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Valery Babanov has lodged his ‘Piolet d’Or’ and ‘Golden Heintziana’ in BASK office
Legendary soloist, best climber of year 2001, prizewinner of ‘Piolet d’Or’ and ‘Genziana Glovane’: all these unique titles belong to one person. He is our compatriot -Valery Babanov.
For about one year Valery has been living and studying in Chamonix. There is a famous ENSA that prepares top-level climbing guides. It’s hard to enter it, but it’s much harder to study in it.
Each year about two hundreds of advanced candidates take four examinations for entry to the school: alpine skiing, rock climbing, ice climbing, up-slope backpacking and speed ascent of difficult terrain. Only one-forth of candidates passes the trials and enters ENSA.
Taking in consideration outstanding climbing experience of Valery, school authorities requested from him to pass only one exam in alpine skiing. So Valery had only to learn French and to master alpine skiing and ski-tour. As Valery Babanov had almost no ski experience, it took about two years at him (keep in mind that he had not interrupted his climbing routine for the period). Last April Valery became a student of ENSA.
This Friday Valery completed the ‘sessions’ of seven difficult exams and the next day he was already in Moscow. His vacations are short -– in a week he is to return to France to pass his three-weeks guide-teach what is essential for being qualified as ENSA guide.
When Valery Babanov for the first time for the last several months found himself in Moscow, he immediately paid a visit to BASK – a company, with which his climbing carrier has been related for years.
With a flourish, Valery has lodged his ‘Piolet d’Or’ and ‘Golden Heintziana’ in BASK. For the first time we could with our own eyes appreciate the main prize of Trento film festival. It was an exquisite ‘Golden Heintziana’ made of rock crystal and gilt silver.
Valery Babanov is overburning with new plans and new ambitions. This autumn he is leaving to Himalayas where he plans to solo first-climb South-east edge of Nuptse. Our cooperation with Valery continues so we hope some more exhibits to appear in our small climbing museum soon.
26.08.2002
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