Since Anna Stöhr ended her competition career, the media fuss surrounding the Tyrolean has calmed down. But that doesn't mean that Anna is taking it easy. We met up with her and talked about her new climbing lifestyle.
Anna Stöhr, Photo: Fichtinger/Innsbruck
Anna ended her competition career shortly before the home World Championships in Innsbruck. A decision made for the sake of her health. Nevertheless, you could see the sadness on Anna's face when she announced the news of her retirement in 2018.
But who would be surprised? After all, the Tyrolean was the most successful competitive boulderer of her time. Fortunately, retiring from climbing competitions doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to the sport. Quite the opposite!
In February 2018, you injured your intervertebral discs. Shortly afterwards, you announced your retirement from competitions, which certainly changed a lot of things. Do you ever regret the decision?
Anna Stöhr: I don't actually regret the decision. I was already thinking about ending my career before my injury. The fact that the accident came before that only accelerated the process, but the decision was clear and rational: if I want to climb for much longer, which is the case, I have to stop bouldering. This discipline is poison for my spinal discs. Since my injury, bouldering has also changed a lot for me. Especially in competitions, you often make moves at the extreme limit. Doing risky moves at high altitude, or jumping off the top in general, my back simply can't take it anymore. Of course, I don't like taking part in competitions - especially because of the people you meet again and again. I also miss the feeling of being in the final, that was something very special. But after 14 years, I've had to draw a line under this chapter and that's okay.
Anna Stöhr no longer competes, photo: Heiko Wilhelm
You're currently doing a lot of rope climbing, but not just sport climbing - you've also left your chalk on the multi-pitch routes in Aiglun (France) and on the Rote Wand (Vorarlberg). Is sport climbing - perhaps even alpine sport climbing - your "true" passion?
Anna Stöhr: My passion is climbing with all its varieties. It is precisely this versatility of the sport that has always attracted me to climbing, it simply never gets boring. Each discipline requires very different skills and abilities. Alpine sport climbing, for example, is demanding on a completely different level - a new level for me. There are a lot more thrills involved. There's a whole new dimension to climbing when you're meters above the last protection.
Anna Stöhr climbing a multi-pitch route, photo: Storyteller Lab Salewa
The fact that my multi-pitch project Ali Baba (8a+) in Aiglun worked out so well naturally makes me really happy, but I'm still no Babsi Zangerl, who seems to stand fearlessly above the pitons. Ali Baba was incredibly challenging for me and I didn't know until the end whether I would be able to complete the project. So I won't commit myself to this discipline, but I will certainly go climbing in alpine areas a few more times.
Ali Baba is a very sustained endurance project with many difficult pitches. Now that you are no longer competing, do you still train according to a plan for such projects and for climbing in general?
Anna Stöhr: No! I just go out and climb a lot. But because I've trained according to a plan for years, I know pretty well what I need or where I need to build up. I may no longer do abdominal exercises or hang out on the campus board, but I can feel where something is missing and can compensate for it in a targeted way.
No fixed training plan - Anna Stöhr simply goes out and starts climbing, photo: Storyteller Lab Salewa
What are your climbing/bouldering goals?
Anna Stöhr: At the moment, my only concrete goal is to climb a lot. Projects come naturally anyway. At the moment, I don't want to commit to one route, but rather travel a lot and be out and about on the rocks.
As part of your teaching degree, you worked as a teacher last year. Do you think you'll return to this field one day, or do you have other career aspirations alongside/after being a professional climber?
Anna Stöhr: Teaching as part of the teaching internship was a great challenge for me and very exciting. Working in a "real" job is of course very different from the work of a professional athlete. Living from climbing as an athlete will come to an end sooner or later. Having a permanent foothold gives me a lot of peace of mind and allows me to live and climb more in the moment. I really appreciate being in this privileged situation and being able to enjoy climbing so much. I hope it stays that way for a while yet!
Thank you very much for the interview, Anna. Climbers Paradise wishes you all the best.
