Jacky Godoffe spares a few minutes between route setting and ice creams at the European Championships in Lecco.
Organised by the Ragni di Lecco, the European Championships were held under clear sunny skies (most of the time), and brought together the disciplines of speed climbing, bouldering and difficulty to the central piazza of Lecco in a memorable week of sports climbing.
What is a typical day for JG?
I really enjoy being with my family. I have a big family with 4 children, normally I wake up very early and take the children to school before going to work. I work for the French Climbing Federation spending most of my time collaborating with journalists, television and the organizers of competitions. The final part of my job is preparing the French bouldering team. When I am not working I spend time with my family, the children are 20, 17, 4 and 2 years old. They do a little bit of climbing but not so much. They play a lot of sport, but they choose and do exactly what they want. I am firstly a musician and they also enjoy to play music.
So when do you get to climb?
Normally just after midday with friends who have the same free time as me. Generally I climb 5 times each week, it depends on the weather; when it is bad I run a lot. I choose to work from home because some times it is a little bit difficult with the children and all. It is not easy to organize, but like this I can spend time with my children. I like it so much, I don’t want to have a job and be one day the other side of the planet.
I really enjoy to set routes. It is part of my job with the French Federation, and I work on the French championships. When I come to places like Lecco it is because I enjoy to be with friends. It is well paid, which is a plus, and the last thing is I like introducing new ideas into competitions. If my level drops I will stop but if I manage to keep my own climbing level high I like to set problems. I feel I can propose something cool, fun and at a high level.
Have you ever had to choose between climbing and another life?
I spent two years without working when my first children were born. I lived in the south of France at this moment and I felt that I went to climb in the same way that I went to work. I was not at my strongest and I didn’t like it so much. Before this I had been teaching for 10 years. I chose to take 2 years out to climb, to see how things went and to do nothing. It was a good time to be with my young children. After this I returned to teaching before preparing to join the French Climbing Federation. I prefer work. For me there are 3 things; work, being with my family and climbing. I can’t do only one thing because if I see my family all the time and do nothing else it is impossible, working full time for money is impossible and climbing full time is impossible for me. I have to have a mix. Now when I go to climb I know exactly what I want. I am not as strong as when I was young, but I can do harder things. I don’t know why but it is like that.
Daniel Dulac competes at the highest level in all facets of the sport. Are people specialising or diversifying?
First of all Daniel is a very close friend, I know him very well. Two years ago he was mixing routes, bouldering and alpinism, but this year he has chosen one thing – bouldering. In competition I don’t think it is possible to mix disciplines because of the level, which especially in routes is really really impressive. It is the first year that Daniel has had very important results, he has won the European Championship. It is because he has chosen to be strong. He is a guy who is balanced. He likes the spirit of the mountains, (he is an alpine guide) he really likes to do dangerous and exposed things sometimes, he likes bouldering he likes climbing routes. He’s like that. He enjoys all kinds of movement. He is a nice guy, serious but cool.
Rock. Why do people feel the need to chip it?
I think it is impossible to say that the hardest routes are possible without chipping holds. All the difficult routes around the world, except one or two are with chipped or arranged holds. For bouldering it is a little bit different. Historically in the 50’s the first climbs in Fontainebleau were chipped. It was the way to go. Now I think the way to find new problems is without touching the rock. It is a good way and it is the general way, all the climbers are agreed to go in this direction. Some times there is some shame but generally when you propose something hard you follow the rock. I think it will be 10 years before routing is like bouldering now. It was a long way for bouldering and for routes it will be the same. If you chip one hold you choose your move, you choose the position, it is not a progression it is only an adaptation of your personal qualities. When you have the rock propose something you might not be able to do it. I have chipped some boulders in the past, and I can’t say now that it is wrong, but it is not one of the best things that I have done.
Could you do those chipped routes now (sans-chips)?
You never know. It is a good reason not to do it. 10 years ago more or less all climbers chipped holds. I don’t know any climber who has not arranged, cleaned or chipped one hold. Now I know when you chip you close a problem for future generations. It is not good for the future of bouldering, if you want to be better you have to except to wait. Sometimes a route or a problem is possible for one guy and then someone else chips the route. This has been the problem with a lot of problems especially in Switzerland, Dreamtime for example. That is really a shame, when you chip one hold and you know that it is possible for other guys that is a real shame. You are not in a good balance with your conscience.
Have areas like Fontainebleau got a finite life?
I am not sure because each week we find some new areas. Font is 50km by 40km and still has incredible possibilities. 10 days ago I went to a new area and it was incredible. I think whilst we have places like that there is not a problem. All the climbers go to the most popular areas, but in fact in these areas it’s not a problem. There are problems that are 20 years old and not so polished.
Where is your favourite climbing spot?
Probably Cuvier Rempart because it’s a nice place..
..and outside of France?
ahh, outside of France, apart from Font? hmm urr… no it’s Font. It’s just because of the rock. There are other fantastic places, for example Bishop in the United States but I don’t like so much the rock, I prefer the feeling of sandstone. Perhaps also Meschia, I have never been in this area but I know Mauro (Calibani) very well and it could be the best place for bouldering in the world. The rock is perfect, the place is perfect and overhanging. Probably the sandstone is a little bit better than in Font. But I have never been there, so for the moment it is Font for me.
Do spectators appreciate bouldering?
