Climbers short of funds, high on enthusiasm

By Chris Brummitt

JAKARTA (JP): "There has been a disaster." Such was the news on Tuesday morning at the headquarters of the Indonesian Rock Climbing Federation (FPTI), located in a quiet street in South Jakarta. "Kardi was robbed on the bus last night from Yogyakarta. US$400, S$350 and Rp 1 million, all her traveling expenses are gone," said Rosyid.

Later that night Evi "Kardi" Nellywati, Eta Henderwati and Nurachman Rosyid, along with three others, were set to fly to Thailand to take part in the Asian qualifying round of the Xtreme Games. Not the best time then to get your wallet stolen. People say in Indonesia that there is always a way, and so there proved to be in this instance. A few frantic phone calls later, and with the help of some kindhearted friends, a relieved Kardi announced she could go.

In Indonesia, as elsewhere, there are two sides to rock climbing. Wall climbing that takes place on man-made walls, and traditional rock climbing on cliffs, crags and mountain faces.

The two are of course related, and it is rare to find a wall climber who has never climbed on real rocks. However the latter requires a commitment that the former does not: A fall high up a mountain cliff can have serious consequences, whereas even a spectacular looking fall on a climbing wall is rarely, if ever, dangerous.

The development of rock climbing in Indonesia, particularly wall climbing, has been overseen by FPTI since its inception in 1988. The federation now has branches in every province in Indonesia with the exception of West Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara.

Kurnia Bhakti, the current general secretary, has been with the organization since its early days. Now 37, and the father of one child, he was one of the first climbers to put up routes on one of Indonesia's bigger cliffs, the imposing 400 meter high Gunung Parang in Purwakarta.

The organization receives no regular funding -- Kurnia said his work with FPTI was more "social work than anything else". His enthusiasm for the sport, and for the organization which he chairs, is obvious.

Wall climbing is the most popular branch of climbing in Indonesia -- there are an estimated 40 plus man-made walls in Jakarta alone, most of which are hidden away on campuses. Kurnia explained the reasons for this are mostly financial. Top prizes in domestic climbing competitions can reach Rp 1 million, while for those athletes who are good enough to compete overseas, anything up to US$5,000. Understandably, climbers who have invested in the basic gear needed for climbing (a pair of special rubber shoes and a harness) are keen to see a return.

Competitions take place regularly across the country mostly on university campuses or in town squares. They make a good spectacle and they often attract hundreds of people, though Kurnia says that he is "not yet brave enough to charge people to watch them".

Those competitors who catch the bug seriously can spend upward of half the year traveling from one competition to another, often sleeping under the wall itself and living on whatever prize money they can get. Each climber has only one chance to prove his ability; one slip low down on the wall and they get to spend the rest of the competition wondering what might have been.

Eta and Rosyid were as relieved as Kardi that she could go to Thailand. They have spent many hours training together in Yogyakarta, where they currently live. Kardi, like thousands of other young people from all over the country, went to Jogya to study from her hometown of Lampung, South Sumatra, while Eta and Rosyid are both Jogya natives.

Eta is one of Indonesia's top women climbers, and can compete on equal terms with many of the males as well. Her size and slight frame mean that her massive upper-body strength is not immediately apparent.

She has recently started wearing a Muslim head scarf, and when asked if this was for ever, she smiles and says, "If God wills it, yes. I can still compete in it, and more importantly still win wearing it. Maybe I'll be the only won wearing one in Thailand."

She was born in 1975 and is one of seven children. She started climbing in 1993 and quickly became "addicted". She remembers, "the first time I was frightened and confused, but then I immediately wanted to try again". She had to overcome initial parental disapproval -- "Why did you pick such a dangerous sport?" -- though their attitude changed when Eta started bringing home medals. By 1995 she had achieved her first success, in a national competition in Jakarta.

Since then she has represented Indonesia all over Asia, including Iran and China, and has competed in the Xtreme games finals in America twice. She admits to finding America bewildering and the people "individualistic and only concerned with their own business". Rosyid, currently studying at Gadjah Mada University, butts in with another, equally serious, complaint. "In Asia the food is no problem. You know salad? I hate it. In America that's all they eat."

Funding for these trips comes mostly from savings from prize money and help from FPTI. Kurnia and the others at the federation spend a lot of their time lobbying the National Sports Council (KONI) for a slice of their budget. They also work together with other Asian climbing federations, hoping to get wall climbing introduced into the Southeast Asian games.

Perhaps the best single piece of news for Indonesian rock climbers would be that climbing had become an Olympic sport. This would lead to a surge in funds, as the indications are that Indonesian climbers could compete at this level. Eta remains hopeful, "We understand, what with the monetary crisis. If we can still be successful without government help, maybe they will become interested in us."

In Thailand, Eta and Rosyid proved that they still can. A few days after the interview I received an e-mail from them, saying they had both got first place in the men's and women's speed climbing competitions respectively, in the process booking their tickets to San Francisco and the Xtreme Games finals next summer.

Until then its more training, combined with catching up with university assignments for Rosyid and part-time work in a Jogya outdoor equipment shop for Eta.

Over the phone I asked Eta whether this victory meant she would be competing in climbing's World Cup in England in December. Her answer was familiar, if depressing. "I really want to, but I haven't got the airfare. I'm still looking for a sponsor."