The pictures all belong to Toni Lamprecht / copyright Toni Lamprecht !!

“A punk-singer with an enormous back, huge arms and big muscles”, that’s how “Klettern”, the German climbing magazine described Toni Lamprecht in an interview.

Since Toni is climbing he collected and still collects hard sport routes all over the world, made first ascents and opened some of the world’s hardest boulders some of which still remain unrepeated.

We had the chance to meet Toni at the Soulmoves competition in Cologne (Germany) something around 13 years ago. Later, we met him in Siurana (Spain) in 2006. We met him on Mallorca (Spain) while deep water soloing, met him in Buoux (France) a few years ago and so on.

He’s a very wise, kind and strong personality with a very interesting life story to tell; the Antonator, the “Stier von Kochel”. Check out what he told us in 2006 in an interview with climbing.lu.

1. What was your age when you started climbing?

I already started climbing around the age of 6, mainly alpine in combination with mountain climbing. I’ve started real sportclimbing being 13-14 years old, something around 1985.

2. How often do you go climbing in a week?

Meanwhile not as often as I used to. Actually 2 to 3 times a week if I have no projects left to finish. Besides, when bouldering, preferably 1 climbing day to 1 rest day, mainly because of the skin! When route climbing, it happens that I climb for 6 days a week when I have found an interesting project!

3. How often and how did you train when you started climbing or did you just go climbing as much as possible?

I went climbing every day and additionally I trained nearly every evening. 4 to 5 years later I discovered the rest-days-tactic and prepared myself more specifically for my projects.

4. Which climbers have inspired you the most and did you have (or still have) a role model?

Sepp Gschwendtner, Jerry Moffat and Wolfgang Güllich were my heroes in the beginning.

5. What made you discover bouldering?

Actually, we had already been bouldering before we started route climbing, that must have been something around 1984/85 in a small climbing garden where I’m still training today. There haven’t been any crashpads until 1996 and with this came a completely different point of view concerning sit-down-starts, highballs, etc. However I’ve been bouldering consistently during the last 20 years …

6. How long did it take you approximately to push your level from Fb7a to Fb8a?

This is a difficult question because I was already able to boulder 7a after 1 to 2 months of climbing. Admittedly, we didn’t climb by grades but only to get stronger. I tried my first 8a boulder in 1996 in Hueco and did it immediately (after 3 days). Only after this I’ve started to live specifically for bouldering … but it’s the best.

7. Is there something like a perfect boulder problem for you?

Yes, “MUERTE” in the foothills of our Alps.

8. These days climbers often discuss whether boulder problems which are longer than 20 moves should be graded as boulders or as routes. What is your opinion about this?

Everyone should use the grade he believes is the best for him! And be honest with himself doing this!

9. Can you imagine climbers being able to do moves harder than Fb8c one day without endurance having an effect on the grade?

Yes of course. 10 years ago no one believed that there would be individual moves graded 8a+!

10. What are your next goals/projects in climbing/bouldering?

In bouldering I have set myself a new goal for the next few years. It is a perfect ship’s prow in Kochel (Germany), like 15 moves long (a highball actually), quite difficult in the beginning, the moves in the middle haven’t been climbed yet and quite difficult again at the end … let’s see what it gets. Besides I’m largely happy with what I have achieved in climbing/bouldering!

11. People tell that you are the most “cold-resistant boulderer ever”. Please give us a comment about this!

I believe that sometimes outsiders are not able at all to understand how much I can motivate myself for a project - especially during winter when the temperature is perfect. Besides, I’m sweating too much during summer anyway …

12. The 15 January 2006 you have participated at the first “buildering worldchampionships” in Cologne (Germany). What is your opinion about “buildering”?

It was a big jamboree!

13. Please tell us in a few words something about your first experiences in DWS (deep water soloing)! Do you think this is more like bouldering or more like soloing routes?

