Women are (still) underrepresented in route building. Bouldering or lead routes at national and international climbing events are mostly bolted by men, and a route-setting team usually has one female member at most. By organising targeted workshops, the SAC wants to promote diversity and development in Swiss route building and remove barriers to getting involved in bolting.

"Creative ideas on the wall emerge when different shapes, sizes and perspectives are incorporated into climbing routes thanks to input from diverse route building teams," says Alise Zvigule. Together with Friederike Traub, she runs on behalf of the Swiss Alpine Club SAC the project to promote women in Swiss route building. Both are active national and international route builders. "Our aim with this project is to address the gender imbalance within the climbing community and to strengthen the representation of FLINTA* people in route building," adds Friederike Traub. The acronym FLINTA* stands for female, lesbian, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people.

Between July and October 2024, five two-day workshops will take place at bouldering gyms across Switzerland. Depending on the focus, the courses are geared specifically towards people with no experience in route building or cover creative bolting for more experienced route builders. The project is being funded by Swiss Olympic as part of the revitalisation projects designed to give the sport a boost in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Participation in the workshops is free of charge.

26 & 27 July 2024 – Elys Boulderloft, Basel
Focus: Creative bolting
Target audience: People with extensive route building experience
Aim: Learning how to implement creative ideas

2 & 3 August 2024 – Quadrel, Domat/Ems
Focus: Route building basics
Target audience: People with some route building experience who want to strengthen their self-confidence and refine their techniques.
Aim: Using safety protocols and basic principles to bolt competently and safely.

27 & 28 September 2024 – Grimper, Lausanne
Focus: Learn how to handle and work with materials safely (drills, ladders, holds, volumes, etc.), what to keep in mind when setting climbs and how to put ideas on the wall.
Target audience: Anyone who is curious about routesetting- what it is, how it works, the practice- and wishes to experience it for themselves! No prior experience necessary, the workshop is open to climbers of all levels who want to take their first steps into routesetting.
Aim: Setting your first moves and boulders, gaining confidence while using materials and understanding the basic principles behind routesetting.

Only registrations from people who live in Switzerland, have a work permit for Switzerland or are already actively involved in the Swiss climbing community can be considered in this phase of the project. The aim is to use the experiences and findings from this year's workshops to create a framework for future training opportunities.