Climbing without borders: Helmstadter conquers the wall despite impairment!

Climbing without borders: Helmstadter conquers the wall despite impairment!

Weidenmühle, Deutschland - In the climbing hall between Birkenfeld and Karbach, an exciting event has taken place: the first inclusive climbing! Under the guidance of trainer Heike Nötscher, people with and without impairment climbed the walls together. David, a 20-year-old with a peg-emphasized tetraspastic, ventured onto the wall despite his fears and the challenge of using his partially paralyzed legs. "I can't imagine that I can do it," he confessed before he bravely slipped into the climbing belt.

The climbing hall, operated by the section Main-Spessart of the German Alpine Club (DAV), offers a simulated rock environment with routes for various levels of difficulty. Heike Nötscher, who recently trained as a climbing trainer for people with disabilities, emphasizes: "Everyone can climb. It doesn't matter how high you come or how long you can hold. The main thing is that you have fun!" Your passion for sport is contagious and motivates the participants to cross their limits.

a day full of courage and ambition

David was not the only one who had to overcome his fears. The seven-year-old Ida, who lives with a rare gene defect, and Lina, who has motor disorders due to an oxygen deficiency during birth, also showed impressive courage. While Ida scrambles the wall with her dad, her brother Max watches and gives tips from below. Timo, a mid -forties with incomplete cross -sectional paralysis, was also there and fought on the wall. "I would not have expected it to go so high," he said after his first climbing game, visibly exhausted, but proud.

The day of action was funded by the joint project A.L.M (Alpen.leben.menschen) that wants to advance inclusion. Nötscher plans to offer this inclusive climbing event regularly in the future. The next dates have already been set: January 17, 2025, May 2, September 26 and 28, November 28, from 4.30pm to 6pm. A step in the right direction for more inclusion in sports!