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BRAMA, Jan. 4, 2000, 10:00am EST


UP AGAINST A WALL, UKRAINIANS CLIMB!
by Xenia Piaseckyj

Deanna Yurchuk, wall view
Deanna Yurchuk (center wall) descending. ©XP

The weather outside was mild enough for rock climbing in the great outdoors but on Sunday, December 12, 1999 a group of climbing enthusiasts gathered inside at a gym located at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ for the second annual rock climbing competition called "Rutgers University 'Holiday Hang II"'. Sanctioned by the American Sport Climbing Federation (ASCF), and sponsored by big climbing industry names such as "Pusher" and "Metolius", this event drew a crowd of around 75 climbers and fans who are among the reported millions of Americans currently engaging in this up and coming sport. Arguably, among the best and most ardent rock climbers are members of the Ukrainian American community.

Indeed, the current number one competitive climber in the U.S. is Ukrainian born Vadim Vinokur. Though an attendee of "Holiday Hang 11", 23 year old Vadim did not officially compete (considering his skill, it wouldn't have been fair to the other competitors). However, to the delight of his admirers, Vadim (or Wad as he is affectionately called by his colleagues) did put on a show managing to gracefully ascend the hardest routes the gym's faux rock wall had to offer. His success as the most gifted competitive climber in the U.S. has been thoroughly documented in this country's most illustrious climbing publications such as Rock & Ice and Climbing. He is known for his great upper body strength, his discipline and his kind spirit.

In response to this curious spectator's questions that day, Vadim gently remarked that he has been climbing ever since the age of six. Raised in Kharkiv, Ukraine he developed his skill by frequenting Crimea's Nikita Botanical Gardens and practiced his climbing technique on various natural rock formations including "Czervonij Kamin'" (Krasnij Kamin' in Russian). Perhaps his talent is in the genes considering Vadim's father, Ihor Vinokur, was once the long time coach of Ukraine's national climbing team. Denying this "gene" theory. Vadim says that it took him a few years to develop a passion for the sport, and since arriving in the U.S. in 1994 he has pursued an education with the same fervor as climbing.

Vadim Vinokur climbing
Vadim Vinokur climbing. ©XP

Vadim is now just one year away from completing the BA/MA program in Criminal Justice at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. He plans on applying to law schools in New York City and has just taken a stab at the LSAT exam. Likewise, he continues his training so that he can maintain his U.S. rock climbing title. Just recently having returned from the World Championships in Birmingham, England (Dec. 3-5) where he place 17th out of approximately 100, Vadim says he is "happy with his performance" even though preparation for the meet was stressful. He spent two weeks training intensely, although he normally trains about five days a week beginning at 5:30 a.m., working out for two days in a row and then taking a day off in between.

Among his greatest climbing accomplishments, Vadim emphatically counts his January 1999 ascent of "Reverse Polarity" on Mt. Potasi in Nevada. "Reverse Polarity" (rock formations are often named) has been given a grade of 5.14b which, in climbing vernacular means seriously difficult. To his further credit, Vadim has competed continuously over the last five years regionally and nationally, winning three national competitions and placing third at the 1998 X Games.

When asked how it feels to be ranked #1 competitive climber in the U.S., Vadim responds modestly, "I don't always think about it. I will come in first and it's great and sometimes I don't believe that I did so well and they say that I am #1 and I think "am I"?" He admits that the secrets to successful climbing are subjective. Most have to work very hard by working out and practicing climbing techniques whereas a few are naturally gifted, for example, world climbing phenomenon Chris Sharma from California (also present at "Hang II"). Unable to adequately verbalize Sharma's unprecedented climbing talent (he has been known to turn his body around under an overhang using only two fingers) Vadim was only able to say, "He's the only guy...

Climbing group pic
(l-r) Vadim Vinokur, Gail Rothchild, Chris Sharma,
Taras Ferencevych, Isabel Trafton.
©XP

Others are equally generous with their praise for Vadim, sometimes cloaking their admiration in humor. Obe Carrion, a top climber and another "Hang II" visitor, was heard confiding that perhaps Vadim should return to the "homeland" (Ukraine) because "that boy's getting too good", i.e. becoming a serious challenger to the best in the business. Ironically, Vadim is in fact entertaining the notion of returning to Ukraine for a visit and to do some climbing in the Caucuses. He admits that home sickness set in at the World Championships in Birmingham where he had an opportunity to catch up with his old Ukrainian colleagues. Organized competitive climbing still exists in Ukraine, but receives only meager funding from the government. Nonetheless, Ukraine still boasts a number of talented climbers including: Maksym Petrenko, Volodymyr Zakharov, Andrey Vedenmeer, Yevhen Krivocheicev, Maxim Stenkovoi, Olga Zakharova, Elena Repko, Arena Ostapenko, and Natalia Perlova.

