Quizás la escalada y los escaladores deberían modificar algunas de sus formas de pensar y actuar. De ello está segura Emma Twyford, recientemente nombrada embajadora de la marca Patagonia y conocida por ser la primera escaladora que encadenaba 9a en el Reino Unido, con su ascensión de Big Bang en los acantilados de Lower Pen Trwyn (Gales) hace justo un año.
His words show love for the variety of British rock, as well as a solid commitment to the environment and social justice.It is no accident that Emma Twyford has won an outstanding position among the voices led by the United Kingdom Escalators community.
How were your beginnings at the climb? I started climbing when I was seven years old with my father and friends.My beginnings were the classic escalation in the district of Los Lagos.I fell in love with the challenges and beauty of the escalation immediately.With 17 years, infectious mononucleosis and, although the disease sometimes gave me a break, I stopped climbing for a year to focus on studies.I took a good time to recover the enthusiasm for climbing and my interest in her.It arose when leaving the competitive climb and returning to my passion on the outside.
Most of the main achievements in your climbing career to date have been in the United Kingdom.Why?Do you have the British rock a certain attraction for you? They are several factors, and perhaps the simplest is the time.Due to work, I can't always travel far during prolonged periods.But I have also developed a passion for climbing in the United Kingdom.It is where I grew up and my heart is in those mountains.The history of climbing in the United Kingdom is so extensive that it is difficult not to admire it and feel impressed by some of the first intrepid promotions.It may not always be in remote and wild places, or enjoy the impressive Alpine landscape, but the diversity of climbing we have in the United Kingdom is really incredible.I love promoting what we have close.I think it is important that I do not give it for fact.Yes, we may have a horrifying weather, but it is not necessary to travel outside to enjoy incredible experiences.
Big Bang chain, and its consequent film, represent important moments of your career.How has it influenced you?How do you feel when recognized outside the climbing circles of the United Kingdom? It is difficult for that to have not affected my trajectory.I hope you mean a little more freedom to pursue the objectives and challenges I have now, but we face difficult times with Covid and its consequences.And that, without talking about climate change.Basically, in the great scheme of the world, climbing projects and success are a drop in the ocean compared to the problems we face at this time.
For me, Big Bang was a very personal journey and I still can cost me all the emotions that arise with the success of completing a great project.Being recognized outside the climbing circles of the United Kingdom is fine, but I did not do it to obtain the approval or recognition of others.The only thing that matters to me is that this has not changed my principles, and the recognition that I esteem comes most from my family and friends, which are everything to me.
You are a kind of key piece inside the climbing in the United Kingdom.How is it to be so involved in the country's escalation community? It seems surreal to be in the focus and have been part of the history of the British climbing.I am quite introverted until I know people, so sometimes I find it difficult, but I also enjoy trying to inspire and motivate people.That's why I love offering guidance and giving talks, even if I get nervous.If I can inspire a single person to go beyond whatever possible, it is worth it.I hope that, by collaborating with the British community, people realize that I am only a normal person, like any other, who strives to get their goals.
Do you have any objective in Europe, in the short or long term? I have some earrings, but not for this year, because I don't want to risk.I imagine that not all of them will materialize, but I hope someone is possible.
I would love to visit the Verdon, one of my ideal ways there is Tom et Je ris, but I also want to try some of the spectacular climbs of several lengths that it offers.Another dream route is patience, in the Eiger.That has been around my head for some years.
I also have sport climbing challenges;Maybe return to Oliana or Céüse.I would like to reflect on how to meet those objectives producing the minimum impact or making longer trips so that the displacement compensates.I am reluctant to fly from one place to another just to carry them out.
Pandemia has disrupted many of the climbing travel plans this year.Have you influenced that you focus on goals near home?Do you consider that the same can be said in the case of other climbers? I hope that the Covid has changed our way of thinking.It is the form that Mother nature has to send us a great alarm about our need to change the destructive path we are taking.We have already received enough notices.
I guess most of my goals have always been close to home and I am happy to follow that path.We can enjoy fantastic adventures near home.It is very difficult because a part of being climber is to explore wild places, and being confined is not natural for many of us.But we can adapt and make the most of what we possess, although it is not what we had before.
Maybe now there has come a time when we have to limit our freedom to explore remote places if we want to slow down climate change.That does not mean that we have to put limits to ourselves;We may only have to continue our passion in a different way.Maybe the next great adventure consists in exploring the areas near the house where we have never been to appreciate what we have always given.
I think many climbers have had a bad time.I know some who have taken a break, have changed their objectives and have reflected more about the way we can be responsible when doing what we are passionate about.As for me, confinement brought with it a very necessary break.I didn't train much, but I took it as an opportunity to recover and focus on learning new skills.
What role do climbers play in the protection of the rocks of their native lands and in the acquisition of greater knowledge about the natural areas in which they climb? I think we have the responsibility of being respectful anywhere where we climb.Many roads are located in precious places and we must leave the slightest mark possible respecting the places where we scaled.
The United Kingdom has a long history of traditional rock climbing and it is important that climbing remains as natural as possible, minimizing the use of plates, for example.The use of fixed anchors should be reserved for sports climbing areas.We also have the responsibility of respecting those who practice other outdoor activities, as well as the locals, without saturating the areas, respecting access rules and minimizing noise.
With regard to the natural habitat of the United Kingdom, there are certain restrictions related to birds, so the climbers must always verify the restrictions of the rock in the BMC RAD Access application.We have no priority to climb in those places;We must always respect them as the habitat of endangered species or perhaps as places of scientific interest.They are climbing that can be done at certain times of the year, so we must be patient.If a person breaches those rules, feel a precedent for other climbers to do so too.
