Jolie Matkowski

Jolie Matkowski is definitely a rising star in the northeast, and, with her recent 7th place finish at the last PCA comp, seems poised to make a name for herself on the national scent. We caught up with Jolie recently to learn the secret of her success.

How long have you been climbing?
I have been climbing since about August 1999.

How did you get started?
My cousin, Paul Hurley, gave Jason and me a gift certificate to the climbing gym in Downingtown, PA for a wedding present. It was without a doubt the BEST present we received!!! After we tried climbing in the gym a couple times, he immediately took us outside to Ralph Stover State park to top rope. He taught us how to set up a top rope and how to belay. It was wonderful that he got us climbing outside right away!

Left: Jolie on The Snail, V5, at The Citadel in Birmingham, Alabama. Photograph by Jason Matkowski.

What is your "local" area?
Working full time an hour from home makes it impossible to do anything but climb in the gym during the week. Luckily, I get to train at an awesome gym - the Philadelphia Rock gym. As far as inside bouldering goes, the PRG is great. They have a HUGE bouldering wall with challenging problems to work on that keep me in shape! As far as outside goes, I consider my local climbing area as the Gunks, but it is 3 hours away. We boulder pretty much every weekend the weather is good at the Gunks or Haycock.

What is your favorite area that you have been to?
Just to preface, I have been to the following areas: Bishop, The Citadel, The Gunks, Haycock, Hueco, and Rocktown. I would have to say Rocktown is my favorite, with Bishop at a very close second. Both areas have so much to offer in terms of the variety of problems and overall atmosphere. The problems at Rocktown were a bit more my style than most of the problems I did out in Bishop. I really enjoy crimps and pinches, and there were plenty of them at Rocktown. Unfortunately, I spent a limited amount of time at Rocktown, but I really enjoyed it and look forward going back there again soon.

What is your hardest boulder problem(s)?
My hardest problem, in terms of rating, is a V8. I sent Pat's Pinch at the Gunks a couple weekends ago. Other than that, I have sent a bunch of V7s. I have done other problems that were harder than Pat's Pinch for me, but the "guidebook" rating was less. I prefer problems that are crimpy and delicate, so problems that are burly and require a lot of strength give me trouble! There is a V5 at the gunks, Hello Andrew, that is very hard for me because it required me to campus a few moves.

What is your favorite boulder problem(s)?
I am not sure I can pick one problem that is my favorite. I really have a favorite problem at each area I've been to. Action Figure is my favorite in Bishop, because it has this crazy drop knee in it, that was really cool! Tiger Style is my favorite problem at the Gunks. It requires me to pinch really hard with my left hand and launch. It is RAD! We went to the Citadel in Alabama while we down south, and The Snail is definitely a classic there. The rock actually looks like a snail; it is an excellent problem. In Rocktown, Tunnel Vision was my favorite problem. It has two really good pinches in it and a far move up to a lip. I worked it really hard and was psyched to finally send it! In Haycock, Ninja Squirrel is my favorite problem. It is super crimpy and balancy, which I love!

Jolie Matkowski on Tunnel Vision, V6, at Rockton, Georgia. Photograph by Jason Matkowski.

You seem to have come out of nowhere to win the Gravity Brawl at the NJ Rock Gym and come in 7th at the 3rd PCA comp, how do you explain your recent success?
I think it must be due to exclusively bouldering. About a year and a half ago, Jason and I stopped climbing routes, and decided to just boulder. Since then, I have improved very quickly compared to when we split our time between routes and bouldering. It was tough initially, because I was a horrible boulderer, but once I started to get stronger, I realized I liked it a lot more. I'm not into climbing because of the adrenaline rush I get from fear, I love to push myself to the limits without worrying about falling and getting hurt. I felt apprehensive and scared most of the time when we climbed routes. After finishing a route, it was a total relief. I wasn't happy because I had just sent the route, I was happy because I was DONE! In bouldering I feel like I get much more excited about a send because of pushing my physical limits, not my fear!

