Name: Katherine Schirrmacher
DOB: 04/06/1974
Interview By: Ben Moon

Katherine has been climbing for over 13 years and is one of the UK's top women climbers. She is experienced in most aspects of the sport including bouldering, sport climbing, competition climbing and traditional climbing. She is currently working towards the MIA qualification.
Katherine will be a regular contributor to the website offering tips and advice on how to improve your climbing level from a women's perspective.

BM - When and where did you start climbing?
KS - I started climbing at Leeds University when I was 18. I had a very traditional start to the sport, spending the first 9 years or so of my climbing pretty much only trad climbing. After a few summers in Chamonix and the Dolomites I thought I was going to become an alpinist! But now my climbing is getting smaller and smaller and closer to the ground.

BM - Do you have a favourite style of climbing (traditional, sport, bouldering etc)?
KS - This is hard for me to answer as my climbing is constantly evolving and I enjoy every aspect of the sport. If I lived in Australia my favourite would be trad climbing, if I lived in Fontainebleau it would be bouldering, but living in the UK at the moment its sport climbing; routes of about 18 metres in length, not too steep but really interesting and technical.

BM - What would be your top route recommendations in the UK?
KS - For trad climbing Left Wall (E2 5c) Llanberis Pass and Profit of Doom (E4 6b) at Curbar, Peak . For sport climbing it would be the Ashes (7c+) at Kilnsey and New Dawn (7c) at Malham.

BM - And abroad?
KS - Sandanista (23/E4), Grampians, Australia, almost anything at Araplies, Australia, something at the Needles California such as Don Juan Wall (5.11c E4ish), Berlin 7c, Ceuse, Les Diamantes sont eternales 7a, Buoux, France

BM - What would be your top boulder problem recommendations in the UK?
KS - West Side Story (7b+), Burbage, Peak, Jerry's arete (7a) Cratcliffe

BM - And abroad?
KS - Chasseur de prises (7a), Fontainebleau, blue circuit at Roche aux Sabots - to be honest anything in Fontainebleau, haven't really spent much time bouldering abroad.

BM - How often do you climb?
KS - About 4-5 times a week. It depends. Sometimes I will only climb 3 times a week; I tend to need a lot of rest so I need to be flexible.

BM - How often do you train and for how many hours per session?
KS - I will always do 5-6 sessions of physical exercise, say 4 times climbing, one day a big 5+ hour walk or swimming and one day weights/campus/finger board. Ideally if I'm doing routes outdoors I will go for a whole day out, but if I'm bouldering indoors no more than about 2 hours.

BM - What kind of training do you do?
KS - It depends what I'm aiming for. Generally bouldering, routes, just starting campus board & finger board now, started doing weights a year ago and aerobic exercise such as swimming or walking (I hate running).

BM - Your top training tip or tips?
KS - Focusing, planning and being motivated are just as important as being specific about using weights or campus boarding etc. I used to do what everyone else was doing at the weekend/that evening drifting from grit to Pembroke to bouldering at Stanage - it was fun, but I never ended up being good any anything in particular. About 3 years ago I actually set myself some goals which required harder physical climbing - I was much more focussed. For me, once I'm clear about my goals then my training will follow.

BM - Your best achievement?
KS - Climbing Raindogs (8a) at Malham. I achieved a great sense of satisfaction grabbing the chain at the top of the route. Coming 14th in the Birmingham World Cup in 2005. Even though I have had better competition results, in that comp there was a really strong big field, I beat 3 people in the world top 10 and was incredibly close to getting in the final. The atmosphere and crowd were amazing. Also climbing the American Direct (big E2/E3 on Petit Dru) in Chamonix when it was way beyond me - I had only been climbing about 3 years - I have never been more tired on a route.

BM - What is your opinion on competitions? Good, bad or indifferent?
KS - Both. I don't get particularly fired up by doing a round of a BBC at Preston climbing wall (nothing against that particular wall) but competing in international world cups has at times been an amazing experience. When you are climbing well, the spot lights are on you and the crowd is chearing for you, the feeling is as good as climbing outside. Saying all that I find it very difficult to focus all my energy gearing up just for comps (which is what you need to do for the World Cups) - I find the pressure of performing at your best for that hour on that particular day enormous. For a route outdoors you can always put it off if you're not climbing well or feeling good.

BM - Your goals for the year ahead?
KS - Powerful routes in the Peak District during the autumn, a winter of bouldering. I don't want to give away anything in particular - hopefully I will achieve my goals...