All climbers

Didier Berthod is a Swiss climber who is known for his crack climbing. Famously, he came very close to making the first ascent of Cobra Crack in Squamish in 2006 before injury stopped him and Sonnie Trotter made the first ascent..

Around the same time he stopped trying Cobra Crack his partner became pregnant. Didier was unable to to imagine a life as a father and he fell back on his Catholic faith, first becoming a Monk with the Eucharistein Fraternity and later being ordained as a priest.

In 2020 he then left the church to pursue 'a more balanced life', including starting climbing again.

He has since reconciled with his child and her mother (Previously his partner), and has started making hard fist ascents again such as The Crack of Destiny in Squamish and then, in 2024, coming full circle and climbing Cobra Crack in 2024.

References

[1] Interview with Tom Randall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aSZ19z41Hg

[2] https://english.elpais.com/sports/2022-11-15/didier-berthod-from-rock-climbing-star-to-monk-and-back-again.html

[3] Interview with Niall Grimes, 2023 https://open.spotify.com/episode/32F0fKdpvYNkGup6pRtKMk?

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjXzfkm6mgk

[5] https://www.grimpactu.com/post/de-la-corde-%C3%A0-la-foi-le-retour-victorieux-de-didier-berthod

Greg Chapman is a boulderer based in the English Lake District. He is a prolific developer who has opened a huge number of new areas and problems in the lake district. He also maintains the lakesbloc.com website and has written the guidebook Lake District Bouldering.

Globetrotting US climber, one of the best in the world in the mid-70s, bold free-soloist. Responsible for solving many last great problems away from his New England base, notably in Yosemite and Australia. Climbing on the Czech and Dresden area sandstone influenced his purist style: avoiding both hammered gear and cams, frequently climbing shoeless, often free-soloing.

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mRDxd0iy2989qL5xCNMuh?

[2] Interview with Mark Synnott, 2008 https://www.climbing.com/culture/henry-barber-interview

[3] Interview with Ken Wilson, Mountain 35 (1974), page 34 /library/11054/mountain-35

[4] https://www.henrybarber.com/categories/media/media_1-1.php

References

[1] https://explorersweb.com/i-choose-climbing-keita-kurakami-dies-on-mt-fuji-after-years-with-heart-condition/

[2] https://alpinist.com/features/on-belay-a-thousand-days-of-lapis-lazuli/

[3] https://www.climbing.com/news/keita-kurakami-dies-mount-fuji/

[4] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/a_tribute_to_late_japanese_climber_keita_kurakami-15941

Australian rock climber, guide and author. One of the best women climbers in the world in the early 1980s.

References

[1] https://www.commonclimber.com/louise-shepherd.html

[2] https://verticallifemag.com/articles/louise-shepherd/

[3] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/andy_pollitt_and_louise_shepherd-10558

Miguel Riera was a Spanish climber, known for his role in developing deep water soloing (or psicobloc) in to a discipline in it's own right. He established many of the earliest DWS lines in Mallorca such as the classic Surfer Dead (6c+), Surfing in the Bar (7a) and Surfing Bird (7b) at Cova del Diablo.

References

[1] https://www.climbing.com/people/interview-miquel-riera-on-the-birth-of-deep-water-soloing/

[2] https://gripped.com/news/legendary-climber-miguel-riera-passes-away-from-cancer/

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/DBHMoqySHpu/

[4] https://vimeo.com/7699740