Tell us about your experience at the PCA? Was it positive, negative, or otherwise?
It was definitely positive. It was amazing to see what stress did to my ability to climb! I have never competed with a format like they use at the PCA, and it was initially difficult for me to adjust. Additionally, it was a very intense group of competitors relative to other competitions I've participated in. It was amazing to see the number of spectators at the comp, too. It was totally PACKED! There were people packed outside with their faces up against the glass watching and cheering. It was just an amazing scene. In addition, it was amazing to watch all those strong climbers that I've seen in magazines. That alone was almost worth the trip!

Do you plan on competing in more of the PCA comps?
Yes, definitely. I heard that there is going to be another event this summer in Telluride that I hope to make it to! I definitely want to support the PCA as much as possible I think it is awesome what they are trying to do for our sport! Scott Mechler, the president of the PCA, has done a fantastic job organizing the events and setting unique and challenging problems. The event I attended was professionally handled; I was very impressed.

Do you train specifically for comps? If yes, how?
Yes, I do- especially the PCA comp, I tried to train for it, so that I would be well prepared. I did 4x4s and a lot of touring. I would pick 4 problems in the gym that were near my on sight level. Then I would do them 4 times in a row with 5 minutes rest between problems. Since that is similar to the PCA format with 5 minutes climbing, 5 minutes rest, people told me that it was a good way to train. After doing that, I would try to tour all the problems in the gym that were V3 and down. It is a great way to build bouldering endurance. I think it was a good way to train for me.

Jolie competing in the 3rd Professional Climbers Association Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photographs by by Ally Dorey at the 2001 PCA Tour Qualifying Championship.

Do you prefer comps or outdoor bouldering?
I really enjoy both. I am excited about comps in the winter, because I don't get to climb outside much. I'm a total wimp when it comes to cold weather, and comps give me something to look forward to and train for. I enjoy competing and really pushing myself as hard as possible during comps. It is a real adrenaline rush for me. However, if we lived somewhere warmer, where we could boulder year round outside, I'm not sure I would make it to as many indoor comps! I competed in the Governor Stable Outdoor bouldering competition this year out near Harrisburg, PA. It was a fantastic time and I hope to attend more outdoor bouldering comps in the future.

Where do you get your motivation from?
I'm not really sure. I love climbing and it is definitely my obsession. I have always pushed myself as hard as possible with everything I do, almost to a fault. I guess I'm sort of a perfectionist and in this case; it has been a positive influence. But, I find I am most motivated when climbing with my friends who push and cheer for me; it motivates me to climb with positive people. I am privileged to climb with a group of people who are awesome.

Although bouldering has been a male-dominated sport for some time, it seems like more women are getting into bouldering and climbing harder problems. Why do you think it has taken longer for bouldering to catch on with women, than with the guys?
I think maybe it has just taken a bit more time for climbing to become more main stream and available to the average person. A few years ago, there weren't climbing gyms all over the place, so if you wanted to learn how to climb, you had to know someone who could take you and teach you. Now, with all these competitions and all the hype surrounding them, people are seeing women climb and getting psyched about it! I guess it will always be male dominated, because it is a bit more physically exerting than many other sports, but that is why we have to encourage girls to stick with it. When Jason and I first started climbing, I couldn't even boulder V0 using all the holds for feet. I can remember people at the gym telling me that those feet are off, and just feeling horrible about it. It can be very discouraging. I am very aware of how I felt when I first started climbing, and I do my best to talk to beginners at the gym and try to help them from feeling that same way.

Do you prefer to climb with women or men?
I actually don't have a preference. I prefer to climb with people who are fun, and positive.

Now the question on everyone's mind, who climbs harder you or Jason?
That is funny. People always tease Jason that I'm better than him, but it's not true. We are very close, but we climb differently, so it is hard to tell. He is super strong and burly on all the problem that he does, and I am by comparison very delicate and static. I am learning to be more dynamic, but when he is in doubt, he can just power through the moves, and I'll be left hanging there trying to find a foot! It is funny though, because we work on the same problems, and do them in a totally different manner. He definitely prefers overhanging problems with slopers, and I would take a crimp over anything!

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