BERND ZANGERL
Austria
Black Diamond Global Athlete
BERND ZANGERL
Bernd Zangerl was born in 1978 in Flirsch am Arlberg, a small Austrian village surrounded by mountains. From an early age, he felt drawn to the endless worlds of glaciers, gorges, and peaks that stretched out before him. Despite the inevitable fear that often accompanies beginners, Bernd showed great talent and managed to climb several “classics” of the Alps at the age of 16. In 1999, bouldering became his true passion. Two years later, Bernd attracted international attention when he became the first person to repeat one of the hardest bouldering problems of his time: Fred Nicole's masterpiece “Dreamtime” – the first boulder to be rated 8C. This achievement suddenly thrust the then unknown Austrian into the spotlight and he quickly became a household name in the world of high-end bouldering.
After a bouldering accident in December 2015, which resulted in a serious spinal injury, he suffered complete muscle atrophy of the most important climbing muscles in his right hand. Renowned specialists told him that he would never be able to climb professionally again.
But Bernd didn't believe them. After a long process of rehabilitation, intensive mindful exploration, and a lot of perseverance, he is now back to tackling challenging boulders and crazy trad routes.
Whenever I visit an area, it´s not the existing routes that catch my eyes; the lines that catch my attention are the ones that no one climbed before.
—Bernd Zangerl
BERND'S GEAR PICKS
Mondo Crash Pad
Men's Method S Climbing Shoes
Sitstarter Boulder Accessory
Men's Dirtbag Pants
Men's Airnet Harness
Men's Mission Down 4000M Parka
Gapstopper Boulder Accessory
Men's Solution 150 Merino Baselayer Crew
BERND'S NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
The Austrian was one of the pioneers who opened up and developed areas such as Magic Wood, Silvapark Galtür, and many more—places that are now among the hotspots for strong climbers. In 2003, he was honored by the renowned CLIMBING magazine for his achievements and was the first European climber to receive the title “Boulderer of the Year.”
Over 1500 first ascents worldwide
First repeat of Dreamtime (8C, 2001)
Boulderer of the Year (Climbing Magazine, 2003)
First repeat of From the Dirt Grows the Flower (8C, 2009)
First ascent of Shantaram (8C, 2013, Norway)
First ascent of Into the Sun (8B+ trad, 2017, Murg, Switzerland)
First ascent of Grenzenlos (8?, trad, 2020, Valle Dell'Orco, Italy)
First ascent of First Try (2022, Rakchham, India)
