German climber enjoys Youth World Championships in SW China's Guizhou

GUIYANG, China, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Although he had no scheduled competition, 16-year-old German climber Finn-Lucas Scholtes still chose to visit the climbing gym at the 2024 IFSC Climbing Youth World Championships on Tuesday evening to learn from other top athletes.

The event, which runs from August 22-31, is being held in Guiyang, the capital city of southwest China's Guizhou Province. It has attracted 599 athletes from 51 countries and regions, including Germany, China, the United States, and Japan.

Over the ten-day championships, athletes are competing in the Boulder, Lead, and Speed disciplines across three age categories: U16, U18, and U20.

Scholtes began climbing about eight years ago when a gym was newly built in his hometown, where he practiced with his father.

This year, he participated in the speed event, marking his first international competition outside of Europe. "Climbing brings me a lot of fun, and I want to gain more experience, see the results of my training, and make more friends here," he said.

It was also Scholtes' first time visiting China, and he described his trip to Guiyang as "a nice and fresh experience." "The climbing gym is a spacious competition site, and the people in the hotel and restaurant are friendly and cooperative," he added.

In addition to sport climbing, Scholtes goes natural rock climbing once a year, which he believes offers more route choices and holds to complete the journey.

He found that the mountainous Guizhou Province is an ideal place for natural rock climbing activities and expressed his eagerness to participate in another competition in China.

Irina Mittelman, the coach for the German women's youth speed climbing team, was pleased to see climbing becoming a bridge for youth exchanges between China and Germany.

"China has excellent climbers, especially in speed climbing. I hope athletes from both countries can train together and learn from each other," said Mittelman.

Since December 2023, China has adopted a visa-free policy for Germany on a trial basis, making it easier for German athletes to visit China. According to Scholtes, some of his classmates have traveled to China following the visa exemption.

"China has a completely different culture from Europe, and the lush greenery and natural environment in Guizhou are really comfortable," Mittelman added.