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!