by Alta Lourette Venter
Turns out you can achieve what you set your mind to. With diligence, perseverance, determination, focus, discipline and support.
My story is not much of a big deal compared to some people in the climbing world. I am no real mountaineer by any means, however this is my story as a person who never ever dreamed, or thought, I could be one of those people who can climb anything harder than a grade 22.
It all started during the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020. I heard of someone who was attempting to climb 20 grade 20s and I thought WOW, that is cool. In 2020, I just started to get back into climbing after a few years’ hiatus. I remember leading a 15 outdoors and how scary that was for me. This idea of climbing 20 20s resonated with me and I decided to do the same – it was 17 December 2020 and I gave myself two weeks to complete the challenge. Grade 20 was really hard for me, and I set off on this journey. I sometimes would arrive at the second crag of the day and someone who knew I was coming, already put the draws up for me and was ready to belay. The climbing community is a supportive one. Then I thought, let’s keep this going and I decided to climb 20 21s in the year 2021. At this stage, year 2021, I am a third year university student, over my head with studies and the crazy pressure that comes with it while a pandemic is running in the background. Climbing became my outlet, and I was obsessed with it. People already asked me whether I would do 20 22s after this challenge, and I said I would perhaps maybe attempt two. I achieved my goal in February 2021 and thought that I might as well keep the momentum going of climbing 20 x 22s, which I achieved by July 2021.
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