LFNY Life: You left competition after having been crowned World Champion. Why did you make that decision?
Tori Allen: I was 14 years old when I became a world champion. Later, I had to choose between college where I got a scholarship in Track and Field, and professional climbing. I chose college. Now I work as a property manager in Steamboat Springs in Colorado. But climbing is a part of my life. I climb for exercise, for fun, on rocks or at the small rock climbing wall in town.
LFNY Life: What will the LFNY students learn from you?
T. A.: I would like to share my experience. Being successful at a young age forced me to learn how to handle the pressure and also make choices. I learned that being famous is not everything. I love being fit (I am involved locally with the women’s rugby team) and I like to practice climbing for fun and not only to win.
LFNY Life: What are your greatest memories of climbing and what is so exciting about this discipline?
T. A.: Well, that 2002 competition was obviously a high-light in my life. I will always remember that moment, climbing that wall. But if you practice outdoors, it can be wonderful. You experience the silence. It is only you and the rocks. It can take your breath away. When I climb, everything disappears. I have an adrenaline rush. It is also therapeutic for me, it makes me self-confident, calms me down.
LFNY Life: We have been watching the Olympics this summer. Was this a nostalgic moment for you?
T.A.: I loved watching the Games too. I hear that wall climbing might become a new discipline at the Olympics in 2020. Let me know, I will train and be there!
About the Author :
Pascale Richard joined the Lycée as director of the Cultural Center in 2011, where she aims to bring the best of French and American cultures through conferences, concerts, films and various events. In the fall of 2012, she launched the school’s Artist-in-Residence program. Pascale was previously Vice President of External Affairs at the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF). Her background is in journalism and writing with a focus on lifestyle and fashion. She is a graduate of Sciences-po and holds a master’s in journalism from New York University.