Juan-Dray Marshall Interview

Faded Memories (26) at Cleo, van Stadens

Age?
15, nearly 16

Currently living in?
Port Elizabeth

How long have you been climbing?
About 2 years

Climb ZA:  How did you start climbing?
I started with my father & his mates.

Climb ZA:  What grade are you in?
Grade 9

Climb ZA:  What do you want to when you’re big?

Travel around climbing, maybe America. I want to have my own business one day.

Climb ZA:  How many climbers are there in the PE area?

Quite a lot, but only about 10 real climbers.

Climb ZA:  What routes have you opened and are you opening any new routes at present?

I’ve opened quite a few  routes.  We have projects & lines to open everywhere.  We take the drill for when we get tired.

How many routes have you opened?

Not sure, but about 40 or 50.

Climb ZA:  What did you think of Adam Ondra when he was over here (for the Rock and Road) and did he influence your climbing?

He was a bit boring, but Flex & Andrew were lank cool and made us laugh.

The Shelter (27) at van Stadens - First Ascent

Climb ZA:  Do you train specifically for routes?

No not really. I just jump on them.

Climb ZA:  What training do you do and how often?

We have a wall at home in the garage.  So I can train any time, but everyone trains on Tuesday & Wednesday night. I open up.  Then mostly I just fiddle around, tease Dricus, work on my car, till something gets me psyched.  Sometimes I don’t train if I’m still recovering.

The Platform, van Stadens

Climb ZA:  You’ve been pulling down seriously hard the past year, what does your tick list look?

Checkout 8a.nu I log most of my stuff there.

8b
11-07-02		new one		G/Face	Hard, FA
8a
11-02-19		Skinny Topies 7c+,8a		Main Crag / Howissens Poort	FA	L of Fat Boys	***
7c+
11-08-07		Oceans Apart		Falcon Rock
11-06-05		*Seven Wimp Finish		Oudtshoorn
11-05-30		Hard Play		Oudtshoorn
11-03-06		Walking In The Air		The Beach	FA
11-02-26		Fat Boys Aerobic Workout 7c,7c+		HOWISSEN’S / MAIN CAVE
11-01-23		body parts		Howissen	FA	Rebolted & extended. FA extension.
7c
11-08-31		For the Fallen 7b+,7c		NSA
11-08-30		Screaming at Whores		NSA
11-08-30		Screaming at War		NSA
11-08-09		Lentl		Thornkloof
11-02-19		The Nature of the Beast		Small Crag / Howissens Poort	FA	R of Another Roadside Attraction
11-01-30		new one 5a,7b,7b+,7c		Howissen	FA
11-01-29		BUt here i am 7b+,7c		Howissen	FA
7b+
11-09-05		Easy Skanking		NSA
11-06-01		Sid Vicious		Oudtshoorn Main Crag	Second GO
11-05-25		Blackie Lawless		Oudtshoorn Main Crag	FA, Second GO
11-03-29		Gay Cats Gone Crazy		pinnacle	FA, Traditional
11-02-20		On Your Knees		Pump House / Van Stadens	FA		***
11-02-20		Shoot em Down		Pump House / Van Stadens	FA		***
11-02-06		Maak n Meweeging		The Shelter / Van Stadens	FA, Traditional
11-02-06		Op Staan		The Shelter / Van Stadens	FA, Traditional
11-01-30		new one 5a,7b,7b+,7c		Howissen	FA
11-01-29		Madam Golliwog		Howissen	FA	Re-Bolted & extended. Opened extension
11-01-02		LEap tide		Supertubs
10-12-05		INner Beauty 7b,7b+		Van Stadens
10-11-20		Mr sansman		Pinnacle
10-11-19		The Bold and Beautiful		Pinnacle
10-10-10		Hey Lord		van Stadens
10-09-26		son of a bitch 7b,7b+		van Stadens

Black Powder at Falcon

Climb ZA:  How do you manage study/climb time?
Not that keen on school, studying or vegetables.

What are you favourite school subjects?

None.

Does your school recognise rock climbing as a sport?
No.

Do you have a wall at home?

Yes, we built a cool boulder wall in the garage.

JD's home climbing wall on a Friday night

Climb ZA:  What gets you psyched?

New crags, bolting, opening stuff, stealing projects, cool cars, Short Circuit!

Juan-Dray working Short Circuit, Oudtshoorn

Climb ZA:  What projects are you working (Boulder / Sport)?

