Who Is Jakob Schubert?
Jakob Schubert (born December 31, 1990) is an Austrian professional rock climber specializing in competition climbing (lead and boulder), sport climbing, and bouldering. He is a four-time World Champion (2012, 2018, 2021, 2023), a three-time Lead World Cup winner (2011, 2014, 2018), and a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in the combined event (2020, 2024). As of 2023, he holds the record for the most IFSC gold medals won by any male competition climber.
Beyond competitions, Schubert has made historic achievements in outdoor climbing. He was the first climber to both redpoint a 9c (5.15d) sport route and climb a 9A (V17) boulder problem, cementing his status among the world’s all-time greats. In 2023, he completed B.I.G. (9c/5.15d) in Flatanger, Norway, a legendary, world-class sport route considered one of the hardest climbs ever completed.
The Interview
We were lucky enough to meet Jakob while he was in Canada promoting his film about the B.I.G. climb. During a break at a climbing gym, we took the opportunity to dive into the mind of a once-in-a-generation climbing phenom!
We met up with Jakob at Climb Base 5 in Coquitlam and asked him a series of questions — some easy, like why he’s in Canada, and some more technical, around training. We then dove into a few ethical questions and discussed pushing the limits of the sport now and in the future.
Vancouver staff member Camillo covers a broad range of topics, but be sure to watch the full video as we explore many areas with Jakob, including:
- Jakob’s new film and how his film tour is going
- His favourite piece of Mammut gear - the amazing Crag Sender Rope
- His favourite climbing shoe - the benchmark La Sportiva Solution
- How he trains to perform at such a high level for both indoor and outdoor climbing
- How he’s adapting his training approach as a new generation of climbers emerges
- Whether social media or sponsorship pressures contribute to grade inflation
- The current limits on climbing grades and how they are being pushed further
- New mindsets or training techniques that are helping climbers break past current barriers
- His thoughts on knee bar pads, new beta, and grade adjustments
- Which upcoming female climbers should we watch out for?
- His thoughts on preparing for climbs using gym replicas
- Which climbers are impressing him with their growth and performance
- How the new school of coordination and slab problems translates to outdoor climbing
- His advice for those transitioning from indoor to outdoor climbing
- Which lessons have stuck with him over the years
followed by a series of rapid-fire questions.
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