"It wouldn't be so cool to climb a route without fear!"

At home on boulder blocks, in world-famous sport climbing areas and on big walls. Babsi Zangerl makes a name for herself in every discipline. She recently took us to the Flexengalerie as part of the paraclimbing charity campaign "Anyone can climb". The small sport climbing area on the Arlberg could be one of her home areas, but even the power woman who grew up in Strengen is climbing here for the first time. This is probably because she is usually traveling somewhere else in the world - for example in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, France or Spain. At least those were her travel destinations last year.

Today, the bundle of energy from the Arlberg welcomes us cheerfully, and once again with jet lag. A few days ago, she was still in Canada, where she climbed the trad route The Path (5.14R/8b+). The first women's ascent of this route to date, but by no means Babsi's first super-strong women's ascent - and also not her first repetition in the highest grades of difficulty. Shortly before the Tyrolean flew to Canada and just a few days before her thirtieth birthday, she secured her first 9a with Speed Integrale. The year before, she secured the repetition of one of the most difficult multipitch trad routes in the world with Magic Mushroom (8b+).

For attentive Babsi followers, this is no longer news. These three ascents, but also some others on Babsi's ticklist, have a lot more in common than just their location in the most difficult grades or FFAs (First Female Ascents). It is striking how often Babsi climbs a route as a temporal close call. She managed The Path on the last day before her departure, she really wanted to climb Speed Integrale before her 30, and when she climbed Magic Mushroom, there was hardly any room for maneuver before she had to say "Good Bye, America".

Could it be that Babsi performs best under pressure? We asked what pushes Mrs. Sunshine. But read for yourself!

Babsi, is it a coincidence that you regularly realize projects close to a deadline?

Barbara Zangerl: No, it's always been the case with me that climbs are only completed close to a deadline. Take "The Emperor's New Clothes", for example. At the time, this tour was the last one I was missing for the Alpine trilogy. Having previously climbed End of Silence and then Silbergeier, I naturally really wanted to complete this route.

The day I climbed the route was one of the last possible days of the year before it would get too cold, but I had to climb the eighth pitch a total of seven times before I could score it. Between attempts, I was so exhausted that I fell asleep on the belay and by the time I got through, it had nothing to do with strength and everything to do with my head. My body was totally exhausted. Under other circumstances, I would have packed up a long time ago, but I knew I had to do it today. And that's cool: When I really want something, I can mobilize so much energy in my head that I can still achieve my goal. If I hadn't done it that day, I wouldn't have climbed the trilogy that year, and then to check out the route a year later, you have to start all over again.

It was similar in Yosemite. With Magic Mushroom, I actually thought I would never be able to climb the route. And then somehow I managed to do it all up to the key length. There I was, 40 meters below the summit and still a pitch ahead of me in which I almost didn't manage a single move at first. Jacopo (note: Babsi's partner) had already managed this length and the fact that we were both able to reach the summit in this constellation with one ascent was only possible now and very important for me. And then I started to try everything imaginable. The fact that we had laboriously cleaned the route, that I had invested so much energy in the previous lengths and had now climbed this far, all gave me energy that I could use for these last 40 meters. I often think to myself in situations like this - if I don't go full throttle now, I'll never be able to do it again. So full throttle! And then I can go full throttle!

Do you often go into routes with the attitude that something is too difficult?

Barbara Zangerl: Quite often, yes. And then I'm not that motivated because I think I'll never manage it. It was the same with Magic Mushroom, for example. I often only get motivated when I've done all the individual moves, when I realize that I could actually do it. And then I have the energy to concentrate fully on this tour and give it my all.

For me, the more time I invest, the more motivated I am. I can spend days trying out a single move until it finally works. I'm glad that it's not the other way around and that I'm not demotivated when I try for a long time.

What do you expect from yourself when you climb?

Barbara Zangerl: I have relatively high expectations of myself: I just like it when I feel lively and the climbing is easy for me... But you always have big fluctuations in performance when climbing anyway, so you shouldn't take that too much to heart.

Are you sometimes scared?

Barbara Zangerl: I'm always scared! It's part of climbing!

And how does that affect you?

Barbara Zangerl : Fear is a paralyzing feeling when it's there, and it's extremely unpleasant for me. But I don't think it would be so cool to climb a route without the fear. If you can not only cope with the physical effort, but also overcome the mental challenge, that's brilliant.

So for you, fear is a positive challenge?

Barbara Zangerl: Yes, you could say that. If you climb a place with a lot of fear and the next time you realize that the fear is only medium and at some point it's gone, then that's a great feeling. I think that just as you make the moves in the project easier and easier, for example, you also learn to deal with fear. If I manage a route despite my fear, it's a more intense experience for me that I can remember for longer. Of course, while climbing, it's not so good, but you learn to deal with it... If you want to.

You say fear is part of it. In sport climbing too?

Barbara Zangerl: Yes and no. Climbing on rock is an adventure. For example, I don't like it when routes are drilled in like in the gym. Part of rock climbing is assessing the risk. That's not to say that it should be dangerous. Most of the time you just fly a little further.

If Silbergeier had been well drilled, it wouldn't be the same route. The overcoming, the fear is part of this route, that's what Beat as the first climber "determined" and you have to respect that and keep the route in its character.

You are constantly on the move, what does home mean to you?

Barbara Zangerl: Home is a place to recharge my batteries, a place where I feel comfortable. Many climbers feel at home everywhere, but I really have to come home to Bludenz or Strengen, where I grew up. With the energy I gain here, I can then motivate myself for new projects.

What do you think of the Paraclimbing fundraising campaign and what tips would you like to give to people in difficult situations?

Barbara Zangerl: I think the campaign is great. It's amazing what these people achieve. I don't think a healthy person can put themselves in their shoes, so I don't want to give any advice now with my aches and pains. But I think it's important for everyone, regardless of their situation in life, to set themselves goals that they want to work towards. It doesn't matter whether they are sporting, professional or health goals. If I don't have a goal in mind, I can't motivate myself to train, for example. Even when I was injured, my goals helped me not to give up or get frustrated.

However, it's important that you don't just focus on the goal itself, but always on the next step. You always have to focus on what's right in front of you. A route is not about cliffing off the top, but about the next move and the next hold - and that's what you focus on at that moment. This attitude helps me to be motivated and to realize goals - no matter how far away they seem.

Thank you for the interview!

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