Koen Baekelandt
Name: Koen Baekelandt
Nickname: Koentje
Job: Climbing gym co-owner @Rhino Boulder Gym / National route setter / Trainer
Year of birth: 1995
Climbing since: 2007-2008
Country: Belgium
What do I enjoy about climbing?
Meeting new people and discovering new places.
Hanging around in the crag or in the local climbing gym, if it is hard working on projects, some onsight climbing or just chilling around. It’s all great, especially if you can share those moments with the people you like around you.
How did I start with climbing?
There used to be an old climbing gym near where we grew up where my brother took me, soon it became my passion. Fast I found the love for outdoor climbing.
Why do I take part in competitions?
I like the experience and it’s a good way to learn and improve the technical aspect.
The most favorite crag?
Spain!
The best achievements?
Lead:
Ali Hulk Extensión Total 8c+/9a (Rodellar)
Helms Deep 8c+ FA
Helms Deep 8c+ FA
Minas Tirith 8c+
Hulk Extension total 8c+
Ragnarok 8c FA
Ode to no one 8c
Bleurp 8c
El Hijo Libre 8c
The Mummy 8c
Boulder:
Rivered 8B
Minas Tirith 8A+ FA
Spirito Indomito 8A+
Opium 8A
Octopussy 8A
La Balance 8A
Trojan War 8A
Conan 8A
Plans for the future?
I would love to spend more time in Spain, taking the time to discover new places. Beside that I just keep training in our climbing gym. It would be nice to push the bars higher when time allows. Beside that it’s nice to share everything we know with fellow climbers who are passionate about the sport as well.
Climbing in 100 years? Your idea?
Funny, because last time I answered this question (ca. 10 years ago) I said; “Climbing will be part of the Olympics” -Et Voila- that’s already there.
So now I would guess that climbing more and more will become a mainstream sport! What will be positive and negative for our sport and business. It will create a lot of potential jobs (climbing gyms, shops, trainers, product development…) and the scene will grow, more knowledge will be shared, people will have the best training access fast and easy. Climbing gyms are popping up like mushrooms everywhere in the world.
The indoor climbing scene will be less and less connected to the outdoor sport and will become a full worthy sport on its own. The negative is that all these new people would like to discover the outdoor terrain (at least a part of them). And Nature will deal will the humans bad behavior. So in that aspect to protect the rocks I think we will go towards a system with “permits” to have access to those places…
Small personal note; Please respect nature for those who come after us….
Have a look at Koen´s Instagram and Facebook profile.
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