."

  • Emphasizes the internal drive for self-improvement and the difficulty in achieving complete satisfaction.

Special Aspects of Sport Climbing

  • The physical and mental demands of sport climbing.
  • The excitement of continuous learning and pushing the sport's limits.

"The physicality as well as the mental space needed to compete in both bouldering and lead is impressive."

  • Highlights the dual challenges of physical and mental aspects in climbing.

The Climbing Community

  • The supportive and friendly nature of the climbing community.
  • Sharing techniques and supporting each other, even as competitors.

"We want to win with everyone doing their best and we support each other."

  • Reflects the camaraderie and mutual support within the climbing community.

Problem-Solving in Climbing

  • The importance of problem-solving skills in climbing.
  • Balancing understanding the problem with trusting instincts during competitions.

"We are literally problem-solving every day in climbing."

  • Underlines the analytical aspect of climbing and the need for mental agility.

Adam Ondra on Climbing Community and Competition

  • The unique aspect of competing against the route rather than rivals.
  • The inclusive nature of climbing, attracting diverse personalities.

"It's quite natural and even tactical to not compete against your rivals... but compete against the route."

  • Highlights the focus on personal achievement and community over direct competition.

Outdoor vs. Indoor Climbing

  • Adam Ondra's preference for rock climbing and its significance.
  • The historical roots of climbing as an outdoor activity.

"By my heart, I'm a rock climber... it was all about just trying to get to the top."

  • Reflects the foundational aspects of climbing and personal passion for outdoor challenges.

The Spirit of Rock Climbing

  • Rock climbing is described as more than just a sport; it embodies a unique spirit.
  • The speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on rock climbing over other forms of climbing due to its intrinsic value.
  • Achieving good results in competitions, such as the Olympics, is seen as a significant goal.

"If I could take one thing, it would be climbing on the rock. Because it has something even more. I think the comp climbing is a sport and I love it, but rock climbing is a sport, but there's something more. It has the spirit inside which I think is really incredible."

  • Rock climbing is valued for its spiritual essence beyond its classification as a sport.

"For most of my climbing career I was really focusing on like pushing my limits on the rock climbing. And I think in my life I think I put even more attention towards the rock climb wing. It's really important."

  • The speaker has dedicated significant effort to rock climbing, emphasizing its importance in their life.

Experience in the Isolation Room Before Competitions

  • The isolation room experience varies, with climbers warming up on a wall before their turn.
  • The atmosphere in the isolation room can be unique, with many motivated climbers together.
  • There is a shift from a more relaxed, social environment to a serious, focused one as the competition time nears.

"The question is what we do 1 hour before we start climbing. This is quite kind of unique because there is this warm up wall and we are having, if it's a boulder round. So we are having a bouldering section usually quite often together."

  • Climbers warm up together on a bouldering section before the competition starts.

"It's kind of really tempting to. I kind of, you know, just have a training session. But you have to really remember, no, I'm here for competing."

  • Climbers must remind themselves to focus on competition rather than treating it like a training session.

"Maybe that the more, the more stressful, you know, are the last ten minutes before you start climbing. When we don't talk anymore."

  • The last ten minutes before climbing are particularly stressful and silent.

"Nowadays it's much more common that, you know, also because of the beta sharing, we are not allowed to like talk to each other, which is kind of, I don't know, maybe also it's sad because like 1015 years ago when I started, it was just so common that we would chit chat and, like, the isolation between the boulders."

  • There has been a shift from a social to a more isolated and serious environment due to rules against beta sharing.

Learning from Other Successful Athletes

  • Sam Watson discusses learning from athletes in various sports who have had similar experiences of rising to prominence at a young age.
  • Emphasizes the importance of managing oneself, expectations, and the pressures that come with success.
  • Advocates for a personal learning experience focused on continuous improvement.

"I've learned not just from climbers, but a lot of other sports and a lot of other athletes who've sort of had a little bit of a similar story to myself, where you're sort of been at a young age and you sort of explode onto the scene."

  • Watson has learned from athletes across different sports who have had similar early success.

"There's no sort of book on being a successful athlete and trying to deal with that pressure and trying to improve and manage that expectations. It really is a personal learning experience."

  • Emphasizes the lack of a definitive guide on handling success and the necessity of personal growth and learning.

"My main method was to embrace the idea of sort of, you go to each event and just try to improve."

  • Watson focuses on improvement at each event, learning from mistakes, and enhancing strengths.

Importance of Performance in Practice

  • Watson values performance in practice highly, believing it builds confidence and sets tangible goals.
  • He pursued a sub-five-second goal in practice, which helped him break psychological barriers and focus his training.

"I really value performance in practice, obviously not over performance and competition. A lot of people would tend to say that it doesn't matter to do that in practice, but I would totally say it does because it really gives you, one, that's from a confidence perspective, that knowing you can do it, it does really help."

  • Performance in practice is crucial for building confidence and proving one's capabilities.

"Pursuing a sub five in practice over the last couple months, I was like very, very big on, this is my goal, this is, I want to run a sub five time."

  • Setting and pursuing specific goals in practice helps in breaking psychological barriers and focusing training.

"If I add, say, pursuing that goal in practice, plus experience from competitions, I'll be able to combine that into exactly what I want to be towards the end of the season."

  • Combining practice goals with competition experience leads to optimal performance by the end of the season.

Historical Significance of Equestrian Venues for Paris 2024

  • The Palace of Versailles will host equestrian events and the modern pentathlon for Paris 2024.
  • The venue has a rich history with horses, dating back to the 17th century when it served as a hunting ground for French royalty.
  • The site evolved to prioritize ease and technique in horse riding, contributing to the development of modern dressage.

"The famous palace turned museum and now World Heritage Site has a history of horses that actually dates back to the 17th century, when french royalty would hunt on and around the Versailles grounds."

  • The Palace of Versailles has a long history associated with horses, dating back to the 17th century.

"According to Martin Onset, a tour guide for the Versailles tourist office beginning in 1680, the quote, ease and technique were now given priority when it came to horse riding."

  • The focus on ease and technique in horse riding at Versailles contributed to the birth of modern dressage.

Upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games

  • The podcast highlights the anticipation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, mentioning iconic venues and events.
  • Emphasizes the significance of the opening ceremony and the various sports to be hosted at notable Parisian locations.

"There's set to be countless iconic venues at Paris 2024. I'm thinking beach volleyball with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Also the Place de la Concorde, which is set to host bmx, freestyle skateboarding, pranking, and three on three basketball."

  • Paris 2024 will feature numerous iconic venues, including beach volleyball near the Eiffel Tower and other sports at Place de la Concorde.

"With the opening ceremony set for July 26, the next time we'll be with you on the pod is from Paris. In two weeks time, we're going to bring you behind the scenes coverage from the grounds."

  • The opening ceremony is scheduled for July 26, and the podcast will provide behind-the-scenes coverage from Paris.

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