Bouldering is a game. The spectators like to see explosive moves but they don’t understand exactly what happens. Routes are different, they like to see something impressive and big falls are very impressive. I personally think the spectators enjoy the routes more. They don’t understand what happens technically but they understand that the route is long and one goes higher and higher. Bouldering is small, you have big jumps but the spectator can’t really appreciate the difficulty of the moves. I think the format is a shit one because the spectator doesn’t understand anything about what happens. At the end he sees 6 climbers climbing together but who is the winner?, it’s impossible to say. The way forward for bouldering is the system we are proposing at Arco; it is the knock out system. 6 climbers compete on five problems on which they have had a chance to work. After each problem one climber goes out. On the last problem you are left with only the best two. It is very clear, you are very sure and it is very explosive. In this way it is possible for spectators to understand something, and I think it is better for climbers because they can push the limits higher than in a general bouldering competition.
With those rules Gabriele Moroni would have been knocked out on the first problem?
For me this guy was magic. It is a long time since I have seen a climber so incredible. I understand what he did in some of the moves and what he did is incredible. Even after work not many climbers can do what he did first try. This competition was not really steep. It was like natural bouldering in fact; 15-25 degree maximum, but still difficult moves to do. Generally bouldering competitions are steeper, so in a normal competition I do not think he would have a chance.. yet, but I think in the future he will be taking bouldering forward.
Are you nervous before setting a competition?
It depends, generally I am nervous only that the spectators will appreciate the show. For the technical level of the problems I am not so anxious because I am very close to the level of the competitors. I train with them and I also climb with them on rock a lot of time. I think I know very well what one climber can do and what they can’t. It is easy to make some hard moves but if you want that it works you must propose some things different than simple climbing. For example the competition yesterday, well it worked, it was very nice for the spectators. For me there were 2 or 3 things wrong, especially in the men’s final. When someone uses a different foot hold or finds a different method it’s a shame, it’s not a perfect job. It worked for the organisation and spectators but I know that it could have been better. For me the men’s final was a little bit to easy.
Arco last year; no one got near the womens final problem?
I was pushing the limits trying to propose something really new and it didn’t work. I tried but I wasn’t angry because this last problem (the super-final) wasn’t necessary to make the classification, it was only to make a little plus. It didn’t work but I will try and be better the next time. I like to push the limit, to get the girls to jump with two hands, they never used to do that. Now I know by experience, but at the start you try to set a problem with small holds but the women have smaller fingers and its a very good pocket for her, for me it is shit. You think its hard but in fact it isn’t!. You have to understand how they climb to propose something. It is so exciting to set because you don’t know what will happen, ever. My problem is to get every one to say wow, it was a good show.
Why is the French team so good?
It is the history, French climbing has a very old history and very strong climbers. Sport climbing is very popular beginning in the 80’s very close to France. At the beginning a lot of young climbers can live and climb, they can train more. The French Federation is really present with the climbers, they give them money to train, and have the best conditions of all the nations. Now you can see other nations like Austria, Slovenia and Italy doing a very good job, but not at the same level as in France because we began before.
I think bouldering is very important in the UK. There are so many great British climbers who are strong. It is probably more important in the UK than in France. They push the limit really really high. In bouldering it is possible for an outsider to be in the top 5 but not in routes, it’s impossible. It involves to much training. In bouldering if it is your day and you are lucky with the problems some can do really hard things.
Any projects on the go?
Oh yes, I have a pretty long problem, a big roof of 20 moves. I have been trying it for 1 year now. It is in 2 parts, I have done the first part at 8b+. The second part is a big roof 8b+ and I have fallen 2 or 3 times from the last moves. I have tried with a lot of climbers. If someone can do it before me it is not a problem. I like so much this style, it’s one of the most incredible problems I have seen.
Where does your energy come from?
For me the important things are to be curious and to have fun. When climbers are very young they should see a lot of things with the maximum of pleasure. Except your limits, learn from other climbers and exchange these qualities. If you keep the pleasure at the same level you can except more and more training for competition and routes on rock. If you enjoy climbing you can train and try new things. For competition it is a good way to progress. On natural rock I think you can push your limit in your natural style. This is why I can do a 8b/8c boulder in one style, but I can’t do a 7c slab for example. I only climb on plastic when I have to set problems. If you propose a natural problem the competitors don’t understand anything, it doesn’t work. I now climb as little as possible on plastic. Resin is more injury inducing than natural rock, especially when you are competing for the on-sight, and secondly when you train all the time on walls. I think I have been quite lucky.
Can the girls compete with the boys?
Nobody can say never, for example girls can make problems or routes that men are not able to do, I am sure of that. They are very light, they don’t have the same body, the same fingers. Generally when you push the limits the holds are far from each other, the moves are very atheletic. When you mix all the qualities you need in bouldering or routes it’s not possible. In one style of route yes probably. In most cases no.
I propose to the women the same problems as the men 5/8 years ago, and it works. The progress in bouldering for men has been really high, for the women it has not been so much because they are not practising bouldering so much.
You enjoy the social side of climbing?
Climbing is an individual sport but it is impossible to be alone and push your limit. To have more pleasure you must be with others and exchange with them. You are not in competition but you want to be the best. It’s a deal and you are obliged, if you want to propose some new things to be with friends. And sometimes if you want to push the limit to say; I will be better than you, but you are my friend so it’s ok.. We come together I want to be better than you on this problem, but if your are better it is ok, cool! It is the way to be better. You need the spirit of competition but you except it’s a joke. In fact it is only a joke, life is difficult generally.