 Abby Watkins
© 2003 Abby Watkins  Athlete to Athlete Interview: Mark Synnott with Abby Watkins Bio Since she began climbing in 1988, Abby has excelled at just about every kind of climbing imaginable. In 1996, she and fellow Australian Vera Wong set the Women’s Speed Records on The Nose of El Cap and the Regular Northwest Face on Half Dome, a record which stood for eight years. She also has a mile-long list of competitive titles she’s taken home over the years: second place at the 2004 Ouray Ice Festival, third place at the 2002 Ice Climbing World Championships and first place at Festiglace du Quebec in 2001, just to name a few. In 1998, Abby took her skills to the mountains of Pakistan and promptly completed two first ascents in the Nangmah Valley. In the spring of 2005, she reached the summit of Cholatse in Nepal as part The North Face’s Sight to Summit expedition, which helped raise awareness for the Himalayan Cataract Project. For all her achievements, however, she remains fully grounded: “The most important thing for me has not been the end results . . . I am far more interested in the relationships I have created through climbing, and also the humility with which climbing has helped me approach the world.” Abby shares her talent and experiences through her Alala Women’s Mountain Adventures clinics (www.womensmountainadventures.com) and her job as a mountain guide; she’s a certified Alpine Guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Off the mountain, Abby performs with the Vancouver-based aerial dance company, Ariosa Dance. Favorite Book: The Hero’s Walk, by Anita Rau Badami Home: Golden, British Columbia, Canada Favorite Music: Thievery Corporation, Verdi’s La Traviatta, Ani Di Franco, Spearhead – “Variety is the spice of life!” Career Highlights:
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