My father & I have about 50 sport projects. I give him my easy ones & take his hard ones. I’m keen to open my routes at Oudtshoorn & repeat Short Circuit (31).
Keen for Morne’s projects at Falcon & Pinnacle.

Climb ZA:  Do you have a 5 year (climbing) plan?

I don’t know. But maybe road trip round SA when I finish school.  Maybe travel & climb around America with Robyn.

Cow's Life, Train Bridge, van Stadens

Climb ZA:  Are you sponsored?

Only by my dad.  We have lank gear so I just use whatever I need.  Shoes / whatever else we order in and we have a big box of hangers & bolts.  So I don’t really need to be sponsored more.

Climb ZA:  What are your expectations for the future of Climbing in SA?

Nothing.

Climb ZA:  Do you warm up?

No.  Not really.

Climb ZA:  Do you follow a diet?

Yes the-Clinton-diet, meat, starch & sweets.  I love the McFeast Deluxe.

'Mantis' at van Stadens

Climb ZA:  Top five songs on your iPod?

No iPod, I listen to CDs or radio.  Twisted Sister & WASP are cool, but I like almost anything.
Not too fussy… whatever they play on Algoa.

Climb ZA:  How much do you weigh?

68 kg’s

Climb ZA:  Top 5 routes this year?

- Fat Boys
- Skinny Toppies
- Hard Play
- Seven Wimp
- Morne’s project on the Slipper

FA at The Pump House, van Stadens

Climb ZA:  What is your Hardest onsight?

Last week I did Screaming at War & Screaming at Whores, both 28 at NSA in East London.

You say ‘did’ I see you onsighted both routes ?

I boosted out of school for two days climbing in East London. It was lank cool.

Climb ZA:  Do you boulder?

Naa, not that keen.  Sometimes we go to Alicedale & I have a project at Prophets Cave.  But it is lank hard and I’m still linking the moves.

Climb ZA:  Do you trad climb?

Yes.

Jaun-dray opening a 19 at Towerkop

What are your favourite trad areas?

- Towerkop
- van Stadens
- Pinnacle
- and maybe Mary

What grade do you climb on trad?

I’ve opened up to 27, but only on preplaced gear, but reckon I should be able to onsight 21-22.
I’m keen to trad more.

Climb ZA:   Tea or Coffee?

Coffee, real coffee!

Working Morne's project

Climb ZA:  Have you climbed in any comps?

Yes. I did two last year.

How did you do?

I came about 4^th. They were ok, but a bit boring & lots of waiting around.   I prefer doing my own thing climbing in the bush. I don’t want to do comps anymore.

Climb ZA:  Have you climbed overseas?

No.

Climb ZA:  What would be your top 3 foreign destinations?

Doesn’t matter.

Climb ZA:  Do you do any other sports?

No.

Madam Golliwog 29, re-bolted & sent Howissens, GHT

Climb ZA:  We heard that you have a stock car… how long have you been driving?

From about age 8

Climb ZA: What kind of car is it?

It’s an Opel Astra.  I’m not really allowed to drive it… I get to move it from the garage and drive it on the dirt.  My Dad says that I never miss an opportunity to move the car

Climb ZA:  Have you won any races?

No. I haven’t entered any races yet.

Do you drive better than your dad?

Yes, & much better than my mother.

Can you re-build an engine?

Yes. I’m into mechanics & enjoy fixing cars.

Hypoxia (29) at Supertubes, Montagu

Climb ZA:  What do you do on a rest day?

Rest, sleep, mess around in the garage, go to the mall & hang with my girlfriend.

Climb ZA:  Do you have a nickname?

Ja, lots. But I’m not telling them all. Jungle-Dray or JD.

Climb ZA:  What is your favourite climbing area?

Van Stadens & Towerkop.

Climb ZA:  Can you do a 1 arm pull up?

No.

Climb ZA:  Any scary or funny climbing experiences?

No, not yet. We joke around a lot.

Thin Toppies FA, Howissens GHT

Climb ZA:  What is the biggest Epic you’ve had?

Teaching Robyn to bolt a route.

Climb ZA:  What is your local crag / the crag you go to the most?

Various crags in van Stadens.

Climb ZA:  What climbing areas in SA are on your short list to go visit?

I’d like to visit Towerkop again.  Mary, Morgan Bay, Boven, NSA, Waterkloof, Outshoorn.

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Ed’s note: Juan-dray and his father re bolted a number of routes at Howssins Poort at the beginning of the year.

The official count is as follows:

• Re-bolted 12 routes
• Extended 6
• Added a further 12 routes