Why We Climb: Richard Marotta by Jorian biggs photography

RICHARD MAROTTA

WHY WE CLIMB Into the minds of a new generation

WHY WE CLIMB

Why do we climb?

Inside the minds of Jamin Morris, Richard Marotta, Max Powell and Nathan Bonnie. Coming from completely different backgrounds, each one has found their place in climbing. A common thread between them is that climbing has had a huge impact on their lives. From something as simple as getting stronger to something as complex as helping mental health. Climbing has helped to pave the way for change in their lives. Illustrating this was the driving force behind “Why we Climb”.What initially started out as photographing locals at the gym, sharing information on routes and conversing about latest news, has turned into a project that illustrates climbing’s more profound effects. When/Why did you get in to climbing?

I started climbing when I was seven years old. As a kid, I was a pain in the bum. The rule of thumb was if my parents ever lost me, they’d have to turn around and look up to find me. As soon as I was old enough, they decided to take me somewhere where I was allowed to climb everything in the climbing gym.The instructor said I was a natural and that I had to get in to it. It was about an hour and ten-minute drive to that climbing centre. But then, one opened in Swansea closer to my home when I was eight and I was coached there until I was fourteen. What is one of your most memorable moments in climbing?

My most memorable moment in climbing is when I finally finished my project of three and a half years, at the Fox Hole in the Gower. The route is called “Palace of Swords Reversed” and is rated as an 8a. I started the route when I wasn’t ready for it. I could do all the moves but it was impossible for me to link them. I got my first 7c+ that year, called “Vennerne” in Shipwreck Cove-Gower, which has now been upgraded to an 8a. I spent around six weeks on it, and at the end of the season had a few weeks left and decided that I 2

WHY WE CLIMB

should get on another 8a. I tried “Palace of Swords reversed” religiously for a couple of months, and then on and off went back to it. I was at the point where I would fall off on the crux move, jump straight back on it with no rest and do it to the top. I climbed it so many times, I could get back on it after a two month break and it was like I’d tried it yesterday.The first time I stuck the crux, I spent about three seconds wondering why I was still stuck to the wall. This was the only time I’ve ever stuck it from the floor. I Looked at my feet and my hands and was like okay, I’m still climbing. Let’s carry on. When I got to the top, I clipped the chains and cried my eyes out. I had to have about five minutes on my own up there, to gather myself, so I could actually talk to people when I got down onto the floor. I forgot how to strip a belay, I was so “away with the fairies”.

WHY WE CLIMB

Essentially, you’ve got to make sure that the rope is tied to you, so when you take it off you don’t drop it, because if you drop it, you’re stuck. I completely untied it and had it in my hand, and everyone was like “Rich what are you doing?” They had to talk me through it, even though it’s something I’ve done hundreds of times. It was like ending your favourite series on Netflix. You just don’t know what to do afterwards. When I came back down I had to spend 15 minutes sitting on a rock staring at the sea. I just couldn’t talk. It was an amazing feeling. To put it in perspective, I started that route when I was sixteen and didn’t get it until I was almost twenty. Then two days later, I sent my bouldering project. Those were my most memorable moments ever.

“To put it in perspective, I started that route when I was sixteen and didn’t get it until I was almost twenty.” WHY WE CLIMB

WHY WE CLIMB

What’s your favourite type of climbing?

Which climber has inspired you the most?

I love sport climbing and bouldering as much as each other. I was brought up as a sport climber, but I boulder more. However, I climb at my best when I’m climbing sport routes. I can’t decide which one I love the most.

Adam Ondra is my number one inspiration because of the way he climbs - he’s just mechanically perfect in every single movement he does. I love Dave Graham because he’s a wizard. He’s probably the weakest out of the strong guys, but he’s one of the best technically. He keeps up with all of the strong boys, climbs all of the hard routes they’ve done and has climbed some hard routes that they haven’t. I also like Chris Sharma because of how much he loves climbing. He climbs pretty much all of the time. He only really started training when he bolted a 9b/+. Up until then, he never trained he just climbed outside all the time. So Adam Ondra, Dave Graham and Chris Sharma - they are my favourites.

