Interesting facts

Interesting facts, strange things from the life of Törpe


All beginnings are difficult – but sometimes even more...

Bálint Kámvás should have been born on 08-15. 01. 1991. - but he came five weeks earlier, on 07. 12. 1990. Unfortunately he had to spend the first weeks of his life in hospital, and in the most uncomfortable way. He was put into an incubator, illuminated with strange blue light and given infusion instead of fine milk. He was discharged of the hospital when he reached the weight 2,50kg. His body lenght was only 49 cm – so one can say he began his life with a considerable handicap – compared to the other, not prematurely born children. Fortunately his appetite was very good and his weight became normal, but he couldn’t reach the average height of other children.
As he began climbing and competing at a very young age he has always been the youngest and the shortest of all competitors. It’s very interesting to have a look at this handicap compared to the other competitors of the seven Hungarian Championships from1996 until 2003.



First Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 1996-1997.) Boys under 14:

First: Gergely Molnár Age: 13 Height: 158cm Points: 210
Second: Norbert Kovács Age: 14 Height: 172cm Points: 187
Third: Bálint Kámvás Age: 6 Height: 121cm Points: 155



Second Hungarian Climbing Championship (1997-1998.) Boys 10-14:

First: Gergely Molnár Age: 14 Height:164cm Points: 605
Second: Zoltán Berczi Age: 14 Height: 151cm Points: 485
Third Bálint Kámvás Age: 7 Height: 127cm Points: 478



Third Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 1998-1999.) Boys 10-14:

First: Bálint Kámvás Age: 8 Height: 133cm Points: 580
Second: Endre Várkonyi Age: 14 Height: 174cm Points: 540
Third: Zoltán Szabó Age: 14 Height: 162cm Points: 515



Fourth Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 1999-2000.) Boys 12-15:

First: Bálint Kámvás Age: 9 Height: 139cm Points: 700
Second: Dávid Szalay Age: 14 Height: 180cm Points: 580
Third: Bálint Kucsera Age: 13 Height: 164cm Points: 515



Fifth Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 2000-2001.) Boys 12-15:

First: Bálint Kámvás Age: 10 Height: 143cm Points: 580
Second: Bálint Kucsera Age: 14 Height: 170cm Points: 525
Third: Bálint Burucs Age: 13 Height: 172cm Points: 420



Sixth Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 2001-2002. ) Boys 12-15:

First: Bálint Kámvás Age: 11 Height: 147cm Points: 600
Second: Bálint Kucsera Age: 15 Height: 178cm Points: 500
Third: Bálint Burucs Age: 14 Height: 178cm Points: 440



Seventh Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 2002-2003.) Boys 14-16:

First: Bálint Kámvás Age :12 Height: 152cm Points: 380
Second: Bálint Burucs Age: 15 Height: 182cm Points: 305
Third: Bálint Kucsera Age: 16 Height: 182 cm Points: 300



Seventh Hungarian Climbing Championship ( 2002-2003. ) Men’s open:

First: Bálint Kámvás Age: 12 Height: 152cm Points: 330
Second: Csaba Komondi Age: 26 Height: 170cm Points: 314
Third: Richárd Bozsik Age: 30 Height: 180cm Points: 259



And now the strangest facts – even for the most impartial observer

Bálint Kámvás hasn’t got a trainer!
Some people mix up the notions – that’s why they think, that his father is his trainer too; but they’re absolutely wrong! His father belays him – that’s all! Since he is a musician, not a climber, he cannot help his son; he can’t give him any good advice. It isn’t rare in Hungary: many parents belay their children – because there isn’t any professional trainer at all! A very special characteristic of Hungary.
Bálint Kámvás is not supported in any way by the HMSCA (Hungarian Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Association). Despite being the National Champion of Hungary even in the category of men, he has to pay fees in climbing gyms, and has to pay for the transportation and accommodation when he goes abroad to participate in an international competition. When he goes to a training camp, his parents have to take him there and pay for everything.

About being sponsored:
There is a Hungarian climbing and mountaineering gear shop that has been supporting Bálint for more than five years, but recently they give gears and money for the travel to national competitions, but not enough for international ones or training camps. As they say: sponsoring Bálint is only a gesture of charity.

So that’s clear for everyone that Törpe is not really supported by the HMSA or any sponsors, despite his fantastic results in competition climbing and rock climbing.

Now let’s compare the circumstances of Bálint Kámvás with those of David Lama:
Fuzzy, the Austrian climber is only four months older than Törpe. (His father is from Nepal). Lama’s results on rock and in comps are very similar to those of Bálint. In 2000 they both were first (tie) in Ravenna; in 2001 Törpe won by a very little margin ahead of Lama in Ravenna; and in 2002 David became first, and Bálint was second by a very little in Arco. They both climb at the difficulty rate of 8b+ on rock.
And now the differences between them:
David Lama’s trainer is the famous Austrian top climber, Reinhold Scherrer.
Bálint Kámvás has no trainer.
David Lama trains at the Tivoli Climbing Gym in Innsbruck, built by the SintRoc, or he can also climb in the nearby Imst. The height of these walls is between 15 and 22 metres.
Bálint Kámvás trains at the Klébi climbing hall – the highest wall in Hungary. It’s less than nine metres – but the other competition walls in Hungary are much smaller: only 6-7 m high.
David Lama is supported by the OEAV(Österreichisches Alpinverein). It means that the OEAV takes him to the international competitions as well as to train in training camps with professional trainers and climbers.
Bálint Kámvás is not supported by the HMSA. His father takes him to international comps and to train alone in a „training” camp in Austria, Italy or Slovenia. The crags in Hungary are very small, there are only a very few, and mostly unnatural rocks (quarries). On most of the natural rocks the climbing is strictly forbidden!
David Lama is supported also by the following world famous companies: Raiffeisen Bank; Mammut and La Sportiva.
Bálint Kámvás is supported as an aid of charity by the Tengerszem Climbing and Mountaineering Shop.
I referred only to the circumstances of David Lama – but I could mention the Czech Adam Ondra and Martin Stranik as well as those of the Slovenian Jernej Kruder.
What will become of you, young fellow?