Name: Jo Gordon
DOB: 09/02/1976
Interview By: Ben Moon

Jo is one of the new generation who came to climbing via an indoor climbing wall and only fairly recently (1998) but became British Bouldering Champion in both 2002 and 2004. This is a mighty fine achievement and just proves what is possible if you really apply yourself to something.

BM - When and where did you start climbing?
JG - Nottingham Climbing Centre, January 1998.

BM - Do you have a favorite style of climbing (traditional, sport, bouldering etc)?
JG - Bouldering is what I love! I enjoy both aspects of indoor and outdoor bouldering. I consider these two separate entities. I do enjoy sport climbing but only really as a training mechanism for bouldering.

BM - What would be your top route recommendations in the UK?
JG - When I started climbing I enjoyed a lot of trad routes. You know the routes that all first time climbers enjoyed, you cant beat them, you know, Flying Buttress, The Sloth and pretty much any of the great classics on Stanage edge.

BM - And abroad?
JG - To be honest I havent done many routes abroad and if I do go abroad it's usually to boulder. Although I did enjoy a climbing trip to Costa Daurada I couldnt name a route and just threw myself up and down things!

BM - What would be your top boulder problem recommendations in the UK?
JG - I love Gardens, any problem there!!! For pure girlieness though, I do love Green Traverse @ Stanage which I would guess would be a favorite for a lot of women.

BM - And abroad?
JG - Dont get enough time off work to travel abroad climbing. I either get to choose snowboarding or climbing for two weeks of the year, and I need my snowboarding fix as well so I tend to stick to UK climbing which involves visiting Yorkshire, Cornwall, Wales etc.

BM - How often do you climb?
JG - When I can, usually 3 2-hour sessions per week Mon Fri and then outdoors at the weekends if the weather is good.

BM - How often do you train and for how many hours per session?
JG - This varies during seasons and if any competitions were coming up. For example winter training which included training for the British Bouldering Championship would be 5 sessions a week lasting about 3 hours. This time of year, Spring, less climbing indoors and more out! Same as most people. I also do other sports as well, to keep up fitness and I enjoy wakeboarding and mountain biking.

BM - Where do you train?
JG - Nottingham Climbing Centre

BM - What kind of training do you do?
JG Circuits, bouldering, leading, top roping, a little weights, cycling and circuit training.

BM - Your top training tip or tips?
JG - Eat less, climb with people who are better than you and take 3 days rest before if you are trying to do something at or close to your limit. Vary your training and try doing another sport that could be specific to climbing eg kayaking or Yoga. I think it is important as well to switch off from climbing sometimes and do other things.

BM - Your best achievement?
JG British Bouldering Champion in 2002 and 2004.

BM - What is your opinion on competitions? Good, bad or indifferent?
JG - I have conflicting opinions on comps. Good for challenging yourself and ultimately having a goal to focus on and when you win, its a great feeling. Bad for morale when you have a bad comp. You only have yourself to blame or judge. You feel like you have failed yourself sometimes I find that quite hard to let go of.

BM - Your goals for 2005?
JG - To get outside more!!!!