US
DE
EN
FR
CN
MAINMENU
SPORTS
PRODUCTS
Ropes
Harnesses
Helmets
Belay and Rappel Devices
Lanyards
Slings
Flat-Webbings
Carabiners
Pulleys
Ascenders
Ice Gear
Clothing
Transport
Chalkbags
Accessories
RFID Tec
KNOWLEDGE
WORK SAFETY
PRODUCTS
Ropes
Harnesses
Helmets
Belay and Rappel Devices
Tree crampons
Lanyards
Slings
Carabiners
Pulleys
Ascenders
Clothing
Transport
Accessories
RFID Tec
KNOWLEDGE
ADVENTURE PARKS
PRODUCTS
Smart Belay
Harnesses
Helmets
Belay and Rappel Devices
Lanyards
Slings
Carabiners
Pulleys
Ascenders
Clothing
Transport
Accessories
RFID Tec
KNOWLEDGE
 
EDELRID FAMILY
Team Edelrid
Training
Partners
BRAND ROOM
SERVICE
Contact
COMPANY
 
KNOWLEDGE BASE
EDELRID FAMILY
US
DE
EN
FR
CN
(0)

VIKTOR VAROSHKIN -BULGARIA-

Alpine climbing

Viktor Varoshkin
Birthday: 09.11.1990
Homeland: Samokov, Bulgaria
Place of residence: Sofia, Bulgaria
Size: 182
Arm length: 180
Ape-Index: 182
With EDELRID since: 2011
Sponsors: EDELRID, Dynafit, Stenata
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
  • 2014 – becomming a helicopter rescue specialist and a 4th grade paramedic
  • 2016 – climbing Cerro Torre W face for 10 hours, Patagonia
  • 2016 – pushing a new line in Patagonia on El Mocho S face (550m, 6c+/A2+)
  • 2016 – climbing Aguja Medialuna va Sur Azul (OS, 6c+) in Patagonia
  • 2018 – graduating ENSA to be among the first 13 IFMGA guides in Eastern Europe

 

Notable ascents in the years prior:

Bulgaria:

  • Opened some of the hardest trad multi-pitch climbs in Bulgaria, with grades up to 8a+ and A3. Pushing the line by aid climbing and then free climbing.
  • Climbed 10 sport-trad lines between 160-220m (total of around 2,000m) graded between 6a and 7b in 12 hours

Alps:

  • The Central Pillar of Freney 7a+/A0, free-climbed in 24 hours
  • Onsight of The Directissima on Pillier Rouge (7a+/M4), starting from Val Veny and climbing 3,800m to Mont Blanc before descending to Vallot in a single 24-hour push
  • Peuterey Integrale Ridge (5c, 4,500m+) in 40 hours
  • Hasse-Brandler (650m, 7a+) on Cima Grande
  • Onsight of La Beauté du Monde (7a+, 750m, ABO) on Petites Jorasses
  • Onsight of the Bonatti Route (550m, 7a+, ED+) on Grand Capucin
  • Onsight of Le Voyage Selon Guliver on Grand Capucin
  • Onsight of Banana Republic on Aguille de République (750m, 6c+, ED)
  • Vinatzer-Messner Variation (6b+, 1,200m) on Marmolada
  • Bonatti Route on Piz Badile

Caucasus range:

  • Many peaks in the Caucasus range mainly for ski-alpinism
  • Mount Elbrus in Caucasus


Cordillera Blanca:

  • Some peaks in Cordillera Blanca between 5000 and 5600m with ultimate goal of Alpamayo, but an avalanche infront of us caused 3 deaths and we participated in the following operation
Viktor Varoshkin Edelrid
INTERVIEW
Climbing
What most people don't know about me
 

That I've an actual interest in philosophy.

When and how did you get into climbing and what kept you interested / fascinated in the sport?
 

It all began more than 10 years ago as a tourist in the Bulgarian mountains. I managed to spot two colorful dots ascending one 200 meters face of overhanging granite. It was more than enough to instantly choose this lifestyle for me and dedicate myself to all forms of it in the next decade.

What were the most important milestones in your life so far, both in climbing and in everyday life? Did you immediately recognize them as such or only later on?
 

