Andi Fichtner

Andi Fichtner

Born: 1976
Lives: Stuttgart, Germany
Climbing since: 1995

Started:
Andi started with alpin climbing and on ice. Once she was with her friends in Swabian Jura. It rained and Andi was the only one, who was eager to climb. So to stop her complaining, they tied her on the rope and to everyone´s surprise, she managed to climb a route of 6 grade. And so her passion for climbing was born. She did another sport top-level before (voltige), but climbing surpassed all. In fact, she find what she was looking for, not knowing it.

Preferred climbs:
Definitely outside on rocks and sometimes she must press on her companions a lot to persuade them, when the weather is not ideal (rain or snow).

From her climbing achievements, she appreciates most:
Of course the title of German Champion in speed climbing, but also the waterfall Betablock Super (WI7) in Switzerland (from which she has respect quite a long time), Walker pillar of Grandes Jorasses or west wall of Dru.

Competitions:
Andi participates in bouldering and speed climbing competitions and is a member of German national climbing team.

Training:
She climbs as much as she can, on "free" days she runs in summer and in winter enjoys ski-skating. She also participates in marathons and skimarathons (e.g. Engadin in Switzerland).

Diet:
The most important is to have it fresh and a good portion. In mountains, she always brings all the food with her right to the rock to cook something tasty and nourishing and to enjoy the last good tucker before the performance.

Future plans:
Climb a lot, to explore new and nice climbing areas, meet new interesting and nice people. She plans to get old as a climber and even though she will have no strength for another 8a, she will yet enjoy it.

Climbing equipment:
Shoes Ozone QC and Diamond (Rock Pillars), crash pads Dominator a Quack (Ocún)

Andi Fichtner about climbing:
"Me fascinates the struggle of a human body with gravity and verticals. Only the men himself and no other support. Thanks to climbing, I met a lot of nice people, who are the same blood as I am and we have the same passion. Climbing is much more than just sport for me. It is a life philosophy. On one hand, there is movement and effort and willpower, on the other hand nature and good times with friends by coffee or joy from solitude in a mountain wall. These are magic moments of an intance self-awarness, when you start to climb the route, which you have climbed many times in your mind before. It is a moment of tension and expectation, what is hard to describe and when only here and now is what matters. A good climber, like any other athlets, must live his sport. Besides, he needs to be creative, psychically strong, to believe his abilities, have strong will and determination to achieve something. And of course, you need a good climbing material to stay long alive. I will never forget, how I was once climbing with a blind guy and he climbed all the route and sent it with his courage and will and when we stood at the top, he burst into tears of happiness. It was really strong."

Hobbies and interests besides climbing:
Other sports - running, skiing. In other respects, graphics, drawing, photography - Andi is a graphic by her profession and a web designer.

Web page of Andi Fichtner:
www.andifichtner.de