Every year, Germany's best young boulderers have the chance to show off their tricks and prove their range of movement on challenging boulder problems. This year, the German Bouldering Championships were held again at the major "Outdoor" trade show in Friedrichshafen. The atmosphere there can be even more thrilling, as many trade show visitors are drawn in by the exciting event and immediately start cheering along. Among the 75 top-fit men and women born between 1982 and 2002, there were also 11 Mantle athletes, all fighting for a good placing. With 8 semifinalists, 3 finalists and one podium finish, we are proud of a great team performance!
As in every competition, everyone can have an unexpectedly bad or good round, or sometimes their own assessments come true. One person might not be feeling so fit that day, while for another, the boulders are particularly easy, and the next person's nerves are tested. Some left the mat with a beaming smile, while others returned to the isolation area or the crowd with disappointed faces. But we are all richer for the experience, and as supporters of some of the athletes, we were once again able to draw many important and valuable insights that have motivated us in our work once again.
The team's presence was outstanding! Everyone gave their all and put in a full effort. The competition was marked by physical and mental challenges, which can manifest in very different ways: most people find themselves in at least one high-pressure situation during the competition: the person before me has topped, I need one more top to move on to the next round, I have to flash now to make it to the final, the jump is really scary... But in competition, not everyone can make it to the semifinals, and not everyone to the final. But even though they are competitors, they warm up together, motivate each other, comfort each other in disappointments, and celebrate successes together. This mentality, passion, team spirit, dreams, and ambition are an inspiration, and we enjoy being able to be a part of it.
It was exciting to see how, for example, 16-year-old Chris Schweiger took a fantastic 3rd place in his first men's final, how Isi Adolph achieved her best national placing with 4th place after a 3-year break from competition, or how Markus Herdieckerhoff boulder so confidently into his first men's semifinal. No one celebrated their success alone, and no one was alone with their disappointment. In this sense, congratulations again to all Mantle athletes for a strong performance and a great team appearance! Keep your head up, flex your biceps, stand tall, and have fun climbing for everyone who was not so satisfied with their performance. We are happy to be able to cooperate with you and wish you all the best for the rest of the season.
Congratulations also to German champion Alma Bestvater and German champion Yannick Flohé for their well-deserved titles.
Many thanks to Daniel Kretschmer for the great photos.
