First competition I have visited was the 1999 Salomon Ice adventure in Pitztal. With lots of celebrities like Alex Huber, Hans Zlobl, Mauro Bole Bubu and Beat Kammerlander. It was one of those experiences that make you want more of it. So we had more. Lots more, but the start was here.
At that time we were climbing in straight ice climber's outfits, gore tex pants, big gloves, leashed tools, plastic boots. Russians were the only one ahead of time and were climbing leashless already.
	Rules were different and climbers were collecting points for every hit with an axe. The less you hit the ice the higher you scored.
Long steps and long, precise and thought-out moves were a key to get high and far. Russian bit the hell out of us all.