AustralianBouldering.Com conversation
with Sharik Walker
by Cameron Barrie © 2002 AustralianBouldering.Com
So everyone's heard of Sharik Walker
and his awesome sends but he's kept a pretty low profile by living in Adelaide,
South Australia. A little while ago Sharik visited Sydney for some
bouldering and while he was here AustralianBouldering.Com cornered him and the
rest of Australia's best boulderers for a round-table discussion. Here is
a teaser for that discussion provided by Cameron Barrie. Stay tuned for
the first instalment of the 2 hour discussion in the next few weeks ...
Age? 21
Height? Shorter than you but taller than Matt Wrigley
Ape Index? 0
Sponsors? Vertical Reality Climbing Gym helps me out
Favourite Food? 750gm cow from Hurricane Bar and Grill in Bondi
What gets you randy baby? Heather Graham
What do you think of when I say hard? Blue top, Bondi
Bachelor Pad? I don't want to think about Adelaide
Bondi beach? Heaven!!!
Blue Mountains? Cheese and OUCH!!!
Ok, serious for a second, Under Siege ... what you got to say? It's a
bloody long pumper thing. It's good quality and now the Hollow Mountain Cave
goes in two sections. It's all about progression.
Is the cave link up your next big
project? Absolutely, it's the best line ever.
So when do you start work on it? When the pump's gone from Under Siege.
How many days did you spend on Under Siege? Twelve long days with three
shots max a day.
What about Cave Rave? I haven't done it, but from the few days I've spent
on it, I feel Under Siege is a little harder. It should go without too
much hard work.
What do you think about Sam Edward's new variant? I wouldn't use it for
the cave link up, it's too reachy for me and adds another five moves.
Other than the Cave, what else do you want to do? Ammagamma [V13], Dick
Snot [V12] and a whole lot of other secret projects!!! As well as drinkin the
Coopers brewery dry with all the boys.
Who and what inspires you? Eye of the Tiger!!! Klem [Loskot] and Toni [Lamprecht],
you, Matty [Wrigely], Team Adelaide, all the boys in Sydney, Simon Weill,
Jules [Saunders], Crell [Chris Ellis] and anyone who doesn't take things too
seriously.
Klem Loskot and Toni Lamprecht, you spent time with them, do tell? They
are the friendliest people ever. Before them no one here knew what was
possible. They are responsible for what bouldering has become in
Australia.
You were the second person in Australia after Garth Miller to climb V13 with
Madball sd, but I'll bet most people reading this don't know that. How do
you feel about that? I don't know, it doesn't really matter that much.
I did Madball two years ago, it's taken people a while to recognise it's
significance. Bouldering doesn't revolve around Sydney. There's heaps of
people pullin' down all over the country.
Hey, what you mean, I'm a Sydney homeboy, you want a piece 'o me! Nah
just jokes, but, please explain? Well, check out the bouldering
nationals results, Jason [Girdlestone from W.A] ties with James [Scarborough]
and got second on count-back and no one's heard of the guy. Same thing but
at a comp. It's not really a solvable issue because the climbing
communities are so small compared to Sydney, you just don't get the hype and the
psyche at the crag. We've got four people who boulder in Adelaide, there
ton's that go trad climbing, but only four that boulder.
So when you moving to Sydney then? I'd love to move to Sydney, but it's
too expensive and wet hold s*?t me!
So favourite bouldering area? Grampians!!!
Favourite problem? When We Were Kings V11 and Midnight Lightning V8
What's the one thing you have in common with other strong boulderers in OZ?
A love for great problems. Me and Matty [Wrigley] both love Coopers.
Pale or Sparkling? Vintage!
Ohhhh, a connoisseur. In 25 words or less please write your application
to Coopers for sponsorship? SHOW ME THE BEER!