DWS or “psicobloc” is (like the name itself reveals) just a continuation of highball-bouldering, with mostly a soft and big, wet mat. There are no rules but those you make up for yourself. Everyone brews ad libitum his own soup. For first ascents some climbers first abseil themselves to make sure that the route is climbable. Some climbers also clean the holds or boulder a little bit around while hanging in the rope. For some others toproping or rehearsing movements while being belayed is out of bounce, taboo. It is up to everyone self how to prepare the ingredients! After all there is not yet a standardised “psicobloc”-cookingbook, and thus no discussions about the styles of the ascensions, the grades, etc. But the king’s discipline is beyond doubt climbing without collecting any information by using artificial means. I made my first psicobloc attempts a few years ago together with Klem Loskot. The first day I literally had to shit bricks because I only knew the hard impact you get when you jump on the smooth, waveless surface of a lake. The only experience I had with waves was while surfing. After the approach and a one-hour drive (which we reduced to half an hour thanks to Klem’s driving skills) I was shocked first of all when we were standing on top of a few 20 meters high overhanging cliff. I did not know those cliffs were that high. I dread to think about an uncontrolled fall being 10 meters high or even higher. 15 minutes later I climbed an exposed ramp down with an unpleasant feeling. The first real route I did was a disaster: after cramped traversing on wet slopers, getting pumped in a steep wall on jugs I was finally hanging 17 meters above the water on 2 crumbly crimps in a delicate passage. Forget about easy warm-up routes - where are the easy routes with their crux passages immediately above the water? Incidentally, I did not have to take a fall out of my first route but instead Klem had a croaky voice for two days. After 2 to 3 days of trying around and taking some harmless falls (from a moderate jump height) I was suddenly feeling safer and even began to look out for virgin soil - that was the moment I got infected. On the second trip I got addicted and since then psicobloc is like a drug for me.

14. You have also done some alpine first ascents and big walls, can you briefly describe the emotions you feel when you’ve done such an ascent after having discovered the line!?

Fulfillment and great satisfaction after hours of exertions! It is like a ruminant state of exhaustion!

15. Berdorf is a very beautiful sandstone climbing area in a fairy-tale like forest with approximately more than 150 pumpy and bouldery, vertical to overhanging routes from 3c to 8c. Lots of famous climbers (ex. Yuji Hirayama) have already been there. Have you ever heard something about the only climbing area we have in Luxembourg and would you be interested in trying some routes there?

In 1995 on a journey to England I was there for one day and did a few routes up to 8a (unfortunately I have forgotten the names - I think it was cimao west and some other classics …). I found it quite good, but a little bit too warm in August …

16. Small questions with short answers:
- What other sports do you practice?

Skiing, snowboarding, surfing (on waves).

- What other hobbies do you have?

Music, reading, good food.

- What is your favorite food?

Depending on the opportunity: everything from bavarian veal sausage and roast pork to exotic meals like asian food.

- What climbing- or boulder area, what boulder or route do you love most?

All those I had the chance to experience or try with good friends!

- Which one is your favorite country or what place on earth do you love most?

Difficult, probably the place where you’re feeling well at the moment.

17. Our homepage tries to emphasize the importance of ethics and mental strength in climbing! What is your opinion about the saying “it’s all in your mind!”?

Absolutely my idea!

18. You have written a book going by the title “KLETTERN MIT GEISTIG BEHINDERTEN MENSCHEN / Ein Lehr - und Lernkonzept mit praktischen Übungsbeispielen” (“climbing with mentally disabled people”)! Have you made new experiences while writing your book and to what extent has it been instructive for yourself?

Yes: Not to take myself and my climbing too seriously!

19. A few last words, ideas or advice to climbing.lu and all the climbers out there!?

Use every beautiful day for climbing and do not let yourself get affected by envy, arrogance and grading-delusion!

Thank you very much for this interview and for sending us the pictures!

The pictures all belong to Toni Lamprecht / copyright Toni Lamprecht !!