BJÖRN POHL
How did it come to this?
Well it began with the Disco Duck. DD was a provocateur of an alter ego I came up with in 1997. I friend described the effect of DD as a ”wet blanket covering the country”. And not in a positive way. He was kind of a dick really. I don't know. I was young.
To be honest I wasn't that young. Not young enough to get away with that sort of thing, but I did. So, anyway, that's how I began writing in the first place. A chance invitation I sent to Klem Loskot, an at the time, coming star kick started...
something:
"Hey Klem, wanna come to Sweden? We'll pay you!" He came. It was fun. The days of The Klaan. One thing lead to another. I wrote for Climbing, Rock & Ice, Pareti, Rotpunkt, Escalar, Rock 6 Snow... and 8a.nu Let's say I got fed up with it. Started my own blog, The LowDown. UKC liked it and bought me over. Writing for them since 2010.
The same year, I began working for Klättercentret. I had this idea that it would be possible to arrange world class invitational bouldering competitions in Stockholm. Klättercentret believed in the idea and let me try. The Tierra Boulder Battle and The La Sportiva Legends only were born. Now, we take another step towards World domination.
Oh... right, climbing since 1991.
ROBIN DAHLBERG
Started climbing in the beginning of the 1990’s and became a true climbing aficionado. Read climbing guide books instead of school books to the degree of being able to quote descriptions of eight meter short chossy shit routes in the southern suburbs of Stockholm, that I would never climb.
Always found traditional climbing a delight mingled with terror. I see myself as a scared climber, struggling with fear of heights and exposure. But traditional climbing has always been close to my heart. A weird attraction bringing me to places like North Wales, Peak District, Norway, The Valley and of course The Mini Valley - Bohuslän in western Sweden. Despite the terror I have managed to realize some childhood dreams, such as Gaia in Black Rocks and Minaret in Bohuslän, both E8 6c.
After brief philosophy studies in the university I couldn’t just let go of the topic of ethics. Gave me new perspectives on the bigger picture of climbing. At the same time I got bored with the same old climbing debates since they never really dug down deep enough to lead anywhere, really. But I have always fancied debate and discussion as a form of trying ones argument, whether the topic is climbing or something else.
Got involved with the development of climbing courses at early age and have been so ever since. Working full time with the development of indoor climbing in Sweden since 2005. Today I’m the safety manager for Klättercentrets climbing gyms and also a member of the safety committee in the Swedish Climbing Federation.
STEFAN EKLUND
Found climbing and got sucked in almost 15 years ago… Since then, I've dedicated most of my time obsessing over different facets of climbing. Over the years, this has evolved into a search. Searching for new areas, new problems, new moves, the perfect line… I put a lot of time and energy into this constant search and I also like to share what I uncover.
Writing guidebooks and trying to sell the idea climbing as and endless but rewarding pursuit onto my friends are parts of my way of sharing this. Having been involved in geology for years, I drifted into the climbing business about 6-7 years ago - probably due to the never-ending dreams and thoughts of everything climbing.
Eventually ended up at Klättercentret where routesetting and associated duties constitute excellent breaks from my free time that is usually spent hunting the woods for that next great line...