“So I stopped my competetive climbing and then becoming a professional trad climber after that was definitely not about ‘who’s doing the hardest route’ – because every route is very different and every story is very specific so I could just find my own path. Now our life if completely different, it is about telling stories about the experiences we live and sharing stories that hopefully can motivate someone”
Every time I prepare a new interview I do quite extensive research and when we sit down to record I always want to have a wide range of questions written down – so that is also what I did for this sitdown with climbers Caroline Ciavaldini and her husband James Pearson. However, after just a couple of minutes the questions went straight out of the window as this amazing, energetic couple in the most lovely way hijacked the entire interview and I quickly decided to just hang on and enjoy the ride.
A friend of mine who is working with PR for The North Face in Scandinavia, Erica, described James and Caroline as very “bubbly” and that proved to be the understatement of the year. I enjoyed every minute as they opened up and told me their story.
Caroline tells us about growing up on the Island of Reunion, about the atmosphere of the island and comparing it with James childhood as he was growing up in the Peak District, Derbyshire, in England. We talk about life, about death, about being exposed to risk and fear and about making Trad Climbing Great Again.
I am very pleased and proud of this interview that will boost your energy extensively whether you are a climber or not.
Make sure to follow them on their homepage Once Upon a Climb, on their Facebook page and on Instagram. Also: be kind to James and help him become a YouTube celebrity by following his channel.
I strongly recommend their movies as well such as Shifting Dreams and the very amusing Le Bronx about James journey to become french. You don’t have to be a climber to enjoy these.
If you like this interview please check out the rest of the Husky International series such as an interview with freeskier Jackie Paaso, with american runner Max King, with The North Face athletes David Göttler, Jez Bragg and Simone Moro, with legend Gary Fischer, or Lebanese adventurer Maxime Chaya.
Please subscribe to the podcast Husky, or the Husky International series, in your favourite podcast app. If you are using acast you will be rewarded with pictures, links and videos while listening to the interview.
Husky is produced with support from Naturkompaniet and the new Holiday Club Åre.
Cover photo made from original photos by © Clayton Boyd and Riki Felderer / The North Face
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