I’m a little bit of a purist. When I’m inside climbing, I’m happy because I’m pushing myself and swinging around but I don’t feel like I’m climbing. When I’m climbing outdoors, on the rock, everything just feels better. Testament to that is that I climb better outdoors, my hardest grades are all outside. I’ve never repeated my hardest grades indoors: it’s always been outside. I just get this feeling when I climb outside, there’s nothing better. I’m not a fan of “plastic pulling”. Maybe the reason being there’s more footholds when you’re outside, so I can sometimes make the climb suite me more. I have to know the routes to actually understand which body position I need to hold for a certain move. Whilst inside, with the fluorescent holds, its more obvious.

WHY WE CLIMB

How has climbing influenced you as a person?

I like to think when people look at me they can generally tell that I’m a climber. Purely because it’s all I really do. The only other sport that I can replace climbing with is slacklining. It’s the only other sport where you can go into your own head and focus on one thing and one thing alone. Any other sport I’ve played like football or rugby there’s too many aspects to focus on and I can’t do them all well because there’s too much going on.

WHY WE CLIMB

It’s at the point where I can only really focus on one or two things at once. I can do them really well, but the minute anything gets in the way of that I have to step back and start again. It’s exactly the same as rock climbing. To be honest the whole reason I’m still alive is because of climbing. Whenever, I’ve gone through a tough time in my life, I’ve just gone climbing and it’s been better afterwards. The only time I feel completely comfortable is when I’m rock climbing outdoors, whether that’s bouldering, high balling, sport climbing or deep water soloing. I feel at peace when I’m on the rock.

WHY WE CLIMB

“Nowadays, there are 15-year-old girls who are bouldering 8b/8c. That wasn’t a thing three years ago, that was a dream.”

WHY WE CLIMB

Do think climbing promotes equality?

When climbing first became popular, it was male dominated. There’s a documentar y called “Valley Uprising” which shows that in order to be known as the hardest climber back in the day you would climb El Capitan. The first person to ever free climb El Capitan was Lynn Hill, and the whole world was blown away. Everyone was like, “oh my God it’s climbable and it was a woman who climbed it!” So, no back then it didn’t promote equality. Nowadays, the amount of people with disabilities who have started climbing has boomed, the amount of women who have started climbing has boomed. Nowadays, there are 15-year-old girls who are bouldering 8b/8c. That wasn’t a thing three years ago, that was a dream.

What goals do you as a climber have for the future ?

My personal goals: I want to onsight an E7. I want to sport climb 8c+ possibly 9a. I want to boulder v15. My professional goals: I want to be a nationally renowned coach and route setter. That’s all I care about, putting up good routes for people to climb, working with people who want to get better and making them the best they can be. Regardless of how good that is.

WHY WE CLIMB

What do you see for the future of rock climbing?

Rock climbing is becoming more of a sport, than a lifestyle. The future of climbing is becoming more mechanised and indoor climbing is becoming its own discipline. Nowadays, route setters want to put up routes inside, without trying to imitate what it’s like to climb outside.You’re never going to have big volume climbs outside, unless it’s one boulder problem amongst a group of a hundred.The future of rock climbing is going to be a lot more policed and a lot more regulated, the era of hippy athletes is over. Twenty years ago, the best climbers in the world were into drugs, drink and women. Nowadays, it’s more of a sport, there are regulations, regimented training programs and people are coming to terms with the fact that one of the best ways to train for rock climbing, is climbing specific movements and activities. Not necessarily just rock climbing. So, that’s the future I see for rock climbing. Indoors is going to be its own discipline and outside is going to be the benchmark where people are going to push it.

WHY WE CLIMB

What does climbing feel like for you?

For me, climbing feels like moving meditation.When I get on the wall there’s nothing else except for me and the climb. I rarely get that feeling inside. Outside I can’t talk when I climb. Often I don’t hear you, other times I just ignore you because if I talk I have to step away, start again then go back to it. When I’m inside I have to force it, when I’m outside, the minute I get on the rock, all I’m thinking about is the moment and the move. I break each move down into individual placement of: feet, hips, arms and body position. Indoors that’s hard to do. Often, the best climbs I’ve done are the hardest, but some have been 6b. I don’t remember half the climb I’ve done, I just remember doing everything perfectly. It’s a moving meditation.

WHY WE CLIMB

PHOTOGRAPHY AND INTERVIEW BY JORIAN BIGGS WHY WE CLIMB