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Sterling Athletes Team
Anna Gonzalez
Athlete Bio
I think it’s hard to explain the love affair I have with climbing – I’ll call it full-on Soul Capture! Maybe it’s the great escape into the high and free, maybe the beauty of the skies and trees above and around, the many faces of and moves on stone; maybe it’s the tribe with whom one ties in. Maybe it’s just the incomparable, zenful beauty of detaching from the “real” world to find one’s way in a more understandable reality of movement and medium. After 14 years of climbing I’m still totally psyched.
At first I wanted to be a super solid all-around climber. I got the hell out of dodge (Fairfax, Virginia) and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to be closer to climbing. I tried some mountains, did a lot of trad, got pretty decent on ice for a while, but now I’m dedicated to sport climbing. I’m American, but I live in a little town on the Italian Riviera. It sounds exotic, but it’s just a simple olive growing region (with no strip malls) perfectly situated between Nice, France to the west, the Alpi Maritimi and Piemonte region to the north, Genova to the east and of course the lovely Mediterranean Sea to the South of my front door. I have always felt more at home in Europe than in the States.
I know I’m supposed to say I’ve got these huge adventures planned but my climbing plans are all local right now. I’m super happy with what I have achieved this year doing more 13bs than I ever have, so for now I’m just psyched to be gettin’ after it, pushing my limits – believing in the moment when the move that felt impossible becomes possible.
How did you get started climbing? It was my first semester at Syracuse University and I heard about this group called the Outing Club that did caving, climbing, kayaking, hiking and canoeing. There were three trips going out on a Saturday and the guy leading the climbing group was super cute. And so the story goes, what started as a crush on a scruffy climber boy has led to a life of great friends and sweet adventures.
How old were you when you started? I tried it at 23 (thanks to aforementioned crush on cute climber boy) and then I got really dedicated after college around age 27.
Who or what inspired you to start climbing? I liked that climbing was difficult yet beautiful and that it allowed for personal interpretation.
Who served as your inspiration in life? I have served as my own. I like to think that life has presented me with the necessary inspiration at the right times and in the right ways from outside of and within myself. While I admire the acts of many people, I try not to idealize things, people or places.
What was your first outdoor climb? A short sweet voyage on a route at Little Falls, New York
Any training advice or suggestions?
Don’t project choss.
Climb with people that are above your level.
When possible, I try to train at the time of day when I feel the most energetic-- building my schedule around my favorite time to work out instead of putting other things first.
And lastly, when it feels impossible . . . Dig Deep.
If you could have one superpower what would it be? Unlimited patience
If you could have 3 wishes, what would they be? (no wishing for more wishes)
No more war.
No more long term disease – that when it’s time to die we could all just slip away in our sleep.
No more Berlusconi.
What was your favorite childhood cartoon?
I tolerated cartoons until it was time for Charlie’s Angels
Favorite Sterling Rope Products:
The Nano
The Ion
The Sterling Rope Dog Bones
Five top reasons why you like Sterling Rope:
1: consistent product characteristics
2: ropes last a long time
3: I have never had sheath or core damage in the middle of the rope, only on the ends
4: ropes are not too stiff and not too soft.
5: The Nano is absolutely the best rope I have ever used.
Short-Term Climbing Goals: My latest project of course-- a steep limestone 8b at Pianbernardo. It represents a lot to me not just for myself but for the crag and the inspiration of the place there. Keep climbing beautiful routes, bolt a route.
Short Term Personal Goals: Improve my Italian. Laugh more. I’m trying to buy a house in Italy.
Long Term Climbing Goals: Keep improving. Keep enjoying. Develop a great training routine. Climb more beautiful lines. Confront difficulties with determination.
I’m very happy that I’m climbing 8a consistently. I’d like to make that happen on some harder grades too. And I’d like to get to the Alps and the Dolomites. Do long routes again.
Long Term Personal Goals: Have a kid. Create income. Do stained glass. Be at peace.
Write a short story on a recent climbing adventure:
I rose, I drove
tied in and tried em’
I clipped and skipped
dreamed and screamed
moved and grooved
my fingers stayed
the music played
the moments flew
on rock so true
Athlete News
Bolting, Climbing, Loving with Anna and Matteo – presented by Sterling Rope from sterling rope on Vimeo.
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