Nico Favresse

Belgium

When I am in Belgium people think I am either crazy or really lucky. It’s probably a bit of both. I am barley ever in my country and always gone to target some climbing destination around the world. I don’t have a home but I am doing what love and committed everything to be able to live fully my passion for rock climbing. Whether it’s a one-move boulder problem or a big wall in alpine environment it’s the same. It’s rock and I love it all.

Birthday? 07/04/1980

Year you first started climbing? 1995

Three climbing achievements you are most proud of?

• First ascent of The Secret Passage (5.13c R, 650 m), El Capitan, Yosemite


• First repeat of Cobra Crack (5.14), Squamish, Canada


• First ascent in a push of  Ledgeway to Heaven (5.12+, 1300 m), Nafees Cap, Charakusa Valley, Pakistan

Memory/story of the first time you ever went climbing? In April 1980 I was already slapping slopers mantling out my mom’s belly.

Favorite climbing area and why? The wall in my garage because the fridge with the fresh beers are not too far away!

Best climbing experience? Blowing three pieces of pro and taking a 20 meter wiper while trying to figure out what the E grading means. Now I know!

Worst climbing experience? Peeing with upward wind on a wall.

What's your dream trip? Where? With who? Climbing and jamming on Jupiter with Wolfgang Gullich and Jimi Hendrix.

Guilty pleasure? Sending my partners up scary routes to have a laugh.

Something that annoys you while climbing? Hot babes at the cliff… they make it hard to maintain the focus !

What/who inspires you in climbing? Santa Claus because he is so good at chimneys.

Favorite aprés-climb meal? Pack of Belgian fries with andalouse sauce (Belgian specialty).

Favorite climbing flick? Stone Monkey with Johnny Dawes

What's in your iPod? I don’t have one … I have a mandolin instead providing endless music potential.

Strangest place you've ever woken up? On the floor of a public bathroom.

Strangest person you've ever woken up with? A Yosemite ranger in Camp 4. It must have been illegal!

Three things you'd never roadtrip without? My mandolin, a BBQ grill and my BD gear!

Superstitions? Looking in the eyes when cheering. If you don’t… you’ll get 7 years of bad…

What's your dream job? Be paid for scrambling on rocks.

How are you training when you are not climbing? I scope some new cliffs and lines… It’s a lot of walking… or I strengthen my fingers playing some tunes on my mandolin. It’s hard training!

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? Some big wall free lines…

Which would you prefer: power of flight or invisibility? Invisibility for sure. That way I could spy the secret training of the top climbers!

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Only crack stigmata