Ard Intrachupongse: Climbing Solo and Soaring High

Ardch “Ard” Intrachupongse, originally from Thailand and now based in the USA since 2016, has been making waves in the climbing world. Despite self-funding his journey, Ard placed an impressive 7th at the recent Innsbruck World Cup. His training regimen focuses heavily on dynamic boulders, often training alone due to limited access to competitive-style routes in Seattle.

“I mostly just climb, but at a high intensity,” Ard explains of his training approach, which includes occasional hangboarding and weight training for injury prevention. He structures his schedule with 2 days on and 2 days off, adjusting as needed for recovery and injury management. Outdoor climbing is a rare treat due to Seattle’s rainy climate, but Ard manages twice a month when conditions permit.

Preparing for Innsbruck involved intense physical and mental conditioning, including simulated competition scenarios to hone his “try hard” mentality and perfect execution skills. Despite the challenge of accessing specific competition-style boulders, Ard’s natural affinity for dynamic moves has been a significant advantage.

While Ard has never trained with national teams due to financial constraints, he traveled to Innsbruck accompanied by a friend from his early climbing days. The experience highlighted the contrast between his solo training routine and the team dynamics of other nations.

Financially, Ard currently lacks active sponsors but receives free products without contractual agreements. Balancing his climbing career with coaching youth teams and private lessons allows him to sustain his competitive aspirations while contributing to the climbing community.

Ard’s journey exemplifies resilience and dedication in the face of logistical and financial challenges, showcasing his potential as he continues to carve his path in the competitive climbing arena.

Source: https://www.8a.nu/news/self-trained-and-self-funded-ard-placed-7th-in-innsbruck

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