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Wall climbing goes to mall to attract new fans
First ascent: Founders and members of the IndoClimb team pose for a photograph during the introduction of the first indoor sport climbing gym in the FX shopping mall in Jakarta on Tuesday
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irst ascent: Founders and members of the IndoClimb team pose for a photograph during the introduction of the first indoor sport climbing gym in the FX shopping mall in Jakarta on Tuesday.(Courtesy of IndoClimb)
Rock climbing has seemingly very little to do with shopping malls and sightseeing. But that perception could soon come to an end as the IndoClimb sport climbing community, is going to build Jakarta’s first indoor climbing gym at FX mall in Sudirman, Central Jakarta.
The facilities will be centered at the mall’s mezzanine floor and the climbing wall will be 232 meters wide and 18 meters tall.
“We are on mission to break the stigma that this is a serious and hard-to-do sport. We want to show everyone that sport climbing can be fun,” IndoClimb cofounder Reinata Valenza told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The gym will be officially greet rock climbing aficionados on April 1, 2019, and operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Beginners who are keen on exploring the sport and the facilities available at IndoClimb can try a one-day pass costing Rp 150,000 (US$10.27). Once they are ready to delve deeper into sport climbing, they can enroll as a member for Rp 750,000 per month. A kickstarter package is available for Rp 5 million per year. So far, 18 climbers have registered for the program, Reinata said.
A new member with zero experience, she added, will automatically enter the beginner’s class. Training will be provided for members who seek to improve their climbing skills.
“We have dedicated coaches to guide them in the hope that they could always improve their skills and thus be qualified to move to the intermediate and advanced classes,” she said.
She promised members a fun environment where anyone can easily train without fear or worries.
“We will also provide a completely safe experience for children who want to get to know the sport,” she added.
Aspar Jaelolo, a senior climber who won a gold medal in the Wujiang World Cup in the speed category, praised the new facility and hopes it could get more people interested in sport climbing.
“I would like to see this gym discover potential climbing talents who can join the national team,” he said.
Aspar said he would visit the gym regularly to encourage aspiring members.
The sport climbing gym will be the first in Jakarta. However, a similar facility in Bintaro, South Tangerang, Banten, has been widely known earlier.
Rock climbing has become one of Indonesia’s leading sports as it managed to secure three gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games.
