Ines Papert about IWC 2006

This year the Ice World Cup was for the first time held under the supervision of
the UIAA. Do you know what made the UIAA decide to supervise these
competitions? Sponsors, popularity or maybe there were some officials who
organized a lobby for it?
They are working on the Olympic idea. To take such a big step, they need to consider
it very seriously. That’s why we have to accept anti-doping tests, even if doing them is
pointless. It costs a lot of money, which organizers don’t have. This leads to saving money by giving less or no prize money. Only the Romanians, the Italians and the Swiss had some price money (1000 euro for the first place).
Organizers should start taking competitors’ expectations into consideration. If the comp is at a low level, they won’t be ready for another season. Many of us spend a lot of time on training, and lots of time and money on travelling to the comps. And we expect more. Not everyone has a chance to be sponsored by companies.

The UIAA introduced some new rules. I mean the “toolbox” and doping tests for example. Please, explain how the “toolbox” works.
The toolbox is a wooden box and your crampons and tool have to fit into it. So if the heel spur is too long, you have to shorten it. If the tool is too long and has a placement for legs, then you can’t use that tool. The toolbox guarantees that nobody can rest on their tools and spurs.

Can you describe how the character of routes has changed over the years you’ve been taking part in the competitions?
Six years ago, at the first comp in Saas Fee, there was a little, one-meter-overhanged roof. Now also female competitors have to climb very long and very overhanging routes, with swinging icicles and very hard technical sections. The routes are so hard that usually only one competitor can reach the top in the final. Usually a route gets harder and harder and ends up with a crux close to the top. Finals are perfectly graded but in my opinion opens and semi-finals could be a little harder.
I am exited about good routes - that’s one of the main reasons for taking part in comps. If the construction is like the one in the Czech Republic, and the routes are full of red lines, it demotivates me and all the others.

How would you grade (in M scale) an average route in a women’s final in the World Cup?
M9.

How do you train for competitions? Do you mainly boulder and climb with tools on an artificial wall? Or does it also make sense to drytool routes in the crags? Do you do any typical gym exercises like pulling up on tools or any weight machine training?
Yes, I do all that. Mainly drytooling indoors at Hari Berger’s wall or drytooling in the crags.
I don’t like doing pull-ups or training on weight machines, but when I have less time for working out, I do this, too. Besides, I do yoga and stretching.

This year we haven’t heard about any extreme drytooling route done by you. Has it anything to do with preparation for competitions, travelling around and taking part in all events?
There were several reasons. The first was the accident I had last summer. I needed a long time to recuperate and was still scared of a big fall… I still have lots of metal in my broken leg.
So I focused on competitions and this year the competition calendar was very tight. Including Ouray, I took part in six comps. But before the event in Ouray I had travelled with Hari Berger to Colorado and we had done some onsights and redpoints in Vail. Some M10s and M11s. So it was not like doing nothing.