Jana Švecová Interview: Training for Tokyo Drift, Thoughts on the Ascent, and Terranova

Today, we spoke with professional boulderer, Jana Švecová, to talk about her recent first ascent of Tokyo Drift, with the suggested grade of 8C (V15). 

Not only is this her hardest problem to date, Tokyo Drift is likely also the hardest first ascent by a woman of all time.

What was the training process like?

Training-wise, I focused mostly on building finger strength, doing weighted pull-ups, and improving power endurance. Power endurance has always been my biggest weakness, and I think there’s still a lot of room to improve. By sending Tokyo Drift, I feel more confident and can see that the training is going in the right direction.

What were you thinking on the day and during the attempts prior to the send?

The progress in each session was really significant, and I was always reaching a new high point, so everything was going really well. Even on the day I sent it, my first go was already a small improvement compared to my previous session. So even if I hadn’t sent it that day, it still would have been a very good session, and I was getting closer to the send. Luckily, on my third go that day, I managed to send it—even though I don’t really know how I did it. It was an incredible fight, probably the biggest fight ever. Just wait for the video—some crazy stuff happened during the send try

How do you feel about possibly doing one of the hardest first ascents by a woman?

It feels unreal. It almost feels like some kind of mistake—like it must have happened somewhere else in the world, but it probably hasn’t. I guess I haven’t really comprehended what it means to me yet. But doing something first truly is a big deal. It can never be taken away, so that’s really cool.

Is Terranova next?! What are your next steps?

Yes, that was the plan. Doing Tokyo first made sense because it’s perfect preparation before going back to Terranova. It’s crimpy and long, just like Terranova, and I wanted to gain some confidence before getting back to projecting it.

We are watching climbing history being made right before our very eyes! We’re so impressed by all your hard work and consistent training, Jana! Incredibly proud to have you as one of our athletes! 💖

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Learn more about the historic ascent: Read the article.

Want to train like Jana? Try a Climbing Training Plan PLUS.