20 Questions
Describe your climbing background:
I’ve always been fascinated by climbing and began with my uncle in 1995, when he took me climbing at Mt. Arapiles. The following few years I spent mostly sport climbing near my home in the Blue Mountains and began to bolt new routes. Since then I have focused mainly on developing hard sport climbing and have become ever more obsessed and inspired to appreciate and challenge myself with the adventure the cliffs have to offer and to leave that same adventure for others.

Any training advice or suggestions?
I think it is really easy to get caught up in pursuing difficulty and directing your training at that. Possibly a better approach is to work out what it is that makes you most happy and excited, then direct your energy toward maximising those experiences. It may mean doing more pull-ups and training on a bouldering wall or that you go to your favourite local crag every chance you get, or that you do some overtime to save for the next trip.

Who or what inspires you?
Aside from beautiful routes or lines, I am inspired by seeing people giving all of themselves to the lifestyle and climbing that most excites them.

How do you see climbing evolving in the next five years?
5.14c onsights will probably become fairly common in Europe and maybe 5.15b and c redpoints… but as far as evolution I think big wall free climbing will continue to mature with style becoming more and more emphasised than the route being climbed.

What do you think about the 5.15 grade?
It is the 5.14 of the 80s and the 5.13 of the 70s. To me it represents a level of difficulty only achievable with massive drive and inspiration.

Care to comment on pre clipping more than one draw or pre placed gear on trad routes, chipping/ comfortising holds, glue versus no glue?
As far as pre-clipping on sport routes: the emphasis should be on difficulty of the climbing. I think there is a place for pre-clipping and top-roping on some sport routes. As long as people are up front with their tactics, no one needs to question them or be offended by their approach. The use of glue is a grey area and should always be a debate. Coming from an area where some routes would not exist without the use of glue or would be constantly evolving lines of scarred rock, I can appreciate that it is acceptable in some places, my opinion on this though may change. Over the course of my climbing life and experience my opinion on route manipulation has evolved to believe that chipping is a blatant disregard for the creative and adaptive elements required to rock climb. There is no harm in having “impossible lines,” where else will the next breakthroughs happen?

Are you a fan of climbing history? Explain.
I am fascinated by reading about peoples experiences, who at different times throughout history have been creative and bold enough to see the direction of climbing and make the big break throughs—whether in difficulty or adventure. I also think it is important that we are aware of the mistakes made previously so we can learn from them.