|
By Emerald Salazar, Special to The Manila
Times
Women rule rock climbing. Agile, powerful and
yet lithesome, women scale the sport’s pinnacle to win trophies,
not to mention respect and bragging rights.
The best rock jocks are ladies.
Here in the Philippines, (outdoor) rock and
(indoor) wall climbing has become one of the most popular extreme
sports. We have some of the best climbers in Asia. However, these
champions are unknown to most of the people despite winning awards
in countries such as Thailand and Hong Kong.
Allen Enrique, a climbing instructor at Power Up
Center Climbing Gym, is an example of a fearless female. Despite the
masculinity of her name, she proves that women can level up with men
on extreme sports. Being one of the national sports climbing
circuit’s tough player. She has won several awards in the National
Lead Climbing Circuit-Women’s Open in 2005 and 2007. Enrique has
also won a couple of awards in bouldering competitions here in the
country and the latest was early this year at the 2008 Thailand
Bouldering Competition, placing fourth in the women’s open.
Enrique’s love for nature was also a factor of
her fearlessness. “I love to travel and I love nature, and every
time I’m out of town I try different rock climbing spots,” she
said. She continually challenges herself by trying different routes
and boulders out of town. She has finished a number of climbing
vicinities in Cebu, Iloilo, Montalban and Palawan.
She has indeed stepping up in such a
testosterone-filled sport proving and inspiring other female
climbers to take the risk. “Women should also think out of the
box, be open to adventure sports like climbing, instead of the
conventional or typical sports,” Enrique said. “It is always
better to challenge your self and take risks even if it is actually
a safe sport,” she added.
Every sport needs not only strength and talent
but also one’s self-discipline and confidence. Rock climbing may
seem difficult and technical to some but according to Enrique,
“climbing is more of the balance of your mind with your body.”
Allen Enrique is only on of the hundreds of Rock
climbing enthusiasts here in the country. She can stand as a role
model to those who are afraid to get out of their comfort zone and
prove that women can also be a threat to men in the world of extreme
sports. She just established the very famous cliché expression
“You go girl.”
Rock and wall climbing are fun, exhilarating and
extreme sports that nearly anyone can enjoy and excel in, even if
you’re just a man.
|
