Adventure Night 2017

Last Saturday there was an amusing event of climbing at Messukeskus in Helsinki: Adventure Night 2017 (www.helsinkiadventurenight.com). There was climbing movies, inspiring speakers and exhibition stands.

I went there with my man who´s also a climber. The event opened at 12 but we began our journey there at 15.30pm with Nalle Hukkataival.

Photo of Nalle Hukkataival from Wikipedia

I knew in advance that Nalle Hukkataival is one of greatest boulder-climbers in the world. There was two short films. First was about his lifestyle "Nowhere - Now here" (IMDb: Nowhere/Now here). And the second one about his "Lappnor Project" (watch the trailer or full movie: www.thelappnorproject.com ) in which he succeeded in climbing maybe the hardest boulder in the this planet. He has estimated this route to be as hard as 9A. In the film he shows remarkable Finnish "sisu" = willpower and obstinacy. It comes times when he and the project members are wondering is it health obsession or madness. It takes four years and so much time, money, travelling, skin of his hands, mind-gaming with friends (many of them also the world´s greatest climbers), dozens of attempts -->  incredible dedication.

And finally he sends it! What a fantastic beautiful silent moment!
And a great short-film! I truly recommend!

There was also videos about access and climbing etiquette when climbing outside in Finland. Those are found from Skil.ry -website: kampanja 2017. Outside we climb in someone´s plot so we should be very respectful and follow the access-bulletin: http://climbing.fi/skilry/content/kiipeilykiellot-ja-rajoitukset.

Main movie was a beautiful historical film "Mountain" (Mountain - Official trailer in Youtube). That was a wonderful movie and my boyfriend really like it. I had my problems because I had programmed my brains to wait something like I had experienced before. I had been at Adventure Night 2014 which had Valley Uprising (Valley Uprising Official Trailer in Youtube (2014)) as a main movie. That was a spectacular historical amusing humorous story how rock climbing developed in Yosemite. A good lesson how You should keep Your mind open. But I loved the beautiful scenes and philosophical story-telling of the clip. Asking and answering why so many are drawn to mountains nowadays. How they feel so alive knowing that in any minute they could die.
There were lot of films in which great climbers where climbing free solo (without any safety equipment). I think that´s when they feel state of mind when "feeling so alive knowing that You could die in any minute". I don´t need free solo for that. I just need to lead climb or do two-meter-boulder ;-)

After that into the limelights came humble and tiny but so amazing and adventurous climber named Catherine Destivelle. What a motivating speaker and a stunning rock climber and mountaineer! Her passion is to climb the most difficult and dangerous peaks.

Photo from Catherine Destivelle´s official website

She has made many documentaries. One of them was Devils Tower - Catherine Destivelle (1992) -Youtube in which she releases the roap (time: 20:35). After her incredible show one in the audience asked how she felt in that moment when she took the rope off and continued solo. She answered: "Oh, we had to do it many times (was it six times or so) because of the camera angles and I knew that I could climb it, so.." (Oh my!)
My boyfriend bought from her the book "The 9th Grade" (The introduction video of "The 9th Grade" on Youtube) which is released by her publishing house Les Editions du Mont-Blanc.

Signing the book

All I got was this postcard of hers.. he took the book to his home and I know I´m not going to see it for months, snif..

Our entertaining evening ended with Reel Rock 12 -short films. There was for example my favourite climber, handsome Chris Sharma doing DWS (deep water solo) in Mallorca. By the way that´s the place I´ve first time been abroad. I was 3-year-old. My parents have told me that I ran into the tempting sea without any fear. But the sea showed me it´s power and pushed me over. It tought me to respect it and we have been friends ever since. Chris Sharma seems to love the sea also and the beautiful rocks over it in Mallorca.

There was also a handicapped climbing woman who wanted us to see her just as a great climber, not as a handicapped climber. But sorry, yeah, I can see You as a great climber. But I can also see You so inspiring by being handicapped lady with one arm. I myself have now an broken angle, an injured shoulder and elbow, 10 kilos more weight than when I started climbing and burn-out. I´m not at my best right now. And still.. You´ll never gonna have this kind of body with four limbs which can be healed. I can step by step heal and strengthen myself and be as good climber as I used to be and a bit better. But no.. I´ll never gonna be as good climber as You.
Thanks for reminding me to be thankful for my quite perfect body and from my potential <3

Thanks so much organizers for this awesome event!
You´re great!