The climber, one of the pioneers “the escalade libre”, had a unique style and elegance. He died Friday night but Sunday, the causes of his death 52 years are still not known.
Patrick Edlinger, died Friday at his home in the Alpes de Haute-Provence at the age of 52 years, had contributed to the popularization of climbing in years 1980. A free man, on the cliff with minimalist equipment, Hair in the wind: Patrick Edlinger, suspended above the void on vertiginous walls, returned an image of absolute purity.
Unarmed
“It is thanks to him that today there are thousands of practitioners”, underlines Jean-Michel Asselin, his friend from 25 years, author of a biography to be released in a few months. “He had a style, elegance and a speech that contrasted with that of the time only profiteering were“, continues the biographer joined Saturday by AFP.
Patrick Edlinger, the causes of death are not known, was made with bare hands and sometimes even without being assured several climbs in the Verdon Gorge in the early 1980. Alongside including Catherine Destivelle, he was one of the pioneers “the escalade libre” High-level.
These feats, he shared with his partner Patrick Berhault, death mountain 2004, had been the subject of a documentary. Le film “Life at your fingertips” to contribue à popularize climbing to the general public. “Patrick has revolutionized climbing worldwide by making a popular sport that was so highly confidential”, renting Jean-Michel Asselin.
Sandwich and glass of water
The man with the blond long hair, who was driving a truck and said he needs a sandwich and a glass of water, enjoyed a smash hit, to the point of becoming’A major media figures of the discipline. Popularity that seemed to interfere.
A daughter of 10 years, Patrick Edlinger avait abandoned the high-level 1995 after a serious fall cliff and had retired to La Palud-sur-Verdon, in the Alpes de Haute-Provence, where he opened a house. “The passion had never left. And continue to climb and planned to do a world tour”, said his friend. He kept climbing every day.
“I am a free man, I have no regrets about my career”, he told the daily The Dauphine Libere, then he should attend, Thursday, to Film Meetings mountain Grenoble. The announcement of his death prompted many tributes on social networks. “Thank you for giving me the desire to climb”, “The cliffs of the Verdon are orphans, an icon is gone”, could be read including on Twitter.
source : Midi Libre, 18 November 2012
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