Swedish climber Matilda Söderlund talks about breaking stereotypes, advice for young climbers on trip to Hong Kong
- Trailblazer visited the city for a screening of her new documentary ‘Niemesis’, documenting her journey to conquer the difficult sport climbing route
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Matilda Söderlund’s quest to conquer Sweden’s hardest sport climbing route was documented in the short film “Niemesis”. Photo: Matilda SöderlundSwedish athlete Matilda Söderlund spends much of her life suspended dozens of metres in the air – all in a day’s work for a professional climber.
Söderlund got her first taste of Hong Kong’s climbing scene this winter when she scaled several outdoor routes and visited climbing gyms across the city. Her time in Hong Kong was coupled with a screening of her new short documentary Niemesis at the Eaton Hotel in Jordan earlier this month. The film details her 2023 journey to conquer the 28-metre rock of the same name in one of Sweden’s most difficult sport climbing routes.
It was one of the most arduous climbs Söderlund had ever faced. “I thought it would be a fairly quick thing, and it turned out to be my longest project ever,” the 31-year-old reflected.
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But reaching this extreme level comes from years of dedication to her craft.
Söderlund was first introduced to the sport at age 11 when she attended a friend’s birthday party at a climbing gym.
“To this day, I still remember the first time I was on the climbing wall ... something just clicked,” she said. “I didn’t have to think when I was on the wall; it was like my body was doing something natural. I still have the same feeling when I’m on the wall as I did the first time.”
She immediately started making her mark as a junior athlete in competitive climbing competitions. Now, 20 years later, she is an accomplished climber traversing the globe in search of new challenges.
Breaking stereotypes
As a trailblazer for female climbers, Söderlund has seen the sport grow and evolve. She is especially happy to find that climbing is becoming more inclusive for women, people of colour, and those from different financial backgrounds – groups who previously had a hard time getting involved in the sport.
Söderlund originally struggled to fit in with climbing culture, which has long been male-dominated.
“When I first started, you needed to dress like this and do this and that,” she said. “As a kid, I liked to wear pink; I did not fit [the stereotype of] a climber.”
Söderlund recounted the sexist comments she received from male climbers, even during her professional years, saying men would make bets on whether she would need a helicopter to airlift her out of a treacherous climb or recommend she try easier climbs that were more suitable for women.
Despite these frustrating moments, Söderlund is happy to see climbing become more diverse: “More people getting into climbing [are] showing you don’t need to look [a certain way] to define yourself as a climber,” she said. “There’s a big difference compared to 20 years ago, though there’s still a long way to go.”
Advice for young climbers
With climbing becoming increasingly popular, especially after its Olympic debut in the 2020 Tokyo Games, Söderlund is excited to see more young people exploring the sport. She contributes to its growing popularity among Sweden’s youth with her very own climbing gym in Stockholm called Moumo, which opened in 2022 and features three floors of climbing walls. The gym offers small group classes in bouldering for children aged 8 to 12, as well as for adults wanting to try their hand at the sport.
Söderlund wants more people to try climbing, not only because it is “the best sport in the world” but because the lessons learned in climbing can carry over to other parts of life; Söderlund credits the sport for helping her gain confidence when facing difficult tasks and developing her self-esteem.
Given Hong Kong’s abundance of climbing walls, Söderlund was eager to bestow advice on the city’s new young climbers.
“The best thing is to try to climb as much as possible,” she recommended, adding that it was also important to try different types of climbing. “Watch people climbing [who] are better than you and try to learn from them. And have fun! That’s the most important part.”
For people who are nervous about falling or have an aversion to heights, Söderlund emphasised the importance of taking things “step by step” and putting yourself into the scary situation little by little.
She also noted that while Hong Kong has some incredible outdoor climbing spots, it is always important to prioritise safety: always double-check that your equipment is on correctly, climb with more experienced friends or instructors, and do not take any unnecessary risks.
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