Highlights of the KALYMNOS ROCK CLIMBING FESTIVAL

It was exceedingly great...

Kalymnos invited for the 2. International Climbing Festival 2004 from 2nd until 8th of October and they all came. Hundreds of climbers from all over the world – friends as well as newcomers – had a lot of fun. They climbed, celebrated and discussed the latest news of the routes. A big opening party in a good and expectant mood, while meeting new friends, guaranteed a nice start of the festival. Excursions, boat trips, swimming, diving or island round trips with a bike, there are a lot of possible activities on Kalymnos, but of course CLIMBING was the most important object.

The "VIPs" like Francois Legrand, Liv Sansoz, Michel Piola, Mirjam Verbeek, Andrea di Bari, Dave Graham, Daniel Dulac, Karsten Oelze u.a. had been admired, getting ambitious to follow them. Before the festival a "Special Command" from PETZL equipped 20 new routes in the range of 8a and 9a, though the famous climbers could present their abilities.

More than 500 climbers caused – an absolutely rare case on Kalymnos - that sometimes they queued up at the rocks.
Climbers meet here and are friends now.
The guest book in CLIBMERS' NEST is the evidence of each climber's happiness.
They all like Kalymnos and admire the perfect organisation and the safe equipping of the routes.
We like to say thank you to Aris Theodoropoulos and Thomas Michaelides, who spent the whole summer 2004 on the island to check and maintain the routes, to exchange bolts, etc. Also they equipped new routes during this time, in order to get Kalymnos more and more attractive for the climbers.

A huge farewell party in high spirits with laughing, singing and dancing closed the festival.
Thank you to all the climbers for coming and we are looking forward to seeing them again in 2005...

...when the sun spoil our lovely island and the BRUM BRUM of the bikes tells us...AH they are back – our friends with the heavy backpacks.