Being a helicopter rescue specialist and a mountain guide, I've witnessed the both sides of the coin. Adventures that triumphed and adventures that led to serious suffering and many time tragic consequences. This balanced my view on what is it to be fully human in the mountains.

What were your greatest failures / setbacks / injuries? How did you cope with them and how did you come back from them?
 

I haven't had really serious injuries by far, nor big setbacks in my motivation.

Training
Do you have a strict training schedule for when and how you train throughout the year?
 

Kind of. In winter, when I'm involved a lot in skiing, winter mountaineering, Ice and mixed climbing I do short and intense gym training so I can keep my overall endurance for the mountain. In summer, spring and autumn I have 4 gym sessions a week plus climbing sport and trad outside.

What advice can you give to somebody looking to improve their training routine?
 

Do not over train, but be never lazy. Listen to your body more than other people and be clear minded. Listening to the body often requires a silent mind. A total lack of intentions, motivations, goals and so on.

What do you think of indoor climbing gyms in relation to climbing on actual rock?
 

I think in terms of physical performance they are great, but in terms of mental performance and intuition gym climbing leads to regress. To me mixing it up is kind of the best thing to do. Without gym you cannot give everything in terms of physical ability, because there is always a slight mental border which is hard to cross. And the other way around – with gym climbing you can never go on the edge on your mental state.

Are you able to do a one-arm pull-up? How about a single finger?
 

Never tried, because never needed it. One finger pull up either.

How much of the success as a pro climber is due to show and how much due to actual climbing skill?
 

At the very top of personal performance show not only reduces concentration for success, but also clears out an egoic intention which comes to say that there is no deep devotion to the act itself, but mostly to how others look on it.

Is it possible for anybody to eventually perform a one-armed pull-up or get to the top of the Eiger/Matterhorn, or do you really have to be born for it?
 

Speaking as an IFMGA mountain guide, I would say that everybody can perform dozens of times above his own expectations if he decides to.

Psychology of climbing
How important is it to set goals in professional sports? What are your goals / targets you are working towards in climbing and in life?
 

It's important to set goals, but much more important for you to be in control of your goals rather than your goals having control over you and turning you into a puppet of your ambitions. They must not control your expectations, frustrations, overall mental state, connection to loved people around you. And this is hard to achieve. In some sense it's much harder to conquer oneself than a peak outside oneself.

How to you deal with extremely hard climbing problems? Do you ever get frustrated and give up on them or do they motivate you even more?
 

I try not to lose focus on the diversity of life and climbing because of an immensely hard project. I try it several times and return to it after doing more of the same (no matter if alpine, boulder, sport climbing or a ski descent). Devoting to a really hard project lets you adapt to it, but adaptation to something in particular always drop your level in everything else. For a multi-disciplined guy like me a maniacal devotion to a particular case is not the best way to act.

Future of rock climbing
Is there anything you would like to change about the current developments in climbing?
 

Not really. I admire the fast and free ascent tendency in alpinism, also the constant development in boulder and sport climbing.

Where do you see the sport going in the next years, what will change and what is your role going to be in it?
 

My main role in it I see as forming a more balanced approach to all alpine disciplines. This doesn't mean reducing the adventure but rather understanding fully its impact on your free will. With all the people I work – hundreds a year, I try to give them an understanding of their particular relation to the mountain and also an understanding for the mountain itself.

PRODUCTS
Sports
Adventure Parks
Work Safety
SERVICE
Find a dealer
Recalls
PPE Courses
Waranty and returns
Contact
COMPANY
Athletes
Partners
History
Sustainability
Career
Imprint
Privacy-policy
LANGUAGE
US
DEUTSCH
ENGLISH
FRANÇAIS
CHINESE
 
Imprint AGB Privacy-policy
Copyright 2018 Edelrid GmbH & Co. KG
KNOWLEDGE BASE
BRAND ROOM
GEAR PILOT
STAY IN CONTACT
 
BRAND ALLIANCE
Edelrid Redchiliclimbing
 

This website uses cookies to give you a more comfortable browsing experience. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies. More information can be found here.

accept