You recently joined the A-C-T for Our Summits movement.Tell us what it consists of and how you involved you.A-C-T for Our Summits was recently created by the Arnaud Petit and Christophe Dumarest climbers with the aim of reducing our impact by 10% each year, in line with the reports of the CPIC (Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Climate Change).Making the decision to participate in it was not difficult.I am very aware that, as a community of climbers, we cannot continue on the same destructive path.
Since we are sponsored athletes, we have the responsibility of being more responsible and using our influence to encourage others to do the same.That implies looking at everything, from the way we move to the food we consume and the clothes we wear.To protect the places we love, we must consider whether we really need new things or if it is feasible to repair our teams.We must also ask ourselves if it is necessary to travel to practice our sport or we can find spectacular climbing places near home.I think it is important to find the right balance.For some it will be impossible not to travel, but we must consider the impact we can have when choosing the projects or the way to travel to materialize them.
In most cases it is about changing the way to tell the stories.If you analyze it carefully, the climb consists only of that piece of rock.We feel a great passion for what we do, but it can be a selfish activity.Instead of focusing on the graduation of difficulty, we should pay attention to the natural beauty that surrounds the sport - demonstrating time to enjoy the trip, culture, fauna and flora - and know how to appreciate it.
No one is perfect, but it's never too late to improve.If we can influence others to achieve positive changes for the future - to introduce those changes ourselves - it is already a good beginning.
Thanks to the support of the manifestations of Black Lives Matter worldwide, the issues of justice, equality, diversity and inclusion are of public conscience.How are you working on these issues? These are very important issues and it is shameful that something as horrible has to happen as the death of George Floyd for people to realize.
We must focus on supporting each other more, being more friendly and more aware than what happens, instead of making specific statements and continuing with our life.Instead, we should keep awareness about matters, remain open to maintain conversations and continue supporting those who drive the debate.
It is something that could be compared to confinement.For some of us, the situation has made us reflect on all our actions and we are making positive changes.But then there are other people who ignore the problems and continue with their usual life.For example, in the district of Los Lagos, where my family lives, the amount of tents and garbage that people who practiced free camping have recently been horrible have left.
In my case, it is important to read and investigate to train ourselves and also to be honest and admit that we may not understand all issues.I realize that I occupy a privilege position.I have never had a bad time, I have always had work and a house to live in, I am not afraid of the police stop me, so I cannot affirm that I totally understand the experiences of many black people, but I can contribute a certain degree ofempathy and I can spend time listening, learning and showing my love and support.
I hope things change for better, but everything takes time and, unfortunately, also a violent and horrifying act as a catalyst.
You have become a Patagonia ambassador this year.How does it affect your way of thinking about environmental matters in general to be part of the company? I am excited to be part of a company that cares about the environment and other important issues outside the climbing.
I have very good friends who work within Oceanography, so we usually have long conversations about climate change.When I was in the twenty one, and perhaps it was something naive, I always wondered how someone could make a change and influence multinationals.But then you look at YC or Greta, and that is exactly what they have done.
Being part of Patagonia means being on a platform to make these changes and participate in a fantastic support network.There is no planet B, so we have to make changes to take care of this, or suffer the consequences.
Any positive influence we can exert is a step in the right direction.What we eat, how we travel to carry out our projects, the clothes we wear and promote, care for the environment and defense against projects that damage the natural habitat are important factors on which we can exert some influence.I value a lot that we can learn mutually within Patagonia.I am far from being perfect, but I like that we can hear our ideas and opinions, and collaborate to make positive changes.
As a climber, in view of factors such as COVID and the realities presented.It is important to weigh those trips and the duration and potential they suppose.The climbers pursue our passion, sometimes selfishly, traveling around the world to climb.
As a climber with some influence, I have to think responsible about the message that I want to convey and what the trips mean: Are you really well to fly everywhere if the duration of the rooms is brief?I do not think so.
If I can limit myself to a single flight per year and then use other means of transport, such as the train, I would have achieved an improvement.I am trying to plan my trips now and make the most of any period, for example, joining certain projects at the same time, so that my displacements are reduced.It is not the only factor that we must change, but it is a beginning.
You know the challenges of living from climbing well.How has it gone to you in recent years? It is not easy.I learned quite soon that, if I wanted to work my own path to independence, it was difficult to depend solely on the sponso.Over the years, I have considered the security of full -time work, but I am not made to be sitting in front of a desk.I love the variety of my work and the new challenges.
I decided to become Route Setter.Most of the time, my projects are not too demanding at the physical level, but it can be difficult to plan projects around work.The only project that was very affected by this was Big Bang.A little more freedom to prove it and not be tired would have been useful.But I can not complain.I feel very fortunate in general and I am willing to work hard to achieve my goals.
Is there a favorite Patagonia garment that you have taken for a long time?And why have you continued using it for a season after another? I suffer a lot of the cold, so I like having a good jacket that shelter.I really like the micro puff jacket, and I have been most of the days.It is light, shelter and is also perfect to wear it under another bigger jacket if it's very cold.I consider it the best of my jackets to climb to date.Do not release any pen thanks to the Fill pen, so even if I make a hook, it is easy to repair.If the temperature rises, it is collected and becomes very small, so it is easy to transport when you scale.
And the last question: limestone or sandstone ... What do you prefer? Well, if you have to choose between only those two, I keep the limestone rock, of course.I have bad circulation, so I don't carry winter very well in the sandstone, and I like a good strip too much.
