VIII. Gay Games Cologne 2010

Climbing is known as a sport for single contenders, made famous by the scene of Tom Cruise, in the opening credits of the “Mission Impossible II”, making his way through the rocks, hand over hand, at breathtaking risk. And of course you get jealous, when sweat is dripping from the muscular arms of the climbers.

But on the precipice there are also friends. The common cliché will be disproved in early August, when the climbing competitions at the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010 start. “The competitions shouldn´t be that arduous. It´s going to be about climbing together”, promises Nicole Pirpamer. It´s more about fun than a killer competition. Climbing hadn´t been in the program of the Gay Games since the 1998 Games in Amsterdam, when Nicole Pirpamer (39) of Neuss won the gold medal. Now she is supporting the organizers as an expert.

The rush for the limited places in the climbing competition could be huge, and not just because climbing hasn´t been part of the Gay Games for quite some years. “I am expecting a very international field of climbers. There will be sportsmen and women who haven’t been into climbing for a long time”, says Pirpamer. She thinks that the Gay Games Cologne is the perfect place to start competition events. This happened back in 1998 in Amsterdam. As Pirpamer went hand over hand to “gold”, there were a lot of athletes who had never seen a climbing hall from the inside. And these competitors had fun. Climbing will take place in the “Kletterfabrik” in Koeln-Ehrenfeld. The hall is in a central location and easy to reach by bus or tram.

Climbing as a competitive sport has changed a lot during the last 10 years. It´s no long just a sport for fearless eccentrics. “In the past we were known as strange customers. Today, even at a staff outing or a child´s birthday, they go climbing”, notes Pirpamer. In every major city there is a climbing hall. Everybody can climb up artificial rocks without a lot of effort. At the Gay Games Cologne, sport climbing is going to see major teamwork. “We slightly changed the rules. Nobody is going to be isolated, to prevent people unable to see the right way, while others are climbing” announces the expert.

When Nicole Pirpamer thinks about her first trips to climb, she turns a bit nostalgic. In her family album, there is a photo where her father and her aunt are standing in the Dolomites in South Tyrol. In the background the massive rocks of the famous “Rosengarten” rise up in the sky. “I often looked at the pictures. At that time the desire to climb arose. I wanted to do something special”, she remembers. At the age of 13, she attended her first climbing class, followed by weekend trips to the climbing walls in the region. Today she runs a climbing school and works as a climbing trainer.

Sportsmen and women can register for the climbing event until the end of May. For some disciplines, the entry is limited. It is recommended to register as soon as possible to assure your spot at the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010.

“Be part of it!”