French woman breaks world rope climbing record with Eiffel Tower climb

The Guardian carries an article about a French woman who climbed 110 metres to second floor in 18 minutes to raise money for cancer support, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

A French woman has broken the world rope climbing record after reaching the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.

Anouk Garnier, 34, climbed 110 metres in 18 minutes to set a new high and raise money for cancer prevention and support.

“My dream has come true. It’s magical,” Garnier said, after scaling the free-hanging rope to reach the record two minutes more quickly than expected. “If there was one thing I never doubted, it was that I was going to do it.”

She added: “There were many ups and downs on the way to this record. The weather wasn’t always my ally and we had to coordinate the agendas of all those involved in this monumental project. But I never stopped believing in it. The satisfaction and joy I derive from it today are all the greater. It’s a crazy dream come true.”

The previous world record was held by the South African athlete Thomas Van Tonder, who climbed 90 metres up a rope between the Soweto Towers in Johannesburg in 2020. The Danish athlete Ida Mathilde Steensgaard held the female record after climbing 26 metres up a rope at the Copenhagen Opera House in 2022.

Garnier now holds the record for the highest climb and the highest climb for a female. She began rope climbing in 2022 after winning the world obstacle course championship for her age category and was looking for a new challenge. She said she was inspired by Steensgaard’s success.

“I said to myself: 26 metres isn’t that far, what monument could I climb?” she told AFP.

Garnier said she had prepared for a year for Wednesday’s challenge and was happy to see her family as she descended.

“It was so beautiful to seem them so proud. They’re the ones who instilled in me this discipline of sport, of always giving your best, of always striving for excellence. It’s thanks to them I’m able to do extraordinary things today.”

The climber said she also wanted to raise money for the League Against Cancer after her mother was diagnosed with the disease.

“I saw her struggling so much. I wanted to do my bit,” Garnier said.

She now plans to return to obstacle racing and will be carrying the Olympic torch in Marseille in May but admitted she was already thinking of future challenges.

“I’m in great shape and I intend to keep it up for the next 10 years,” she said.