Deep water soloing
With Deep Water Soloing ( DWS ) or Psicobloc refers to free solo - climbing over deep water, which absorbs the climber in a fall. So you can do without securing and still climb without risking life at a high level of difficulty, where falls cannot be ruled out. The experience is particularly intense, but it also involves dangers , as the cliffs that are climbed can be 25 meters or higher. See also physics of immersion in water .
A requirement for DWS is a fall-friendly wall, i.e. H. vertical or overhanging slope without obstacles in the fall line, as well as sufficiently deep water. Conversely, the climber can determine the maximum height of his route through the depth of the water below. See also cliff jumping .
Known places
Areas where deep water soloing is possible include cliffs on Mallorca , Malta , Croatia , Thailand , Vietnam and on the Côte d'Azur (Cap d'Antibes, Coco Beach, Point de l'Aiguille). Deep water solos are also possible in the quarries of Löbejün near Halle and in Kochel above Kochelsee .
| place | country | Wall height | map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Es Pontàs | Spain, Mallorca | 15 m | (Map) |
| Lan Ha Bay | Vietnam | 20 m + | |
| Löbejün | Germany, Halle | (Map) | |
| Kochelsee | Germany, Kochel am See | 12 m | (Map) |
climber
In the summer of 2006, Chris Sharma first climbed what is probably the world's most difficult deep water solo on a free-standing rock arch called Es Pontàs off the coast of Mallorca between Cala Santanyí and Cala Llombards . One of the key points was a long jump in the first half of the route. Sharma left his ascent unrated, but based on his statements about the route, it is assumed that the tour is as difficult as the Route Realization (9a +) he has taken. In the meantime, the Slovenian Jernej Kruder and the German Jan Hojer have repeated the route and confirmed the level of difficulty 9a or 9b.
Other prominent representatives of the deep water solo scene are or were Miquel Riera, Klem Loskot , Tim Emett and David Lama .
Popular sport
In addition to being an extreme sport, amateur athletes can also practice the DWS as a pleasure climb. Due to the implicit protection (deep water), no technical material and no manipulation is necessary for its operation. As a result, the concentration on the actual activity or on enjoying it remains uninterruptedly focused.
It is also unnecessary to stick to a specific line or route. The entire rock presents itself as a large-scale offer instead of a linear task. Experimentation and improvisation play a bigger role at DWS than repeating routes.
Psicobloc
Psicobloc is another term for deep water soloing, but also the name of a competition in which an artificial climbing wall is built over a swimming pool. The competition was initiated by Chris Sharma in 2013 and held for the first time in Salt Lake City ( Utah ) in 2014 . Milan (Italy) followed in 2015 and Salt Lake City again in 2016.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Chris Sharma at Es Pontas - Deep Water Solo on bergleben.de; Retrieved February 15, 2013
- ↑ Jernej Kruder / the Es Pontas deep water solo interview on planetmountain.com; Retrieved January 17, 2019
- ↑ Jan Hojer celebrates Deep Water Solo classic Es Pontas on de.mammut.com; Retrieved January 17, 2019
- ↑ PsycoComp (website)
