Irina Mittelman

Irina Mittelman

Born: 1972
Lives: Köln, Germany
Climbing since: 1980 mountaineering, sport climbing since 1998

Started:
Irina comes from St. Petersburg, Russia. Her parents were climbers, so she met with climbing at her 7, although that time it was more mountaineering. She started with sport climbing in 1998 and after she settled in Germany, she began also to compete.

Preferred climbs:
Slight overhangs from 20 to 35 m long, on limestone or also granite. Irina´s most favourite areas are Ceüse, Maltatal, Siruana.

From her climbing achievements she appreciates most:
Her biggest success in competitions was the title of German vice-champion in 2005. She was also proud of her first 10- in Frankenjura (Slimline). As her greatest achievement she considers the fact that although she began to compete relatively late, yet she can achieve very good results. In competitions she usually starts as the oldest participant (among all mans and women), however she regularly gets into finals and even qualifies for the German Championships. With a laugh se says that with her 157 cm of height almost every route she climbs is a success. But the greatest joy is her climbing group Bloc Monkeys, which she founded. It is a very good feeling, if you can give your experience further and help others.

Competitions:
Irina tried it first on local competitions, before she ventured national competitions. She was in German national representation team in 2006 and competed in the World Cup. But for climbing on this level, she would need time. Besides training she must also study and work. So nowadays, she participates only in German national competitions.

Training:
Irina´s home wall is ChimpanzoDrome in Köln. But she trains also in many other places, because it is quite important for competitions to climb a lot of different routes. Climbing represents 80 % of her training plan, then 20 % fitness exercises and swimming. Irina trains 4-5 days a week, 3-6 hours.

Diet:
She eats almost everything, in a norm. A lot of meat and fish (her favourite meal), lots of vegetables and fruit, low fat dairy products, only a little sweets and less carbohydrates. Irina was educated as a personal coach, she teaches in Sport uni so she deals in this topic quite a lot.

Future plans:
To stand her Bloc Monkeys climbing club on its feet, to establish herself more as a personal coach, to act further as a teacher at German Sporthochschule, to focus more on rock climbing and to find more time for mountains and some traveling.

Climbing equipment:
Climbing shoes Diamond and Ozone QC (Rock Pillars), harness Mojave (Ocun)

Irina Mittelman about climbing:
"Climbing is just the air I breathe and the life I am living. Rock climbing is the best what exists. The depth below my feet, movement, adrenalin, feeling of freedom. In competitions it is more about self-discipline, ambition, struggling. I train myself, other climbers, kids. My work, my private life - all this is climbing. When I am climbing I feel some kind of fulfillment. It gives me strength to get up again if I fail in competitions or some other things do not go well, never to give up.
My motto is: "A good climber is a good man". It means that not only hard climbing makes a good climber.  Such a man, who climbs really hard but otherwise is a bastard, is not a good climber. To achieve high performance you need a good training, mental stability, strong will, motivation. And also money, because on training, you have to travel and it costs something. But it is difficult - like a circle. If you are on the way, you cannot make money. And good equipment is needed of course."

Hobbies and interests besides climbing:
Irina belongs to the lucky ones, who enjoy their work. As for the sport, she goes to swim quite often, she likes watching films and theatres. She declares herself to be a gourmet, who knows how to enjoy a good meal. And she likes red wine.

Link to Bloc Monkeys´web site:
www.blocmonkeys.de