While on the subject of Ukraine, it becomes obvious to this interviewer that Vadim would rather discuss the current state of affairs in Ukraine than his incredible climbing ability. Like most recent immigrants, the declining economic situation in Ukraine after independence drove the Vinokur family to the U.S. where father, Ihor, thought his children might have a better future. Therefore, Vadim's editorial comments about Ukrainian politics, society and the economy are often colored with predictable cynicism. On the other hand, while numerous trade magazines commit the cardinal sin of identifying him using the ambivalent Russian/Ukrainian, Ukrainian/Russian semantics, Vadim steadfastly maintains his Ukrainian-ness in his interviews. When confronted with American ignorance on the subject, he replies indignantly, "There is a difference. I get really upset when people think everyone from the former Soviet Union is Russian... The Soviet Union was 15 countries with separate cultures and languages and it was always like that... I am glad to have been raised in Ukraine. Knowing the [Ukrainian] language, I can communicate with other Slavic people. I have Polish friends that I understand and who understand me....[Knowing the language] is a great thing. As for the Ukrainian Diaspora, Vadim has described "Veselka" coffee shop and "Kiev" restaurant on 2nd Avenue in New York City in glowing terms, grateful for the existence of a "Ukrainian village" and things familiar on the Lower East Side.

Vadim Vinokur's presence at the Rutgers competition inspired amateur climber and Ukrainian American Deanna Yurchuk of Livingston, N.J. who placed an impressive second in the women's beginner division, just four points shy of first place. Out of the 17 possible climbing routes (topropes) of varying difficulty, Deanna attempted 8 of them and successfully completed five. She says that personal achievement drives her to climb, "[It] makes you take leaps physically and emotionally. It is an art that involves the mental and physical". A Rutgers sophomore and employee of the university's climbing gym, Deanna has been training since the beginning of the school year. Indebted to her friends who encouraged her to participate in this her first climbing contest, she called "Hang II" an "incredible learning experience".

Another participant of Ukrainian descent, Taras Ferencevych of Jersey City, N.J. celebrated his 25th birthday by competing at "Hang II". Having climbed regularly for five years now, Tares signed up as a contender in the men's intermediate division. His passion for climbing is well known to many members of PLAST Ukrainian Scouting Organization where he has helped incorporate rock climbing into the camping curriculum. For him, Rutgers' "Holiday Hang II" contest was an opportunity to test his skills and rub elbows with some of the climbing world's elite, including Vadim Vinokur. After meeting the top climbing athlete from Kharkiv, an awestruck Taras admits, "Vadim's talent is unbelievable. He's almost superhuman!"

 

Taras Ferencevych climbing
Taras Ferencevych climbing (competing in the men's intermediate division). ©XP

 

 

Deanna Yurchuk and Taras Ferencevych
Deanna Yurchuk and Taras Ferencevych at Rutger's climbing gym. ©XP

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
Birmingham, UK Dec. 3-5, 1999

MEN DIFFICULTY
  1. Bernardino Lagni, ITA
  2. Yuji Hirayama, JPN
  3. Maksym Petrenko, UKR
  4. Amoud Petit, FRA
  5. Cristian Brenna, ITA
  6. Alexandre Chabot, FRA (16 yrs. of age)
  7. Christian Bindhammer, GER
  8. Dai Koyamada, JPN

  9. 17. Vadim Vinokur, USA
WOMEN DIFFICULTY
  1. Liv Sansoz, FRA
  2. Munriel Sarkany, EEL
  3. Elena Ovchinnikova, USA
  4. Marietta Uhden, GER
  5. Annatina Schuitz, SUI
  6. Martina Cufar, SLO
  7. Josune Bereciartu Urruzola, ESP
MEN SPEED
  1. Vladimir Zakharov, UKR
  2. Vladimir Netsvetaev, RUS
  3. Alexei Gadeev, RUS
  4. Andrey Vendenmeer, UKR
  5. Evgeni Krivocheicev, UKR
  6. Tomasz Oleksy, POL
  7. Eiakov Soubbotin, RUS
  8. Maxim Stenkovai. UKR
  9. Daniel Andrada, ESP
  10. Dmitri Bytchkov, RUS
WOMEN SPEED
  1. Olga Zakharova, UKR
  2. Elena Repko, UKR
  3. Natalia Novikova, RUS
  4. Zosia Podgorbounskikh, RUS
  5. Alena Ostapenko, UKR
  6. Natalia Perlova, UKR
  7. Maiia Piratinskaia, RUS
  8. Renata Piszczek, POL
  9. Kim Anthoni, BEL
  10. Olga Bibik, RUS

Source: Rock & Ice (www.rockandice.com)
Other recommended climbing sites: www.mountainzone.com & www.orca.com

 


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