Originally from Holland, I started my sporting life in athletics in which I competed at a national level and coached the regional junior team. I discovered climbing when I was 21 and to pay for my study fees I started working in a climbing wall. When I moved over to England in 2008 to live with my partner Andy Earl, climbing became a bigger part of my life both personal and professional. Together with Andy I travelled the world, developed climbing areas and helped to build up Climb Newcastle. Before I knew it I had shared the podium with Adam Ondra in Mello Blocco and became one of the first females to boulder F8a+.
Because of a change in circumstances, I can't climb outside as often as I use to. Therefore I started to focus more on the coaching side of climbing. As well as working for the Sports Science Department at Sunderland University I'm now a self-employed climbing coach and route setter.
-Hometown- |
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| Originally from Amsterdam, now Newcastle upon Tyne UK. | |
-Projects- |
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| Bouldering and Athletics (Track and Field) | |
-Successes- |
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| What stands out for me at the moment is my development as coach I’m now part of the Junior GB Coaching team, and perhaps the achievements of the people I’ve helped as a coach. To become a better climbing coach I started competing in athletics again, so I could help my juniors who compete in climbing. As a result I won many competitions and broke many records in track and field last year, something I’m pretty chuffed with. | |
-Favourite Scarpa- |
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| For a long time the Mago was my favourite Scarpa shoe. I’ve done most (if not all) of my hard ascents in the Mago. When the Furia S came out, it became my new favourite shoe (the power I could get through my feet with the Furia was/is immense). I have to add that I mainly use them inside. I haven’t tried the new Mago’s yet, they might become my old-new favourite again! | |
-No Place too Far- |
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| To make a difference. |
